Should I Repower My Boat With A New Engine?

Whether your thrill is a 200 HP Mercury gas outboard on your Kingfisher, a 260 HP Volvo inboard engine on your SeaSport or a 30 HP Yanmar diesel taking your C&C sailboat out of the marina for another adventure, the engine is a critical and valuable part of your experience on the water.  Good preventative maintenance with scheduled engine services can keep your vessel moving but there occasionally comes a time when it’s desirable or necessary to repower the boat with a new engine.

Why boaters repower with a new outboard or inboard engine:

1. Reliability and safety: Safety comes first in life and there’s not many places where this is more true than a stormy sea or lake.  If you’re starting to question the reliability of your boat’s engine it may be time to install a new one and bring you and your family peace of mind on the water.
2. Save money on fuel and help the environment:  New model outboards and inboards are substantially more fuel efficient and better for the environment.
3. Extend the range: Repowering can provide improved range, allowing you to take longer cruises and reduce visits to the fuel stop.
4. Improve resale value: The engine is often the most valuable aspect of a boat.  When it comes time to sell or upgrade a modern engine will increase resale value and make the sale process much easier.
5. Increase comfort:  Older motors are sometimes loud, smoky or cause vibrations.   When relaxation and enjoyment are the reasons to be on the water, a quiet, clean, smooth running engine can put a smile on everyone’s face.

Contact Bluewater for a free consultation on repowering your boat.   We’ve helped many pleasure boaters and commercial operators to repair or repower their engines (with gas or diesel, any engine manufacturer) and our boat mechanics would be happy to provide a free estimate.

For more information on this topic, Yanmar publishes The Boater’s Guide to Successful Repowering .

‍