# Help me choose what outboard for an ECS EVO



## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

Hello fello members. This forum has been a huge help for me choosing my next skiff. I tried searching for an answer to this question, but haven't had any luck since the EVO is relatively new. I plan on putting an order for the new East Cape EVO soon. Although I know every detail I want, I have yet to choose an outboard for my skiff. I chose the EVO because I live in South Florida and regularly cross Biscayne Bay as well as make the long trip from my family home in Key Largo to Flamingo. That being said I wanted a boat that could handle the open water chop but still draft skinny for Flamingo. After speaking with Kevin the EVO seemed to be the perfect fit. I plan on going with the full kevlar package to save the weight (approx 150+ lbs) in order to get the best possible draft. That being said, I've narrowed my choices down to either the Yamaha F70 (257 lbs, approx 7.5" draft & WOT in the high 30's) or the Mercury 115 Four Stroke (359 lbs, approx under 9" draft & WOT in the low 50's). I've narrowed it down to these two motors because the F70 is the lightest in it's class while the 115 is just as light if not lighter then most 90's. Only problem is I'm worried if I go with the F70 I'll be under powered and if I go with the Merc 115 I won't get the draft I'm looking for. Maybe with the the weight savings of the full kevlar I'll be able to squeeze more draft out of the 115 or more speed out of the F70? 

What do you guys suggest? F70, 115, or another option? 

BTW I'm not a fan of Honda or Suzuki so please don't suggest these. Thanks for all your help and hope all is well!


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

A Zuke 90 weighs 348 for a 4 stroke


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

What does Kevin recommend?


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

permitchaser said:


> A Zuke 90 weighs 348 for a 4 stroke


A 10 lb. difference doesn't justify a 25hp lose. Plus I'd rather steer away from Suzuki and/or Honda.


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

DuckNut said:


> What does Kevin recommend?


Kevin recommended both the Merc 115 & F70. He felt the F70 would fit best for what I wanted to do. However, I'm still worried that the F70 will be underpowered and put extra strain on the motor when I'm running fully loaded.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Tohatsu 90 TLDI. 337 lbs. I love mine.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Merc 115 is a great motor and is the big sister of the 90. Seems you already know the answer to the question.


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2015)

Noticed that you didn't mention Etec as an option. 90/90 H.O./115 hp? Just wondering.


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## captllama (Aug 7, 2013)

I'd put either a Merc 115 4s with the bigfoot lowerunit, or the new F115, there is a 10 LB difference between the two. My buddy had a f70 on his 18 seahunter and anytime there was any load, he hated it. Better to have too much power than not enough


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## timemachine (Sep 1, 2014)

If you are planning to go in open water, one thing to consider it the transition from planing to non-planing, and how slow you can go. This is where keeping the weight off of the back of the boat will help. Plus, eventually you will have to come off plane, and it would be nicer to have the transom a little higher out of the water. 

For me, it would boil down to the conditions. The big motor would allow a "hyper cruise" in the 40's, but how often do your water conditions allow that?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

I would not recommend the Bigfoot option. Because they are designed for heavy loads and the EVO completely loaded would not fit the bill of the bigfoot. Designed to push loads through the water, not over the water.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

I'm not disagreeing with your opinion on Suzuki, but why do you dislike them?


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## CaptainRob (Mar 11, 2007)

Going by the info you posted, I would go with the 115 merc. If you are making long runs you will want the extra speed and my guess is that you will still be able to fish all the places you want too if you work the tides correctly.


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

mike_parker said:


> Noticed that you didn't mention Etec as an option. 90/90 H.O./115 hp? Just wondering.


Etec 90 was actually my 3rd option but Kevin didn't recommend it. It is I believe about 40lbs lighter then the Merc 115. The H.O.'s are slightly heavier then the Merc 115.


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

What is the dealer network like in your area? You'll need routine maintenance and possibly warranty work.

I'd lean to the 115, you rarely if ever, hear someone say "wish I had less horsepower". And balancing the load on board will dramatically impact the draft figures.


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

RunningOnEmpty said:


> I'm not disagreeing with your opinion on Suzuki, but why do you dislike them?


I've had a few friends who have owned Suzuki's and they've had major issues with them. I've been on one to many botched fishing trips to conclude I don't want a Zuke.


