Aug 31

Aug 31 Project Activator is Back in Business: Mercury Pro XS Repower

Several months ago I sold the Evinrude G2 250 in order to repower the Activator. At the time, I should have looked for an engine right away but some other projects got in the way and during that time a longer back log of orders for new Mercury outboards built up, creating a crazy wait time. So, I began a search for a used one and set my sites on a later model 250 Pro XS with a torque master gearcase.

After searching far and wide, I ended up in Orlando with what looked like a nice 3.0L 250 Pro XS that was freshwater engine used on a Bullet bass boat. The next steps will be to run it and see if the compression is good and see if any maintenance needs to be done. I noticed the gearcase looks good overall but had some paint worn off the skeg.

The original decals and finish are pretty good for a 600 hour engine. Freshwater is much friendlier.

My plan is to polish the cowl and mid, which have minor scratches. The original decals look good. If the polish doesn’t work, I’ll repaint it. Once everything is mechanically sound, which looks good so far, I’ll probably repaint the gearcase for cosmetic purposes.

The one upgrade I will make is I ordered solid upper and lower mounts from Bob’s Machine. The 250 Pro XS of that year (2014) came with semi solid mounts but after around 600 hours, the mounts can soften up. I personally like solid mounts because the engine has no movement, making the steering more precise.

Back at the shop to check it out mechanically and make any cosmetic repairs. We will add solid upper and lower mounts then start rigging it.

In a perfect world I wanted to get a new V8 Pro XS but the wait was too long. I really like the 3.0L Optimax for overall power and performance. The torque master is great and perfect for the Activator with this power. I’m looking forward to testing it out and seeing hot it does.

Another difference will be the steering. I decided to run it with a SeaStar Tournament front mount. This is the most heavy duty system Dometic (SeaStar) makes and should be good. The other option was to go with a full Imco side steer system, replacing the whole system from the helm back. I may go that route eventually, but for now we can utilize the existing helm and lines.

One difference is that the G2 had an extra setback built in, so the Merc will be about 4 or 5 inches closer in. This actually might be good as with the G2 the bow did feel light with about 19 inches of setback. I have some props to try and will make some videos and get it on the water soon. The Activator deserves to have a Merc on the back so I’m glad it does now.

First run in the Activator with the Pro XS.