R.I.P. Evinrude

[wh500special 2,160]

After 111 years, Evinrude is going the way of Johnson, Elgin, Force, Chrysler, and others.  
 

A disappointing day. 
 

http://news.brp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/brp-advances-marine-strategy-focusing-boats-and-new-technologies

it sounds like the name might carry on with a line of Mercury sourced four strokes, but the in-house design, innovation, and manufacturing are being shuttered. 

 

Ole is probably rolling over in his grave. 
 

Steve

[WHX?? 48,784]

Don't know much about this BRB horse doodle Steve but my Sis works for Merc and knocks down 6 figures + a year fer sure....guess I shoulda went to college.

Still sad to hear.

My dad worked for Merc.... heck way back in the '50's when it was still Kiekafer's. He painted many a vintage outboard.

My guess is the boating industry is getting tight and we know what bean counters do. 

Trying to read your link sounds like a bunch of idiots are involved..... blaming their inadequacies to overcome and adapt to the covids BS..... my 

Edited May 28, 2020 by WHX24
speeling

[wh500special 2,160]

Mercury (Brunswick) is reportedly a great company.   They command the majority of the marine propulsion market and own more

transoms than any other outboard manufacturer*.   The industry founder, Evinrude, never was able to climb out of the holes they dug in the last decade of the 20th century which culminated in their bankruptcy in ~2002.  

Canadian giant Bombardier Corporation bought the Evinrude and Johnson brands from the dead Outboard Marine Corporation and sunk millions (billions?) of

dollars into advancing technology and rebuilding the brands.  Johnson was dropped a couple of years later and Evinrude was continued as the sole outboard brand under the Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) banner.  

 

Evinrude bet the farm on advanced, direct-injected two stroke engines while the entire rest of the industry went to four stroke engines.  Both were in response to air pollution regulations that took effect for the 2006 calendar year.  Mercury, Yamaha, and Tohatsu all offered DI two strokes for a while, but none were able to match the Evinrude E-Tec in efficiency, power, or emissions.  
 

Despite an aggressive marketing campaign, consumers just didn’t adopt the two stroke approach, usually confusing the extremely clean and quiet E-Tec with the smoky, cantankerous, gas guzzling two strokes from our

childhoods.  
 

anecdotally, every boater and dealer seemed to have a story about a nephew’s, boss’s, brother’s, secretary’s, neighbor that had an E-Tec that was a piece of junk.  Few understood that the mechanical part of the engine was

amazingly simple and robust with far fewer moving parts than any four stroke and which required virtually no maintenance.  
 

the engines are very advanced and are essentially run by their onboard water cooled computers.   They run extremely lean

and out-torque competitor’s four strokes.  
 

They weren’t perfect of course and certainly some did fail.  But generally dealers were horrible at setting them up properly and diagnosis of even simple issues seems to mystify most mechanics who just plug in their computers and scratch their heads. 
 

They have some advantages: no oil changes, no valves to adjust, no timing belts to replace.  And some disadvantages: the special oil they consume is expensive.   But, in total they offer the same

clean, quiet, reliable boating experience any clean technology outboard offers.  
 

But few consumers bought them.  
 

BRP and OMC before them really didn’t help their situation.  They lost or alienated a huge number of dealers during the bankruptcy.  They failed to lock down popular transoms and let Brunswick and Yamaha secure many boat builders.  They stuck with a technology that while effective and practical just wasn’t gaining traction with consumers.  And, aside from a short dalliance with manufacturing 25 and 30 hp engines in China for one or two years, they built every single engine in Wisconsin while competitors continued to use cheaper Far East labor. 
 

Lots of blame.  But still It’s a shame that today ended an era of another historic product line.  
 

steve 

 

* Edit:  Should note that Merc is the leader in the US market.  yamaha/tohatsu/honda/suzuki are bigger worldwide

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by wh500special

[Stepney 2,325]

Fired up the Old Timer for a salute.. 
Shame. 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,493]

The Johnson 60 on my 14’ family runabout has been going strong for 30+ years without fail... I’ll take an old 2 stroke outboard over a 4 stroke any day...

 

We’ve towed many a fancy go fast boat over the years with various issues... never been on the wrong end of a tow line...

 

Sad day... 

Edited May 28, 2020 by SylvanLakeWH

[WHX?? 48,784]

Good info for us boaters... thanks Steve. 

 

Mercury's plant here in Fond du Lac WI is huge and I even had a chance to work there once. What give up flying a desk to work on roof top HVAC in the freezing cold? … no thanks. They build on 500,000 sq ft additions every year. Big economy here. 

 

They threatened to move the whole shebang down to their facilities in Stillwater OK a few years back but the local government gave them huge incentives in tax breaks and other support

 

Best thing Merc ever did was acquire Lund boats... still considered the Cadillac of boats. Also pouring tons of money into pro sport fishing sponsorship & off shore racing to keep their brand out front. Then there's the inboard market and let's not forget they own Motorguide trollers.  Their umbrella is quite large. 