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## floridascuba (Mar 15, 2012)

I have heard nothing but good things about Zuks. Have 3 friends that run them and I have the 140. No issues.


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## timemachine (Sep 1, 2014)

Gramps said:


> I'd lean to the 115, you rarely if ever, hear someone say "wish I had less horsepower". And balancing the load on board will dramatically impact the draft figures.


Of course no one would say it in that way, but you may hear people say that they would like the boat to go on to plane with less bow rise, or that they would want to plane at lower speed, or that they would like for the stern of the boat to rise with waves better while not moving. There is a lot to be said for having a well balanced boat. There are cases where the heavy transom is carried to the extreme, and I am certainly not talking about this boat in particular, but one of the common failure modes is to have a light boat with a heavy motor. Wave number one fills the boat up like a bath tub, and wave number two flips it over; and the rest is statistics.

If you look at the website for this boat, in the pictures, the boat looks perfectly balanced with a smaller motor, and just slightly heavy in the rear with the big one. Neither looks out of balance, in my opinion. So with the big motor, you give up a little low speed planing performance, and with the little motor, you give up some top speed. If you have a bigger boat for rough days, it's a easy choice to go for the speed. If you want to go out in a little boat in 20+ knot wind, and the waves that go with it, then I would be looking at the small motor.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

MiamiMAP said:


> I've had a few friends who have owned Suzuki's and they've had major issues with them. I've been on one to many botched fishing trips to conclude I don't want a Zuke.


I used to hang out at a Suzuki dealership after hours and we would drink beer and inspect all of the warranty powerheads. It was always fun trying to figure out what caused the destruction. Sometimes the motors looked like new on the outside, but the water passages would be rotten and water would get into the cylinders.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

I would go with the f70- you'll get the draft you want. This is make or break for certain bonefish and redfish flats!! If you want the top end too, have them prop it that way- 
I just had one priced as well, my choice power is the 115sho.


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

2nd for the Yamaha vmax sho 115. I'm swaying back and forth between several boats but my lady is strongly pulling for the scout 177. I feel like the ego and the 177 are similar and that boat deserves the 115sho


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

For me it doesn't make sense to spend $$$ for Kevlar to save 150# and then add 100# on the transom to possibly gain higher cruising speeds for maybe an hour or two while suffering on the pole the rest of the day. (Light boats launch.)

There are many guides that tried the 115+ speed route and have gone back to 60 or 70 hp skiffs.

If your set on getting a 115, I wouldn't spend the $$$ on the kevlar. Especially if you're going to rig the boat out with 24V TM, PowerPole, Casting Platform, or run the live well.


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

MariettaMike said:


> For me it doesn't make sense to spend $$$ for Kevlar to save 150# and then add 100# on the transom to possibly gain higher cruising speeds for maybe an hour or two while suffering on the pole the rest of the day. (Light boats launch.)
> 
> There are many guides that tried the 115+ speed route and have gone back to 60 or 70 hp skiffs.
> 
> If your set on getting a 115, I wouldn't spend the $$$ on the kevlar. Especially if you're going to rig the boat out with 24V TM, PowerPole, Casting Platform, or run the live well.


I kinda agree with this. But I think it's too big of a boat for an f70. It's considerably bigger than the other boats that run the 70. Load it up with three guys and you'll see. I say the merc 115 or F115 four strokes. There isn't enough weight difference between the 90 and 115 to make a 90 warrantable.


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

Fish_specialist said:


> I would go with the f70- you'll get the draft you want. This is make or break for certain bonefish and redfish flats!! If you want the top end too, have them prop it that way-
> I just had one priced as well, my choice power is the 115sho.


Just curious why you decided to go with the 115? I'm still up in the air about which motor to go with.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

MiamiMAP said:


> Just curious why you decided to go with the 115? I'm still up in the air about which motor to go with.


My fishing conditions are different than yours. I'm going to spend 90% of my time in 3.5-8ft of water. I'll be fishing submerged oyster bars, lit docks, and bridges at night. I'll be spending time in open water situations and fish the beach quite a bit. I will occasionally be offshore working kingfish and snapper. Rarely will I be encountering flats that are inaccessible for a boat with a little more draft. For me, a real world 10" draft is ok. I'm also currently pricing several other skiffs. The HPX 18, the Vantage, and the Marquesa. All these skiffs are a little bigger than the Evo. Power range is 90-150hp. I have no use for top speed at night.(most of my fishing will be at night) Also considering most of the 90hp motors are the same weight as the 115's, it just makes good sense for me to go 115hp route. The standard yamaha f115 and the SHO are the same weight with the SHO costing about 200$ more. But more Low end Torque!!
I also considered the Suzuki 115SS. 
My last motor was an ETEC. I actually loved that thing.

