Mercury 200 Pro XS vs Yamaha 200 SHO - Which is quieter?

[diamond51]

Hello everyone, I'm looking at buying a Phoenix 819. I will be using the boat for mostly fishing, but I will also do a bunch of cruising around the lake at idle speed with my bride. Wondering which engine, Merc 200 Pro XS or Yamaha 200 SHO, is quieter for booze cruises?

Also was looking at the 818 with the 175 Pro XS. Having trouble deciding between the two.

Any advice would help. TY!

[davidsa]

I don't see a bad choice you can make. The 818 is basically an 819 with 4 inches removed from front deck, and roughly 11 from the rear. Longer 819 will do a bit better in really rough water but on a day in the 818 where you say this is too much you likely would do the same n the 819. I have the 818 for garage storage reasons and because the smaller boat does not require a dual axle trailer. Stepping up to the larger boat i've crossed a line that says it is a must. If storage, towing, etc where not a need then I'd have the 819 but these are factors to me and I've fished the 618 and now 818 for 11 years without any issue.

The 175pro xs you can talk in running 30mph on plane if it is not a wind day. If I walk away and leave it idling and come back you don't know the motor is on. When I idle you hear the rush of water around the hull not the motor itself. So the merc is quiet and I'd expect the yamaha to be quiet as well.

I close with I don't see a bad choice. The 818 with 175 has topped out for me at 63mph and change. The 819 with 200 is reported at about 67mph.

[diamond51]

Thank you! I'm on a 1100 acre lake and I feel the 818 will be more than enough. No tournaments just casual fishing. Will only take the boat to different (small Southwest Michigan lakes) occasionally.

[born 2 fish]

I have the 819 with the Mercury 200 4-stroke and couldn’t be happier with it. If you have any specific questions let me know.

[davidsa]

Thank you! I'm on a 1100 acre lake and I feel the 818 will be more than enough. No tournaments just casual fishing. Will only take the boat to different (small Southwest Michigan lakes) occasionally.

you would like either boat. this is about budget and storage in the use case you lay out.

[jpd_hack]

Thank you! I'm on a 1100 acre lake and I feel the 818 will be more than enough. No tournaments just casual fishing. Will only take the boat to different (small Southwest Michigan lakes) occasionally.

Based on your profile I’m assuming you’re on Diamond in Cass County. Whatever choice you go with, a hydraulic jack plate would likely be worth it’s weight in gold so you can get up on plane while on the shallower sand flats.

Edit: I’d also choose the shorter boat especially if you like to fish docks there. I grew up fishing out of my dad’s 17’ Ranger there and never had issues even on busy days with wake boats out.

[davidsa]

I was able to fish out of a 17.5 tracker and 19'6 ranger before I bought my first phoenix in 2014. The tracker smoked the ranger on accessibility to tight places but the ranger smoked the tracker on windy or rough water days. the 18.5 boat was a comprimise that provides a bit of the best of both worlds. But, my 18.5 phoenix rides better then my old Ranger. The jackplates on the new boats along with the width make a modern 18.5 foot boat fish and ride as big as the 19.5 of 1994. That means the 19.5 would fish like many of the old world 20.5 foot rigs.

[born 2 fish]

My 819 fishes docks great I think it’s the perfect size for smaller to larger lakes.

[diamond51]

Yes! Fishing Diamond. Wondering if the 819 is too much boat and motor?