What happened to Johnson and Evinrude?

[Elkins45]

I've not done much in the way of fishing in 15 years, but as I'm approaching retirement I'm thinking about buying a bass boat. I've been looking around and it seems like every new boat has a Mercury or occasionally a Yamaha. If there's a new boat for sale within 50 miles of me with a Johnson or Evinrude mounted on it, I didn't see it on the lot.

Is Mercury totally dominating the domestic outboard market these days?

 

[jbcurt00]

Not IMO. Dealers carry what their market buys. You may be in a Mercury dominated area. I'd bet others see just the opposite.

Around here, new OB boats in general are scarce compared to new I/O boats. Or at least for non-bass boats Doesnt mean new OB boats arent out there...

 

[GA_Boater]

The Johnson brand has been gone for a few years. J/E were the same except for the name, so BRP probably dropped the name that sold less.

 

[Chris1956]

I agree that different areas have more of one brand than another. Salt water areas usually have newer motors, due to the more corrosive environment. Here on the Jersey Shore the newer OBs are usually the Mercury brand in 4 cycle. Next is Yamaha 4 cycle motors. Evinrude/Johnson motors are usually older. We do see some newer Evinrude e-Tecs, but not many.

​The closest dealers are Merc and Yamaha, but there is a BRP dealer within 10 miles.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Back to the original question..... OMC went out of business in 2000. The J/E brand was picked up by BRP and continues as Evinrude. As far as market share, BRP isn't pushing as many OEM boat manufactures as Suzuki, Yamaha and Mercury for long term deals.

So..... significantly less boats get made with BRP outboards

To the OEM boat builder, it's a box with a propeller, a warranty, and a price. Lowest price usually wins as they don't care what the box says on the side

 

[Faztbullet]

If your along the gulf coast its rare to see a BRP engine...all Suzuki,Merc and Yammys

 

[Scott Danforth]

If your along the gulf coast its rare to see a BRP engine...all Suzuki,Merc and Yammys

Yep...., and the occasional Seven Marine or small Tohatsu

 

[boobie]

Tell me about it Fazt, I live in Bonita Springs FL. and all I see is mostly Yamaha.

 

[fishin98]

BRP RUDES are becoming very popular. Starting to see them on many up scale fishing rigs. Many Walleye fishermen are buying them on their NEW rigs and swear by them. I see many boats with Merc's,Yammi's,Zuki's and Honda's...I guess it's just personal preference.

 

[82rude]

Their gaining traction up here also (etec).I personally know one dealer who told me back in the day of ficht that he couldn't in good conscience send out customers to possibly have big issues or worse .He changed to merc that same year.The post brp ficht were much improved but still not near as good as the etec.I have a 60hp etec and would match it against any similar 4 stroke for gas consumption, quietness ,emissions ,etc.

 

[JoLin]

What happened to Johnson and Evinrude? In a word, "FICHT". They came out with those motors in the very late 1990's and by around year 2000 they'd gotten such a bad rep that buyers stayed away. Add in OMC's bankruptcy, and almost overnight there was a big vacuum that got filled by (mostly) Merc and Yamaha. ETEC seems to be gaining acceptance and market share, but they're fighting an uphill battle with a generation of boaters who've been sold on 4-strokes. Not to mention the fact that Yamaha has built a great rep. for themselves.

A shame, really. As a kid in the1960's, I saw more Johnnyrudes around than anything, and Merc was pretty much the only other option. Hardly ever saw a Chrysler. The OMC brands had far and away the best rep. for reliability. In 2007 I bought my first boat, and it had a (pre-FICHT) carbed 1996 Johnson 175 on the transom. Great motor.

My .02

 

[jimmbo]

I had a 98 150 Ficht, it never gave me trouble, but I always had the updates done. Several Prom updates, new cylinder heads, and eventually a newer style powerhead. The new powerhead had about 50hrs on it when I traded it in. There was already a cylinder with as the mechanic said "a neat little score on it"
Here is the original Cylinder head with about 60 hrs on it

 

[Teamster]

The Johnson brand has been gone for a few years. J/E were the same except for the name, so BRP probably dropped the name that sold less.

The last motors I saw made with the Johnson name were the 4 strokes using the Suzuki powerhead,...I think the 4 stroke got dropped when BRP bought them out,..