There's much to consider!!! 

How many people will you be carrying in this skiff 90% of the time? 
How often are you going to have the livewell running?? 
What is the average depth of the flats you fish 90% of the time? 


These are the important questions you need to ask yourself.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2015)

BRP has brought back the 115H.O.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Go with the 115. If you love the Etec get one


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

MariettaMike said:


> For me it doesn't make sense to spend $$$ for Kevlar to save 150# and then add 100# on the transom to possibly gain higher cruising speeds for maybe an hour or two while suffering on the pole the rest of the day. (Light boats launch.)
> 
> There are many guides that tried the 115+ speed route and have gone back to 60 or 70 hp skiffs.
> 
> If your set on getting a 115, I wouldn't spend the $$$ on the kevlar. Especially if you're going to rig the boat out with 24V TM, PowerPole, Casting Platform, or run the live well.


The idea behind the spending the extra money for kevlar was to try and gain more draft if I decide to go with the 115. It was not to try and gain top end. You are right, I am planning on rigging with a 24v TM, casting platform, and running a live well.


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## hookemdano (Feb 9, 2007)

Fish_specialist said:


> My fishing conditions are different than yours. I'm going to spend 90% of my time in 3.5-8ft of water. I'll be fishing submerged oyster bars, lit docks, and bridges at night. I'll be spending time in open water situations and fish the beach quite a bit. I will occasionally be offshore working kingfish and snapper. Rarely will I be encountering flats that are inaccessible for a boat with a little more draft. For me, a real world 10" draft is ok. I'm also currently pricing several other skiffs. The HPX 18, the Vantage, and the Marquesa. All these skiffs are a little bigger than the Evo. Power range is 90-150hp. I have no use for top speed at night.(most of my fishing will be at night) Also considering most of the 90hp motors are the same weight as the 115's, it just makes good sense for me to go 115hp route. The standard yamaha f115 and the SHO are the same weight with the SHO costing about 200$ more. But more Low end Torque!!
> I also considered the Suzuki 115SS.
> My last motor was an ETEC. I actually loved that thing.
> 
> ...


Just curious as to the why other boats you're considering does not include the Biscayne as that seems to be the most comparable boat from my limited research. And why the OP didn't pick the Biscayne either. My next boat will be better suited for open water but I'm hoping to end up with a boat that's still easy to pole. Both the Evo and Biscayne are on the short list. 

Sorry if a derail. Mine would not have pp or tm so I would go f70. 

Fished 4 days on a Marquesa w all the accessories and the Merc 115 4s and was impressed by that package. Just wouldn't want to pole it all day.


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

hookemdano said:


> Just curious as to the why other boats you're considering does not include the Biscayne as that seems to be the most comparable boat from my limited research. And why the OP didn't pick the Biscayne either. My next boat will be better suited for open water but I'm hoping to end up with a boat that's still easy to pole. Both the Evo and Biscayne are on the short list.
> 
> Sorry if a derail. Mine would not have pp or tm so I would go f70.
> 
> Fished 4 days on a Marquesa w all the accessories and the Merc 115 4s and was impressed by that package. Just wouldn't want to pole it all day.


I steered away from the Biscayne because you can only fit 3 on board and it is not as smooth of a ride as the EVO. Although I don't plan on fishing with 4 on the EVO, I do plan on taking the family out for a day on sand bar every once in a while. I agree with you, the Marquesa was slightly too large for me to pole around all day, not to mention it's 12k more then the EVO.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

hookemdano said:


> Just curious as to the why other boats you're considering does not include the Biscayne as that seems to be the most comparable boat from my limited research. And why the OP didn't pick the Biscayne either. My next boat will be better suited for open water but I'm hoping to end up with a boat that's still easy to pole. Both the Evo and Biscayne are on the short list.
> 
> Sorry if a derail. Mine would not have pp or tm so I would go f70.
> 
> Fished 4 days on a Marquesa w all the accessories and the Merc 115 4s and was impressed by that package. Just wouldn't want to pole it all day.


