4-stroke Transport

[wfe1947]

I have been managing with a Honda 2.3 on my Leisure 18 but it is woefully underpowered. I normally use my Honda 8 but circumstances prevented me gettting it to the boat this year. I now feel that I should move it onto the boat but having hydrauliced a previous 4-stroke, I am a bit nervous about laying it down for transport even though the user manual states tthat it is OK to lay down on the appropriate side. I have an arrangement on my trailer to keep it at a suitable angle during transport. However, I have changed my car and it doesn't currently have a tow bar as I was a bit reluctant to part with £500 to have one fitted!
Anyway, my thinking is that if I drain the engine oil before transport and refill it when the ob is on the boat, this should guarantee it to be good to go.
How does this sound?
Also, any tips on carrying a 100lb ob.

 

[VicS]

I have been managing with a Honda 2.3 on my Leisure 18 but it is woefully underpowered. I normally use my Honda 8 but circumstances prevented me gettting it to the boat this year. I now feel that I should move it onto the boat but having hydrauliced a previous 4-stroke, I am a bit nervous about laying it down for transport even though the user manual states tthat it is OK to lay down on the appropriate side. I have an arrangement on my trailer to keep it at a suitable angle during transport. However, I have changed my car and it doesn't currently have a tow bar as I was a bit reluctant to part with £500 to have one fitted!
Anyway, my thinking is that if I drain the engine oil before transport and refill it when the ob is on the boat, this should guarantee it to be good to go.
How does this sound?
Also, any tips on carrying a 100lb ob.

Although they can be laid down on the appropriate side it is usually recommended that the oil is drained before transportation unless they can be kept upright.

As for carrying a 100lb outboard .... get someone else used to lifting/carrying heavy objects to help.

 

[northwind]

I have been managing with a Honda 2.3 on my Leisure 18 but it is woefully underpowered. I normally use my Honda 8 but circumstances prevented me gettting it to the boat this year. I now feel that I should move it onto the boat but having hydrauliced a previous 4-stroke, I am a bit nervous about laying it down for transport even though the user manual states tthat it is OK to lay down on the appropriate side. I have an arrangement on my trailer to keep it at a suitable angle during transport. However, I have changed my car and it doesn't currently have a tow bar as I was a bit reluctant to part with £500 to have one fitted!
Anyway, my thinking is that if I drain the engine oil before transport and refill it when the ob is on the boat, this should guarantee it to be good to go.
How does this sound?
Also, any tips on carrying a 100lb ob.

If you do get any oil in the cylinder its no real bother, take the plug out, put a rag behind the hole and pull the starter until the oil is gone, replace the plugs and start the engine, it will be a bit smokey to start with but will be fine. Generally laying it down is fine, usually on the throttle handle side.
The bigger question is why such a big engine on an 18ft boat? A 6hp would be quite a bit lighter!

 

[wfe1947]

If you do get any oil in the cylinder its no real bother, take the plug out, put a rag behind the hole and pull the starter until the oil is gone, replace the plugs and start the engine, it will be a bit smokey to start with but will be fine. Generally laying it down is fine, usually on the throttle handle side.

When I hydrauliced a Tohatsu, the oil found its way into the carb so a bit more of a clean out job. I suppose it depends on the position of the inlet valve.

The bigger question is why such a big engine on an 18ft boat? A 6hp would be quite a bit lighter!

It came with the boat and includes remotes so quite useful. The person I bought it off was worried about being caught in outflowing tides. 6hp would be better as I could lift it by myself but as far as I can see, you can't get remotes for 6hp engines.

 

[VicS]

If you do get any oil in the cylinder its no real bother, take the plug out, put a rag behind the hole and pull the starter until the oil is gone, replace the plugs and start the engine, it will be a bit smokey to start with but will be fine. Generally laying it down is fine, usually on the throttle handle side.
The bigger question is why such a big engine on an 18ft boat? A 6hp would be quite a bit lighter!

It depends on the model. A BF8D has to lie on the opposite side

 

[Boathook]

I haven't had any problem with my honda 30 on its side during transport over the last 25 years. Due to the virus it was laid down for around 3 months this year before transporting and fitting. It started first turn of the key after eventually fitting. The engine is designed to be laid down on its side and has a flat edge for this on one side.

 

[HissyFit]

I have been managing with a Honda 2.3 on my Leisure 18 but it is woefully underpowered. I normally use my Honda 8 but circumstances prevented me getting it to the boat this year. I now feel that I should move it onto the boat but having hydrauliced a previous 4-stroke, I am a bit nervous about laying it down for transport even though the user manual states tthat it is OK to lay down on the appropriate side. I have an arrangement on my trailer to keep it at a suitable angle during transport. However, I have changed my car and it doesn't currently have a tow bar as I was a bit reluctant to part with £500 to have one fitted!
Anyway, my thinking is that if I drain the engine oil before transport and refill it when the ob is on the boat, this should guarantee it to be good to go.
How does this sound?
Also, any tips on carrying a 100lb ob.

