Re: Quietest 40 to 50hp OMC motor in 1964?

[David Stanton]

Back in 1965, Dad upgraded from a 1960 40 Johnson to a 1965 60 HP Johnson on a Crestliner Voyager14′ aluminum boat rated for 60 HP. The boat only weighed 190 pounds without motor and gear. The 60 made it fly, and just fast enough when propped right with one person in the boat so I could drop my ski and go barefoot behind it, but the weight of the motor screwed up the handling – you had to know what you were doing! It was no longer a boat anyone could drive. The 40 was a much better all around choice for a light boat like that. I’m assuming your Alumacraft is similar weight, etc. We ran 200 gallons of gas each summer through these motors, mostly pulling skiers. The 1960 40 HP was a disaster – everything broke over the 5 years we ran it, but, as someone else here said, that stuff got fixed on the 40s in later years. The V4 60 was a great, reliable motor. Both these motors were much quieter than same period and HP Mercurys that neighbors at the lake had.
Dave