Outboard Repowering with a Mercury 250 V8…Twice! I purchased my current charter boat MarCeeJay XV (15 for those of you not familiar with Roman numerals) back in the fall of 2014 from the folks at Modern Yachts in Westhampton Beach. This 2006 EdgeWater 228 CC was rigged with an original Yamaha F225 V6 powerplant and I ran it as-is from 2015-2019, a total of five fishing seasons that clocked a total of 500 reliable hours. I repowered it with a basic Mercury 250 FourStroke V8 outboard in 2020 and then swapped it again in 2024 with a Mercury 250 ProXS high-perform- ance model. The initial repowering project was a total challenge, since all the OEM Yamaha wiring, gauges, connections etc. had to be removed from the bilge’s wire chases, along with the F225 coming off the transom. The mechanical throttle and shift on the Yamaha was replaced with a Mercury digital throttle and shift (fly by wire) control system. This upgrade required a NEMA2000 network hub to allow all the gauges and components to interface correctly and“talk seamlessly to each other”, includ- ing connecting my existing marine electronics to the network. The new engine monitoring gauges (in the form of an added multi-function display), digital control box for the engine, rigging harnesses, hydraulic steering cylinder, a new pair of 27-series AGM marine batteries and installation set me back over $5K and that was with me doing a lot of the rough-out work myself. Add a $21K outboard to the mix, along with sales tax and other unforeseen sundries, and the initial repower project was in the neighborhood of $28K. I was able to trade-in the working Yamaha F225 for $5,000, so my bottom line was closer to $23K for the first Mercury 250 repowering project. The net cost of the second repower was a bit less, with it being an essential swap out with similar wiring harness and battery disconnects and reconnects, along with engine bolts going into the same transom holes. I replaced my original AGM lead acid batteries with a fresh pair of LiFePO4 12-V power cells, along with yet another new hydraulic steering cylinder. The Mercury 250 ProXS was $24K with a 7-year factory warranty, with another $2K for the batteries and
SeaStar II steering upgrade, plus $2K for installation. With sales tax, my total this time around was roughly $30,000, but I received a $14,000 credit for the old motor, so the bottom line was $16K net Repowering is one way to breathe new life into a family favorite ride. It also gives you the peace-of-mind of reliable starts and operation, plus a fresh warranty for many hours of fun-in-the- sun, quality time with friends and family. Ask the right questions to get the right answers to determine ifthis move is right for you.
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