This has been a real interesting experience.

I've been in the market for a new boat - Mrs. Wave wants something a
little bigger so she can go on day trips when she has time. We
settled on a 23 foot CC with step down console or if necessary, a 23
WA with cuddy.

I have a brandy new 200 HO ETEC, so I figured the best way to do this
was to reinstall the FIC?HT on the Ranger, sell it and use the new
ETEC as power for the new boat.

Thus, I want to purchase a boat w/trailer without an engine or engine
controls. Pretty simple concept right?

I started with the boats that I have been impressed with in the past.
I'm not going to name the specific manufacturers - you all know which
ones I've mentioned as favorites. I called around to dealers in my
area and presented the proposition to them - boat and trailer only.

You would think I was pulling teeth with pliers.

The first question invariable was "are you installing an I/O?". No, I
have a new ETEC 200 that I will install or have installed.

"Oh, you don't want an ETEC - those are junk engines. They've had all
kinds of problems with those engines. What you want is (Insert Yamaha,
Mercury, Suzuki - engine of their choice here)."

I replied to this with "Well, that's not your problem - that's what
will be going on the boat - so can you deliver it that way?"

Invariably, the answer to that was "We don't service ETECS". Again, I
replied with "Not your problem - that's my problem".

Next up was "Well, we could, but installing that engine will void the
warranty on the boat". Which begged the question from me "So if I buy
a boat with a T-top and vacuum head, installing the ETEC will void the
warranty on those items?" The reply was invariably yes.

Uh huh...

At this point, I resorted to contacting the manufacturers directly by
telephone. In every case they referred me back to the dealer and
didn't want to deal direct.

To be fair, I still haven't heard from one manufacturer (starts with C
and ends with R), but I've had good relations in the past with them
and expect some measure of cooperation.

It would seem to me that this would be a fairly easy thing to do -
apparently not.

As I learn more, I will post the results.

Onward and upward!!

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
This has been a real interesting experience.

I've been in the market for a new boat - Mrs. Wave wants something a
little bigger so she can go on day trips when she has time. We
settled on a 23 foot CC with step down console or if necessary, a 23
WA with cuddy.

I have a brandy new 200 HO ETEC, so I figured the best way to do this
was to reinstall the FIC?HT on the Ranger, sell it and use the new
ETEC as power for the new boat.

Thus, I want to purchase a boat w/trailer without an engine or engine
controls. Pretty simple concept right?

I started with the boats that I have been impressed with in the past.
I'm not going to name the specific manufacturers - you all know which
ones I've mentioned as favorites. I called around to dealers in my
area and presented the proposition to them - boat and trailer only.

You would think I was pulling teeth with pliers.

The first question invariable was "are you installing an I/O?". No, I
have a new ETEC 200 that I will install or have installed.

"Oh, you don't want an ETEC - those are junk engines. They've had all
kinds of problems with those engines. What you want is (Insert Yamaha,
Mercury, Suzuki - engine of their choice here)."

I replied to this with "Well, that's not your problem - that's what
will be going on the boat - so can you deliver it that way?"

Invariably, the answer to that was "We don't service ETECS". Again, I
replied with "Not your problem - that's my problem".

Next up was "Well, we could, but installing that engine will void the
warranty on the boat". Which begged the question from me "So if I buy
a boat with a T-top and vacuum head, installing the ETEC will void the
warranty on those items?" The reply was invariably yes.

Uh huh...

At this point, I resorted to contacting the manufacturers directly by
telephone. In every case they referred me back to the dealer and
didn't want to deal direct.

To be fair, I still haven't heard from one manufacturer (starts with C
and ends with R), but I've had good relations in the past with them
and expect some measure of cooperation.

It would seem to me that this would be a fairly easy thing to do -
apparently not.

As I learn more, I will post the results.

Onward and upward!!

We are in a similar scenario in that we are looking at new boats.
Decided to step down a bit in size and focus more in the back water
stuff which is most of what we've been doing for the past couple years.

