The wind that picks up as you accelerate. The pump throughout your body as you speed to the stacked spot. The tug on the line and the fight to reel it in. The ability to go a little further and stay out another hour. These are the things every angler gets hooked on.
Russell Coleman, of Burlington, Ohio, lives for those moments on the water.
“If I’m not fishing, I’m thinking about fishing. I got started 45-50 years ago and never stopped.”
Spending time with family and friends aboard his self-remodeled 1996 Sea Nymph had always been one of the things he enjoyed most. Unfortunately, as the years went by, his Johnson 2-Stroke engine started to show its age.
Last call at the dock
It started small, with the Sea Nymph taking longer to climb onto plane. Soon after, the engine lost its “pop,” and suddenly, Russell was spending more time fixing his motor than using it.
With the performance fading, the repair costs rising, and the time spent on water dwindling, Russell began asking himself if the work was even worth it.
“In the beginning, I thought that I might as well go buy a new boat. Just be done with it. But with all the memories with family members, all the friends, I just couldn’t do it. Selling my boat would be like disowning a family member.”
There had to be another option.
A Mercury repower can change everything
Through Mercury’s Find a Dealer search, Russell was able to connect with The Great Outdoor Marine, a service shop 20 minutes from his house. After a quick half-hour call about his outboard options (and a few fishing tangents), they determined that he and his boat didn’t need to part ways.
By choosing to repower (replacing an existing outboard with a new one on the same vessel), Russell would be able to bring back the “good old days” on the water and move forward with his beloved boat.
The installation took less than a day, and after starting it up, it only took a single second to notice how much of a difference the repower had made.
“With the Mercury FourStroke and the new fuel injection, I hit the key and that was it. It was just night and day to where I was.”
Outside of the FourStroke’s powerful start, Russell saw, and felt, tremendous improvements in hole shot and handling of rough waters. Even more satisfying was that when he looked back, he saw that those towering walls of spray that had gone missing were back at last.
There’s more on the horizon
Russell’s boat and on-water experience were completely restored.
With the confidence that he’d be spending his fishing days fishing instead of making repairs, he began filling his calendar with the trips he had only dreamed of taking.
“With this repower, the biggest thing is that it opens up my world to traveling with the boat. Knowing I can take off and do a trip without having to worry about breakdowns or motor failures, that is what makes this travel fishing a dream.”
It’s Russell’s repower story – but it might be yours too
If your boat seems like it’d rather retire than spend another weekend on the water, a repower could be the solution to restoring your on-the-water experience from “numb” to “new.”
As you evaluate your boat motor’s performance, be sure to look out for warning signs such as:
- Delayed starts
- Excessive smoke
- Reduced speeds
- Inability to climb to plane
- Increased fuel consumption
If you are experiencing any of these issues, or just think it’s time for an upgrade, contact a Mercury dealer to discuss your options, or learn more about the repowering process by visiting our Repower site.