Damage by auxilliary outboard?

[Greenheart]

A few threads on electric outboards lately. It isn't only their almost silent running that I find appealing; it occurred to me that the vibration of a petrol outboard running on the transom of a dinghy, isn't likely to extend the boat's life particularly...

...but I've no evidence to base that on. Just how much impact/rattling/gelcoat cracking effect does a small (say 4hp) petrol outboard have on an elderly dinghy or small yacht?

 

[sailorman]

A few threads on electric outboards lately. It isn't only their almost silent running that I find appealing; it occurred to me that the vibration of a petrol outboard running on the transom of a dinghy, isn't likely to extend the boat's life particularly...

...but I've no evidence to base that on. Just how much impact/rattling/gelcoat cracking effect does a small (say 4hp) petrol outboard have on an elderly dinghy or small yacht?

do 2Ts vibrate

 

[Greenheart]

do 2Ts vibrate

Don't they?

 

[catalac08]

My main engine is an outboard and there are no signs of gelcoat cracking at the transom where it is bolted on, after 35 years of sometimes very noisy running and much vibration from largish outboards!

 

[Tranona]

Really clutching at straws on this one Dan! Would be really worried about the integrity of any boat that could not cope with vibrations from an outboard. May make you tingle a bit and shake your NHS false teeth about, but boat would cope fine.

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks Catalac. Just what I hoped to hear. Plus I'd been looking at two-strokes. Appealingly lightweight, and cheap as chips, but it damned nearly upset the dustbin it was being demonstrated in. It probably would have shaken out my remaining teeth.

Do outboards suffer from being stored 'flat'? I used to run the two-stroke Mariner dry before taking it off the tender, and I never saw it leak in the car boot. But if I wanted to stow a four-stroke out of sight under a dinghy's foredeck, I'd sooner know if I risked a greasy mess.

 

[Tranona]

Of course it will shake the dustbin about when there is nowhere for the water to go. Read up on four strokes most need to be stored in one position to stop the oil from running out.

Outboards have been in use for long enough to demonstrate that they are suitable for the job. Nothing has proven better yet.

 

[Seajet]

Dan,

as mentioned 4 - strokes require stowing in a recommended position, and they're heavy compared to 2 - strokes.

Whenever possible I disconnect the remote fuel pipe and let my Mariner 5hp 2 - stroke run dry, it doesn't affect restarting and prevents spilling fuel in the locker.

 

[duncan99210]

if at all possible I wouldn't have 4 stroke outboard. I've had 2 Hondas in the past and both were nothing but trouble. Had a succession of small 2 strokes which seem to be more or less bomb proof despite not getting much in the way of TLC. No noticable effects from the vibrations

 

[reeac]

if at all possible I wouldn't have 4 stroke outboard. I've had 2 Hondas in the past and both were nothing but trouble. Had a succession of small 2 strokes which seem to be more or less bomb proof despite not getting much in the way of TLC. No noticable effects from the vibrations

My experience too except that I only had one Honda outboard before going 2T. I can't understand it as I have a Honda car, strimmer and lawnmower and all are excellent products.