The Biscayne didn't make the list because it's 16'4"X70" 
The EVO is the smallest skiff I am considering. I'm looking at a 3 person type skiff... 
Btw- my fave of them is the Marquesa. Very likely to be my next skiff.


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## hookemdano (Feb 9, 2007)

Good info. Thanks to both of you and look forward to seeing what boats you guys end up with.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Shaving 150 lbs off that hull is going to change the ride characteristics significantly. I suggest you spend some time on the exact hull you want, not just the glass equivalent.


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## captllama (Aug 7, 2013)

Had no clue the SHO is only $200 more? 

OP, hope you find the right package. EVO is a sweet boat


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

DuckNut said:


> Shaving 150 lbs off that hull is going to change the ride characteristics significantly. I suggest you spend some time on the exact hull you want, not just the glass equivalent.


Can you please elaborate on this? Upon speaking to Kevin of EC he didn't mention anything like this. He mentioned the kevlar would have a svings of 150-200 lbs and it would like saving rigging weight, a person, and/or fuel.


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## Creek Runner (Sep 1, 2011)

I run a 2014 HB Marquesa and I can pole it all day long no problem and do so all the time, mine has a 90hp 2 stroke Yamaha. That being said I also pole my tournaments partners 18HPXV w/150Hp all day as well and have no real issues but I am tired at the end of an 8 hour tournament day. I would say my Marquesas is about 80%-100% lighter on the pole than the 18HPXV

EVO 17' 9" LOA - 79" beam / Marquesa 18'1" LOA- 79" beam / Maverivk 17HPXV 16' 9" LOA 75" beam= F70 41MPH with super light load real world that boat is 37mph and with a heavy load it's 34mph.

Personally I think if you put a F70 on the EVO your going to regret it, the f70 is a lower torque high revving engine. Simply put the evo is to large of a boat for a 70hp I think. 90hp should be the smallest outboard that boat is rigged with, and since the 90hp and 115hp are equal in weight then the only real reason not to go with a 115hp is $.

I have you ridden on that EVO with the 60hp merc that is used on the website photos? I would like to know real world performance numbers for that skiff rigged like it sits in the pics with 2 guys. Doesn't the EVO carry the V all the way back to the transom? What is the deadrise? I would be surprised if that 60hp get the boat on the pad.

Someone asked about the Biscayne, your going to draft the same with a Marquesa with a 90hp as a Biscayne with a 90hp. The Marquesa is 100% more stable, has more room, rides better. The Biscayne is a little lighter on the pole.

Also if you fish solo with a trolling motor on that evo the heavier motor will actually help the boat balance more, my boat is a little light in the back with just me on the front, I'm 220lbs. I fill my livewell up about halfway when I fish by myself.

My boat drafts 7.5" +/- with 2 people tournament loaded and runs 41-42mph with a 4 blade custom prop and is a rocket ship out of the hole, with a 3 blade I can run 45mph.

Personally I don't think 150LBS is going to change your draft that much, the weight savings will be more noticeable on the pole and while running, speed, rough water, etc. 

Just my .02 with some real world numbers and 100's of hours on all these boats I mentioned, except for the EVO.

Tight lines
Creek


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

There will be very little difference when the water is flat calm. Add some waves and the ride will be more comfortable with the heavier boat. It may not appear like a big difference, but some hulls need the extra inch to hold in tight turns rather than sliding out.

With elite makers and their skiffs hitting $60 thousand, why has nobody made a completely carbon boat? The entire 17' boat would weigh less than half of their glass sister?


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

DuckNut said:


> There will be very little difference when the water is flat calm. Add some waves and the ride will be more comfortable with the heavier boat. It may not appear like a big difference, but some hulls need the extra inch to hold in tight turns rather than sliding out.
> 
> With elite makers and their skiffs hitting $60 thousand, why has nobody made a completely carbon boat? The entire 17' boat would weigh less than half of their glass sister?


Because carbon fiber alone is brittle and lacks the flex necessary for a hull. That's why they weave kevlar into the matrix.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Not exactly.
Push poles seem to bend nicely, you fly rod get a nice flex in it when you pull on a fish, the Goetz 106' racing sailboat is all carbon...

A part might be that they give little to no warning before catastrophic failure. But it would be appropriate to use a sandwich structure, but it is just not done.