There is a particular brand, of which I've been eyeing the 22fter, took
it for a sea-trial and I was not disappointed. This particular boat can
come with either Mercury or Yamaha, 2 or 4 strokes. I had asked the
dealer about Suzuki, as I know a local boat rental guy who has been
running them for many years, and the dealer surprised me. He stated he's
aware they are good engines, it is just he is not set-up, which I
assumed certified, to work on them. That was the only negative he
mentioned was where to get them serviced in this area, apparently there
are not many dealers handling them.

I had not even considered getting the boat without an engine, I don't
happen to have any extra ones lying around.

The only hold up in the deal was the offer on the trade, was far below
what I was hoping. He stated he did not normally deal in boats that
size, and therefore was not excited about the deal. He stated this up
front and did find a local guy who basically would buy it from him, pass
along the $ to me as trade value. I am now going to look to sell it on
my own and see if I can get a bit more return.

I am planning to go back to the original dealer when it's time to make
the deal on the new one.

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
This has been a real interesting experience.

I've been in the market for a new boat - Mrs. Wave wants something a
little bigger so she can go on day trips when she has time. We
settled on a 23 foot CC with step down console or if necessary, a 23
WA with cuddy.

I have a brandy new 200 HO ETEC, so I figured the best way to do this
was to reinstall the FIC?HT on the Ranger, sell it and use the new
ETEC as power for the new boat.

Thus, I want to purchase a boat w/trailer without an engine or engine
controls. Pretty simple concept right?

I started with the boats that I have been impressed with in the past.
I'm not going to name the specific manufacturers - you all know which
ones I've mentioned as favorites. I called around to dealers in my
area and presented the proposition to them - boat and trailer only.

You would think I was pulling teeth with pliers.

The first question invariable was "are you installing an I/O?". No, I
have a new ETEC 200 that I will install or have installed.

"Oh, you don't want an ETEC - those are junk engines. They've had all
kinds of problems with those engines. What you want is (Insert Yamaha,
Mercury, Suzuki - engine of their choice here)."

I replied to this with "Well, that's not your problem - that's what
will be going on the boat - so can you deliver it that way?"

Invariably, the answer to that was "We don't service ETECS". Again, I
replied with "Not your problem - that's my problem".

Next up was "Well, we could, but installing that engine will void the
warranty on the boat". Which begged the question from me "So if I buy
a boat with a T-top and vacuum head, installing the ETEC will void the
warranty on those items?" The reply was invariably yes.

Uh huh...

At this point, I resorted to contacting the manufacturers directly by
telephone. In every case they referred me back to the dealer and
didn't want to deal direct.

To be fair, I still haven't heard from one manufacturer (starts with C
and ends with R), but I've had good relations in the past with them
and expect some measure of cooperation.

It would seem to me that this would be a fairly easy thing to do -
apparently not.

As I learn more, I will post the results.

Onward and upward!!


I had a hell of a time when I tried to purchase the particular model of
Parker I wanted with twin Merc 150s or sans engine. Couldn't be done
back then. Dunno about now.

I have yet to see my first large ETEC out on the bay. Yamahas and Mercs
by far have the most market penetration. I see smaller Suzukis and a few
Hondas, and once in a while a larger Honda. Plenty of older Evinrudes
and Johnsons, though.

On Wed, 30 May 2007 10:28:06 -0400, HK wrote:

I had a hell of a time when I tried to purchase the particular model of
Parker I wanted with twin Merc 150s or sans engine. Couldn't be done
back then. Dunno about now.

I'm even at the point of considering a Parker.

~~ eeewwwww ~~ :)

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Wed, 30 May 2007 10:28:06 -0400, HK wrote:

I had a hell of a time when I tried to purchase the particular model of
Parker I wanted with twin Merc 150s or sans engine. Couldn't be done
back then. Dunno about now.

I'm even at the point of considering a Parker.