On a side note, if a tow bar is desirable and it's just the £500 that is the stumbling block, the fitting of one and the related electrics is nothing a reasonably competent person can't manage for much, much less. After all, it does seem to be facility that a Leisure 18 owner would/could make use of.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

You can also destroy 2 stroke engines that have conventional water cooling .

I had a nice little 2 stroke 2.2hp outboard for the inflatable. After use from my mooring , I stored it upright in the club outboard shed.

I went for a two week cruise and parked it into a cockpit locker. I didn't use it for the two weeks. Unfortunately, cooling water found it's way into the cylinder and it was useless . Only a major rebuild would do.

I then purchased a Honda 2.3 air cooled outboard which also had a clutch. That was 20 years ago and it's still going. I have had oil problems draining back at times, but as above, no problems sorting.

 

[Quandary]

An empty wheely bin (there is allways one around) makes a useful trolley.

 

[wfe1947]

On a side note, if a tow bar is desirable and it's just the £500 that is the stumbling block, the fitting of one and the related electrics is nothing a reasonably competent person can't manage for much, much less. After all, it does seem to be facility that a Leisure 18 owner would/could make use of.

I've fitted at least six towbars over the past 40 years. However, it is not an easy task with modern cars. Electrics are much more complex and the need to take the bumper off a modern car with the associated parking assist sensors etc is a bit of a challenge. And I am a retired chartered mechanical engineer. I may hold my nose and pay the bill!

 

[wfe1947]

An empty wheely bin (there is allways one around) makes a useful trolley.

I have a trolley but its the lift from trolley to boat (on water at the pontoon) that is difficult without help. I know I can ask someone to help and that is what I propose to do.

 

[HissyFit]

I've fitted at least six towbars over the past 40 years. However, it is not an easy task with modern cars. Electrics are much more complex and the need to take the bumper off a modern car with the associated parking assist sensors etc is a bit of a challenge. And I am a retired chartered mechanical engineer. I may hold my nose and pay the bill!

That would make you more experienced than I then. I blame the car designers (where is there an embarrassed smiley when you need one): too clever to make it easy to unclip the electrics without making the bumper cover more nickable. Not my field. I spent my time in automotive on closure systems and seating.

 

[davidpbo]

My Yamaha 9.9 electric start is confusing. I think somewhere in the manual it says it can be laid on its side and elsewhere it says it can't. It is mounted and used in a locker on the boat but is lifted off and transported on its side for service.

I have not had a problem so far but do leave it vertical for a while before starting out. I suppose I should turn it over by hand first but that would involve removing the fly wheel cover.

I use a rigged gantry of 2 ladders and an aly scaff pole, pulley blocks with something like 4 to one ratio and rollers to get it off the boat. The bottom of the leg had to be able to clear about 2.5 metres.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

It depends on the model. A BF8D has to lie on the opposite side

Agreed, my take was that manufacturers put the tiller on the side which would make it difficult to lie that way. My BF2, BF5, MFS3.5 and F2.5 have all lain on the side opposite the tiller.

 

[VicS]

Agreed, my take was that manufacturers put the tiller on the side which would make it difficult to lie that way. My BF2, BF5, MFS3.5 and F2.5 have all lain on the side opposite the tiller.

Generally speaking , constraints of a 4 stroke aside, outboards should be laid on the tiller side rather than the gear lever side . This is because the tiller is strong enough but the gear levers are not, often being plastic and easily broken.
Whatever the owners manual says is what counts.

Interesting that the BF8-D should be laid tiller uppermost but the earlier models should be laid on their tillers Presumably some other differences apart from the position of the gear shift lever

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Generally speaking , constraints of a 4 stroke aside, outboards should be laid on the tiller side rather than the gear lever side . This is because the tiller is strong enough but the gear levers are not, often being plastic and easily broken.
Whatever the owners manual says is what counts.

Interesting that the BF8-D should be laid tiller uppermost but the earlier models should be laid on their tillers Presumably some other differences apart from the position of the gear shift lever

I’ll take your word for it, but...

 

[VicS]

I’ll take your word for it, but...

View attachment 97746View attachment 97747

The Merc is a 4 stroke ............. I guess the Tohatsu might be too
Some Tohatsu 4 strokes must be laid on their port side , some can be laid on either side or their front others must be laid on their starboard side

As I said it's what the manual says that counts. ( I'd expect any decals to be in agreement with the manual)