A few years ago there was a couple of posts of a builder who made a completely carbon cap for his 16' skiff that showed him holding it off the ground with one arm...but the project was abandoned.

I have been in ultralight canoes made from glass, Kevlar and carbon. Each one has their own characteristics and the least enjoyable was the Kevlar. The lack of stretch of the carbon made it very efficient to move but that also made it float as high as a beach ball.


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## hookemdano (Feb 9, 2007)

Evo is bigger than I thought. I don't know enough about it to have an opinion with any knowledgeable backing but would be suprised if an f70 pushed it well.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

DuckNut said:


> Not exactly.
> Push poles seem to bend nicely, you fly rod get a nice flex in it when you pull on a fish, the Goetz 106' racing sailboat is all carbon...
> 
> A part might be that they give little to no warning before catastrophic failure. But it would be appropriate to use a sandwich structure, but it is just not done.
> ...


I chose my words poorly. Carbon fiber does flex but it is still brittle and has very little impact resistance before failure. I think it is also more likely to flex in a tube form like a rod or pushpole. Flat pieces of laminated carbon fiber have very little flex before they shear into two. When it fails it is not the same as glass or a kevlar blend. Those fibers will typically still hold the structure together. When carbon fiber fails you end up with two halves of the original object.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Yes. When carbon exceeds its flex limits, it is catastrophic.


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

Creek Runner said:


> I run a 2014 HB Marquesa and I can pole it all day long no problem and do so all the time, mine has a 90hp 2 stroke Yamaha. That being said I also pole my tournaments partners 18HPXV w/150Hp all day as well and have no real issues but I am tired at the end of an 8 hour tournament day. I would say my Marquesas is about 80%-100% lighter on the pole than the 18HPXV
> 
> EVO 17' 9" LOA - 79" beam / Marquesa 18'1" LOA- 79" beam / Maverivk 17HPXV 16' 9" LOA 75" beam= F70 41MPH with super light load real world that boat is 37mph and with a heavy load it's 34mph.
> 
> ...


Black Fly Lodges runs their EC Vantage with an Etec 90 just fine. The EVO is 650 lbs haul without the motor. I doubt EC would rig their demo EVO with a 60 if they felt it was extremely under powered. The EVO is rated for a 40 hp all the way up to a 115. Kevin (co-owner) recommended the f70, I doubt he would do so if he felt it would not put the boat on plane. 

That being said I truly appreciate your input and respect your opinion. Do you still feel the f70 is under powered? Also if I did go with the 115, I would get an 8 in draft. Do you think that is a sufficient draft for Flamingo park? Honestly, I think it's a stretch IMO... Thoughts???


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## floridascuba (Mar 15, 2012)

I believe Kevin runs a 70 on his EVO.


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## fishtrapper (Jun 6, 2009)

If you can find a lighter 90 that is a brand that you like I would go with the 90 for the EVO.....to bad you do not like Zuki the 90 seems to be a great match up on the EVO. The 60 is a little underpowered for my liking on the EVO. I know everyone has their opinion on the kevlar but I like the kevlar for when you pole mostly it does seem to make the boat a little lighter on the pole.


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

fishtrapper said:


> If you can find a lighter 90 that is a brand that you like I would go with the 90 for the EVO.....to bad you do not like Zuki the 90 seems to be a great match up on the EVO. The 60 is a little underpowered for my liking on the EVO. I know everyone has their opinion on the kevlar but I like the kevlar for when you pole mostly it does seem to make the boat a little lighter on the pole.


Is your Caimen kevlar and/or have you been on a Kevlar EC? Curious about the ride and how it poles.


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## fishtrapper (Jun 6, 2009)

MiamiMAP said:


> Is your Caimen kevlar and/or have you been on a Kevlar EC? Curious about the ride and how it poles.


I don't have a caimen anymore....I sure did love my caimen and miss it but I went up to a vantage because I needed a bigger boat for fishing the beach more and Louisiana (the 60+ mile runs took forever in the caimen hahaha). I have fished on several Kevlar and nonkevlar boats and I think the way east cape does the Kevlar (entire boat...hull, deck, liner, console etc...) it does make the boat lighter and nicer to pole all day....you are going to notice better speeds and draft should be a little less

I have heard some people say that Kevlar boats are more corky or that the run different than nonkevlar boats but I really think that unless you spend a lot of time in the same boat one Kevlar and one nonkevlar on the water you would not notice a difference.