~~ eeewwwww ~~ :)


I don't know what you're in the market for, but the 23' deep vee Parker
CC is a sweet boat for a boat of that style. No cabin to take a nap in,
no flushing head, but all the same...

On May 30, 5:17�am, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
This has been a real interesting experience.

I've been in the market for a new boat - Mrs. Wave wants something a
little bigger so she can go on day trips when she has time. *We
settled on a 23 foot CC with step down console or if necessary, a 23
WA with cuddy.

I have a brandy new 200 HO ETEC, so I figured the best way to do this
was to reinstall the FIC?HT on the Ranger, sell it and use the new
ETEC as power for the new boat.

Thus, I want to purchase a boat w/trailer without an engine or engine
controls. *Pretty simple concept right?

I started with the boats that I have been impressed with in the past.
I'm not going to name the specific manufacturers - you all know which
ones I've mentioned as favorites. *I called around to dealers in my
area and presented the proposition to them - boat and trailer only.

You would think I was pulling teeth with pliers. *

The first question invariable was "are you installing an I/O?". *No, I
have a new ETEC 200 that I will install or have installed.

"Oh, you don't want an ETEC - those are junk engines. *They've had all
kinds of problems with those engines. What you want is (Insert Yamaha,
Mercury, Suzuki - engine of their choice here)."

I replied to this with "Well, that's not your problem - that's what
will be going on the boat - so can you deliver it that way?"

Invariably, the answer to that was "We don't service ETECS". *Again, I
replied with "Not your problem - that's my problem".

Next up was "Well, we could, but installing that engine will void the
warranty on the boat". *Which begged the question from me "So if I buy
a boat with a T-top and vacuum head, installing the ETEC will void the
warranty on those items?" *The reply was invariably yes.

Uh huh...

At this point, I resorted to contacting the manufacturers directly by
telephone. *In every case they referred me back to the dealer and
didn't want to deal direct.

To be fair, I still haven't heard from one manufacturer (starts with C
and ends with R), but I've had good relations in the past with them
and expect some measure of cooperation.

It would seem to me that this would be a fairly easy thing to do -
apparently not.

As I learn more, I will post the results.

Onward and upward!!

What do they use on Harbercraft boats out your way? IIRC, the local
guy sells them with ETEC's. They seem to be decent boats.

Are you willing to pay the dealer to rig your boat if you find a boat
brand that is on speaking terms wiith your engine?

Have you considered buying late model used and swapping out the engine
after purchase?

On 30 May 2007 07:56:00 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

What do they use on Harbercraft boats out your way? IIRC, the local
guy sells them with ETEC's. They seem to be decent boats.

I don't think there is a Harbercraft dealer my way. Can't find one on
their site and I can't seem to find one on the web.

I have thought about Pacific boats though.

Are you willing to pay the dealer to rig your boat if you find a boat
brand that is on speaking terms wiith your engine?

Nope - my engine dealer will rig the boat and I will do the control
and gage installation. Custom work done by somebody I trust.

Have you considered buying late model used and swapping out the engine
after purchase?

Yes I have, but I'd rather not do that at this point.

I understand the points you made in your other post and mostly I agree
with them - I do understand the dealer's point of view on this.

And you even forgot one - they have an inventory of boats that they
need to get rid of - totally understandable.

But...

When you have a customer with cash and wants to spend that cash on
your model boat, what's better?

Seemingly they don't care and frankly, I find that disturbing.

On 30 May 2007 07:56:00 -0700, Chuck Gould



I have thought about Pacific boats though.

Do you have a dealer for them out that way?

They promote their boats with Honda 4-strokes, (at least locally) but
their buyers are typically pretty savvy. Lots of them are guys who
used the company's boats in the commercial fishing industry (they sell
a lot of seiner tenders) and a lot of fishing lodges up in AK. I think
that if a company were unlikely to insist that you rig a boat with X
engine, Pacific might be a good example. They build them up in
Marysville, WA and AFAIK they are pretty darn stout.