Having an outboard on a swing mooring

[Ed Colonna]

I own a little 18ft day sailer that has a 2 stroke 4hp outboard to push her along when not under sail. As this is my first year with her on the new swinging mooring as its cheaper it suddenly dawned on me how I flush out the outboard with fresh water in order to maintain it. I was wondering if anyone who keeps their boat on a swinging mooring has any advice for this or if you just take it ashore or put it through a large freshwater tub at a marina as and when you can? Any advice will be of great help!

 

[Jack B]

I leave my 3.3hp outboard onboard for 8 months a year on a swing mooring and don't flush it with fresh water except at the end of the season when I lay the boat up; it has been no problem for the last four seasons.
Jack

 

[[3889]]

I own a little 18ft day sailer that has a 2 stroke 4hp outboard to push her along when not under sail. As this is my first year with her on the new swinging mooring as its cheaper it suddenly dawned on me how I flush out the outboard with fresh water in order to maintain it. I was wondering if anyone who keeps their boat on a swinging mooring has any advice for this or if you just take it ashore or put it through a large freshwater tub at a marina as and when you can? Any advice will be of great help!

For my Honda BF5 I leave a bucket in the cockpit which may or may not contain rain water when I visit. If it does I decant it into a 2L plastic bottle, attach a length of hose with the flush adapter at one end and run it through the engine as I leave the boat. Usually do this 4 or 5 times a season - not perfect but better than nothing IMHO.

 

[Fantasie 19]

I leave my 3.3hp outboard onboard for 8 months a year on a swing mooring and don't flush it with fresh water except at the end of the season when I lay the boat up; it has been no problem for the last four seasons.
Jack

+1 same here... Gets flushed beginning and end of season...

 

[seumask]

Had a Yamaha 8 powered yacht for many years and never flushed it until the end of each season. The key in my opinion is to ensure it is relatively cool when you turn it off, if its just had a hard run its likely to be hot and will "cook" / boil off the cooling water, building up salt deposits relatively quickly, so let it idle for a few minutes after a run. I did after 5 years take the cooling chamber plate off and scrape out a small amount of hard salt.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I think the difference is that a little outboard on a tender will usually just be used for a few minutes at a time. An outboard on a boat will be used for far longer. Most bigger outboards will also have thermostats and the warmer water flowing through them will be more likely to flush any deposits away. I think.

 

[William_H]

As you get more experience you hopefully will find you use the motor less and less. I have had a motor on my boat on a swing mooring but have never flushed it with fresh water. (except of course at winter overhaul) I have got to the point where I didn't actually use the motor last season. But over 30 odd years I have not flushed it after use. I can't say there have been no problems with the old Johnson 6 and most problems have been blockages of water works. But I just accept that that is the way it has to be. I like the idea of rubber muffs and a 2 litre bottle of water but it would be difficult unless you can lift the motor up onto the deck and run it while holding it. good lcuk olewill

 

[simonfraser]

i dont think the flushing bit is an issue either for a small lightly used engine, never used to dit it either.
i now use a honda 2.4 air cooled, not found that a problem with my boat, unless very windy F5+ and choppy.
main issue with the outboards seems to be carburettor / fuel related.

 

[Fantasie 19]

Had a Yamaha 8 powered yacht for many years and never flushed it until the end of each season. The key in my opinion is to ensure it is relatively cool when you turn it off, if its just had a hard run its likely to be hot and will "cook" / boil off the cooling water, building up salt deposits relatively quickly, so let it idle for a few minutes after a run. I did after 5 years take the cooling chamber plate off and scrape out a small amount of hard salt.

Good advice, because you can combine that with turning the fuel off thus emptying the carb while you cool the engine...

 

[rob2]

I assume that you also use an outboard to get to and from the mooring? If this can be the same engine, then obviously it can be flushed once ashore.

Rob.