If you have not done so yet I would take a ride in the shop boat with the 60 merc on it...mercs are usually very fast motors so I would guess the merc 60 would be close to the yami 70 in performance. They should have one at the shop with a 90 on it too which should give you a good idea which motor to go with


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

fishtrapper said:


> I don't have a caimen anymore....I sure did love my caimen and miss it but I went up to a vantage because I needed a bigger boat for fishing the beach more and Louisiana (the 60+ mile runs took forever in the caimen hahaha). I have fished on several Kevlar and nonkevlar boats and I think the way east cape does the Kevlar (entire boat...hull, deck, liner, console etc...) it does make the boat lighter and nicer to pole all day....you are going to notice better speeds and draft should be a little less
> 
> I have heard some people say that Kevlar boats are more corky or that the run different than nonkevlar boats but I really think that unless you spend a lot of time in the same boat one Kevlar and one nonkevlar on the water you would not notice a difference.
> 
> If you have not done so yet I would take a ride in the shop boat with the 60 merc on it...mercs are usually very fast motors so I would guess the merc 60 would be close to the yami 70 in performance. They should have one at the shop with a 90 on it too which should give you a good idea which motor to go with



This is great advise.


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## creekfreak (Jan 8, 2013)

I look at like this.If you make a mistake on your choice,it's easier to go down than to up.You can find almost anyone to trade your 115 for a 70. Harder to trade a 70 for a 115. Plus 1 1/2 in Isnt a big deal for type skiff your getting.Youll always be limited to how skinny u can get with 70 or 115.This is what we all go thru,skinny or comfort.Go 115 all day dude.If not and your passion is skinny water polling over crown flats to get to that slight deeper water or secluded coves in whitewater bay get a caimen.


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## Creek Runner (Sep 1, 2011)

MiamiMAP said:


> Black Fly Lodges runs their EC Vantage with an Etec 90 just fine. The EVO is 650 lbs haul without the motor. I doubt EC would rig their demo EVO with a 60 if they felt it was extremely under powered. The EVO is rated for a 40 hp all the way up to a 115. Kevin (co-owner) recommended the f70, I doubt he would do so if he felt it would not put the boat on plane.
> 
> That being said I truly appreciate your input and respect your opinion. Do you still feel the f70 is under powered? Also if I did go with the 115, I would get an 8 in draft. Do you think that is a sufficient draft for Flamingo park? Honestly, I think it's a stretch IMO... Thoughts???


MiamoMAP, I'm just giving you my opinion on what my experience is with boats and outboard engines. I'm a master Yamaha tech and have pretty much been on every style of boat there is including 120+mph drag boats. 

Yes you can run a Vantage with a 90hp, but no way it gets fully on the pad and airs out. Just as a Maverick 18HPXV with a 90hp will fall off the pad, if you got a brand new prop and light load it will stay but the 1st time you polish that prop it won't stay, and thats a fact as I got lots of hours on one. My Marquesa has a hull weight of 695lbs you stated the EVO is at 650lbs so the difference being 45lbs and and 4" in LOA, my boat with a 90hp 2-stroke (has more low end torque than the F70) with 2 trolling motor batteries, trolling motor, and power pole, runs 41 with a tournament load ( and my tournament load is light). But my boats falls off the pad all the time, there just isn't enough torque to keep it up there, the same boat with a 115hp, one of my good friends has one just like mine other than HP, his boats stays on the pad and runs 47-48MPH tournament loaded. 

You can put an F70 on the EVO and as you stated your going to be in the high 30's, which I think will be more like mid 30's. Also manufactures (all of them) do crazy things all the time, so I wouldn't assume anything. I also never stated the boat wouldn't get on plane, but that doesn't mean it will get on the pad (if it has one) I'm not sure what the underside looks like, I asked what the deadrise was, how far back the V is carried, etc all those things matter. I thought (but could be totally wrong) the evo was a 10-12 degree boat all the way back with a pad. If the boat is a flat bottom in the stern than everything I have stated would change, it would be more in the class of a HB pro and an F70 would be okay, but I don't think it is. 