 

What's your take on the Yamaha and Honda brands? Been seeing a lot of them on transoms.  Wasn't Chrysler tied into OMC at one time?  

[bottjernat1 2,190]

Wow That is ashame! We really cant make anything anymore. 

[Cvans 1,009]

1 hour ago, bottjernat1 said:

Wow That is a shame! We really cant make anything anymore. 

We can but the consumer decides who lives and who dies.   For about a decade now 4 strokes have been the in thing and Evinrude was rowing against the current which seldom works.  Manufacturers of every description have gone belly up trying to convince the consumer that their product was better than what the consumer wanted. 

Evinrude RIP. 

[bottjernat1 2,190]

Alot of what i see is kinda like what you said and the industry needs to keep up with the times. If they dont you get swallowed up alive. I am only 39 and i was super crushed when sears went belly up. I have watched and read alot of the history of sears and if they would have just kept up with the times they could have made it. There products traveled the world and helped build this country. And to get greedy and not keep up with the times is just not good. Greed also has alot to do with this countries demiz to much greed in america. 

[wh500special 2,160]

I don’t think Chrysler Marine was tied up with OMC, but perhaps they were.  
 

there’s some interesting history there and I just looked it up recently.  As I recall, the marine division was still in the black during one of Chrysler’s many financial calamities so was a good source of revenue when sold.  
 

my uncle had a few old Chryslers from 7.5 to 15 hp.   They were ugly suckers, but you couldn’t kill them.   Really tough motors.   I don’t know what ever happened to the 7.5, but I know the 15 ran great right up til the day the Fisher aluminum boat it was on finally corroded through and sunk to the bottom of the lake.  
 

That engine was electric start and remote controlled - somewhat unusual for its day on a motor in that power class.  It had an integrated starter/generator built into the flywheel on top of the engine instead of a bendix starter. Pretty neat. And the white stern navigation/running light for the stern was also built into the top of the engine. 
 

Chrysler became Force/US Marine and Was sucked into Mercury at some point in the early 1990’s.  They were priced low and put on a lot of entry level bass trackers and Bayliners.   I still see a lot of them out there. 
 

For a while, Sears sold the Chrysler/Force engines as their house brand Gamefisher.  Prior to that, Gamefishers were made by Eska and I think the power heads, or at least some of the components, were made by Tecumseh.  Dad has a 1978 Gamefisher (Eska) he bought new and I remember seeing Tecumseh markings on some parts.  
 

I ramble...

 

My take on Honda/Yamaha is that they make EXCELLENT motors. My “new” boat (2003 model) has a 90 Honda and an 8 Yamaha on the back.  Both are four strokes of course.  
 

Yamaha is experiencing prolific sales and are showing up everywhere.  They dumped their DI two strokes a couple of years ago and now sell only four strokes in the North American market.  They have an excellent reputation for reliability and apparently dominate the market in coastal areas.  
 

yamaha owns a handful of boat companies too, so has a built in outlet for some motors. G3 and Skeeter come to mind.  They also have a huge dealer network.  
 

Honda really doesn’t seem to make much of an effort to market their motors.  I’m sure this is different on the coasts, but they have a virtually non existent dealer network in the Midwest.  I’m lucky to have a dealer reasonably nearby, but I’ve never had the need to go there for anything. 
 

Honda has a phenomenal reputation for reliability and long term durability.  They call their motors “The Honda of Outboards” pretty much leaning on their reputation for reliability.  
 

Honda builds more engines that any other company in the world.  They share technology and parts across many of their product lines.   Some of their car engines serve as the basis of many of their marine engines.  
 

They are experts at parts sharing.  My 90 hp outboard, my van, and my truck all take the same oil filter for instance.   Some internal engine parts like gaskets and whatnot for your outboard  are available from the local car dealership if you know the part numbers. 
 

Honda, while deemed reliable and durable, tends not to be very innovative in the outboard world.  They have only built four stroke Outboard engines - Never a two stroke - but they have historically been a little heavier and not as potent as other brands.   They seem to live by the old mantra of understressing their engines in the name of durability.   Rather than fight for any kind for bragging rights. 

With E-TEC leaving the scene, I’ll be looking for a Honda if I ever buy another engine.  
 

the outboard industry is fairly interwoven. We already talked about Chrysler and Mercury, but there have long been deals where one manufacturer builds engines for another. 
 

Mercury used to offer the Mariner line as a more economical choice for their buyers.   The early mariners were just rebranded Yamahas.   That lasted until Yamaha enters the US market on their own at which point Merc just started painting their own engines gray and selling them (cheaper) as Mariners.  
 

When four strokes started to catch on in the late 1990’s, Mercury contracted Yamaha to provide them power heads to put under a Mercury hood.  These early Yamaha/mercury hybrids are still quite popular.  
 

