Evinrude E-TEC 115 Horsepower Outboard

 
Evinrude raised more than a few eyebrows when it first introduced its potent V-6 E-TEC outboards. A quick refresher, these are direct-injected two-strokes that offer enviable fuel economy and blistering acceleration. No dealer maintenance is required for the first 300 hours of operation.

For most boaters that translates into two or three years. Even more to my liking the E-TEC outboards can be run full throttle from the first turn of the crank. No break in period is required, thanks to special surfacing of the cylinder bore that makes it like a big sponge sopping up oil. Because E-TECs are direct injected two-strokes, there’s no oil and filter to change. Premix is but a memory.
 
Recently I test drove one rigged on the transom of a Zodiac RIB. Given my previous experiences with bigger and smaller E-TECs, there were no surprises. I could feel torque come on strong at low rpm. Acceleration was razor sharp. I was particularly pleased to hear how quietly the engine purred and how pleasant was the sound of its muted voice. At idle the 115 horse ticks over at a mere 500 rpm. That’s good for certain types of fishing and makes a boat more maneuvering during docking. Look for a more detail evaluation of the Evinrude 115 in a future issue.

© Copyright 2007 by Timothy P. Banse