Also that 650lb stated weight is with out a console, hatches, rigging, etc. HB and ECC both weigh their boats this way where as maverick weighs their boats with everything and like 3 gallons of fuel, so the 17HPXV weighs in at less than 900lbs which isn't going to be a lot more than the EVO once its rigged. 

Just my opinion for what its worth and it isn't worth much, lol! 

As my previous post stated I would be real interested to know the numbers of the demo boat with 15 gallons of fuel, 24v trolling motor, soft sided cooler, 4 rods, 1 tackle bag, and 2 grown men. 

Go test them man, 1 thing about ECC they have demo boats or have a captain near by that will usually let you demo them. I have known Kevin for a very long time even before ECC. He is a good guy and they build nice skiffs, as I have stated in every post when people are looking for advice about a skiff, engine, etc, go wet test, go home and think about it, go wet test again, and then decide what is best for your style. 

I don't fish Flamingo enough to give accurate an answer to your question. 

Tight lines 
Creek


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

If you do the math, you'll find that adding 100# to the EVO increases the (balanced) draft less than 1/4 inch. Kevlar, even if it does weigh 150# less (which I think is optimistic) will only save another 1/4 inch. Since the plan is to carry 3 people on occasion, I'd say it's a no-brainer to go with the 115 and not worry about minor savings in draft and weight. If I were picking a new 115 motor, I'd go with an E-TEC to get the better low end torque of a 2-stroke. Drafting 1/4 inch more isn't going to make much difference poling on the flats, but being able to get out of the hole with a heavy load, being able to outrun a storm, quicker transits that allow more time on the fish, all do make a difference.


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## East Cape (Sep 3, 2015)

I may be able to help with some of the above related questions on our new EVO model.

EVO with 60hp:
My personal boat is the EVO w/a 60hp Mercury. Speeds with a light load and two anglers is average 38mph. This was with a 4 blade...
Heavy load with same prop and is 35mph...
However I wanted more bow lift instead of stern lift and ended with the 3-blade. My speed is now lightly loaded at 36 mph and heavy load 32mph. Of course I could be faster by adding full aramid in the laminate, eliminate the welded bench seating in front of elevated console, remove full bow cage with platform, and lastly remove the 24V troller system/batteries. So depending on the build/options will play a part in how any skiff will perform.


An EVO with a 60hp is on par with a Fury/Caimen and others in this class. What I mean is it does the job! For me it wasn't about speed, but draft, and simplicity. Now having a skiff I can truly go anywhere and be bow high on anchor or crossing rough water makes me smile. Not to mention float a true 7.50" loaded down! The EVO sits in the middle of a Fury and a Vantage in terms of duty due to its design. Dead-rise is 12 degrees and we felt we needed a skiff for South Florida and for guys that don't fish 90% of the time in truly skinny water and easier to pole all day over a Vantage. Now as far as line-up in terms of power here's my thoughts...

Different HP:
EVO with a 60/70hp is like a 90hp on a Vantage or others in that bigger skiff class
Put a 90hp on EVO and its like a Vantage or others in that class with a 115HP
Put a 115hp on a EVO is like putting a 150hp on a Vantage

So in terms of wanting a skiff to fish Flamingo in the winter and Biscayne/Keys rest of the year a 70hp would be a great match for the EVO!
Speeds with a F70hp would be low 40's lightly loaded and high 30's loaded which i would think many is good for a skiff that size/design. We can lighten up the laminate to a full aramid which has a plus and a minus to doing so and then comes the cost vs benefit to debate as well.
Also may do a tiller 40hp EVO in the future as I'd expect those speeds to be in the low 30's as every increase in HP by theory only adds 1-4 mph gain on the top-end!
Tight lines and hopefully this helps those that are wishing to go the EVO route and any that may in the future!
Kevin


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Awesome reply! Nothing beats info straight from the horses mouth. Thanks Kevin.


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## MiamiMAP (Aug 23, 2015)

East Cape said:


> I may be able to help with some of the above related questions on our new EVO model.
> 
> EVO with 60hp:
> My personal boat is the EVO w/a 60hp Mercury. Speeds with a light load and two anglers is average 38mph. This was with a 4 blade...
> ...


Thanks Kevin! Nothing better then getting straight from the source.

Can you explain the full aramid process a little further, and what are the pros and cons?


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## Creek Runner (Sep 1, 2011)

Easy answer

Aramid = Kevlar lay up


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