Evinrude and Johnson sold rebranded Suzuki four strokes in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s as their own.  
 

Honda used (used?) mercury lower units on some of their engines.  Today, Honda manufacturers the larger engines for Tohatsu who sells them as their own.  
 

Ironically, Tohatsu makes every single mercury-branded engine 30 hp and under and has done so for about 15 years.   Tohatsu also sells the same engines with some different features under their own banner as well as under the Nissan and Evinrude (Thru 15 hp) names.  
 

it’s a tangled web. 
 

Let’s not forget the Evinrude/Lawn Boy connection.   Want to see something cool, the google Evinrude Aquanaut and see what you get when a Lawn Boy grows sea legs. 
 

steve

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by wh500special

[wh500special 2,160]

Lund boats...

 

Don’t get me started there.  Between dad and I, we have three of them.  

My primary boat is a 2003 18’ Explorer with a 90 hp tiller steer Honda.  It’s a barge.  Deep, stable, easy to control and a fishing machine.  
 

dad’s boat is my former boat.  A 1999 16-rebel with a 40 hp E-Tec. It is a sweet, sweet machine.  
 

Then we have a heavily beaten 1991 S-16 that once was a camp/resort rental boat from Kabetogoma Minnesota.  It gets a 25 hp E-Tec.  The boat looks like it hit every rock in the lake.  Twice.  
 

Lund builds freshwater boats the way god intended: from aluminum with RIVETS!

 

steve

Edited May 29, 2020 by wh500special

[tom2p 2,394]

not a boater - but a two stroke fan 

 

especially interested (fascinated) with clean burning two stroke engines since I read about Orbital engine technology years ago ...

 

and Evinrude appeared to have a good thing with their E-TEC design 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by tom2p

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

I have always like Johnson Evinrude OMC Outboards and Mercury Sterndrives... the Merc outboards I have no love for from past experience... the new ones below a certain HP range (I don't remember but think its around 40 are simply rebadged Tohatsu's.. I can ***** and scream and cry... in the end I bought not one brand new Evinrude... so its partly my fault. The manufacturer makes little on parts and service on used stuff...

 

I don't remember if it was a Johnson or an Evinrude but @Sparky and I had a ball tearing a POS Evinrude Triumph 3 cylinder off that wouldn't run (ignition was junk) and putting on a 40 Hp Evinrude (I think) twin cylinder that was laying in my woods.... it went on the boat and started right up and we went for a rip that afternoon on Coventry lake after it sat for god knows how long...

 

Tony

[wh500special 2,160]

10 minutes ago, Docwheelhorse said:

....he new ones below a certain HP range (I don't remember but think its around 40 are simply rebadged Tohatsu's....

 

Tony

 30 Hp and below are made by Tohatsu.  Merc does have some unique features on these such as the shifter built into the twist grip and the ability to tilt/trim the motor by pushing down on the tiller handle to engage the ratcheting tilt lock.

 

Evinrude also sells/sold rebadged Tohatsu 4 strokes up to 15 HP.  You don't see very many of them.

 

Steve

[WHX?? 48,784]

Excellent info fellas thanks. My '84 Sylvan garbage scow, no relation to Sylvia @SylvanLakeWH  has a 50 HP Mariner that is a real smoker and gas guzzler but has never failed to put me on fish. 

Sis always says all I gotta do is go to a Lund dealer, pick out my dream boat, give her the models and I get the executive discount. Make it a Tyvee!

May come to that for my retirement present to myself!

Obviously you know a thing or three about Lunds Steve may have to pick your brains when the time comes. 

 

Am I wrong in thinking Chrysler motors were tied to a OMC stern drives? Is Suzuki still making outboards?

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

@WHX24 Chrysler was always Chrysler... never had anything to do with OMC. They where excellent mechanically but complete garbage electrically. Chrysler became Mariner... Mariner was purchased by Mercury... they where built for awhile (you'll see Mariner by Mercury Marine on the cowls) . Chrysler did have a stern drive for awhile... but again no relation to anybody. I dont know anything about them. There hens teeth...

 

Suzuki made very good outboards but couldnt compete against Honda, Yamaha, OMC, Merc..... and left the US market

 

Tony

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

400 families take  a hit.... sad

 

https://www.facebook.com/dialog/feed/?link=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/05/29/evinrude-outboard-engines-shutting-down-eliminates-387-jobs-wisconsin/5282350002/&name=Evinrude engine maker BRP eliminating 387 jobs in Sturtevant&app_id=227386193957280

[Cvans 1,009]

Wish I could read it but alas no facebook account. 

[1995 520H+96+97 937]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/05/29/evinrude-outboard-engines-shutting-down-eliminates-387-jobs-wisconsin/5282350002/

[Cvans 1,009]

Thank you for the link. 

That's really sad. It says they are planning on re-purposing the plant. Let's hope the majority of those people are reemployed.