Honda v Yamaha small 4 stroke outboards

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seacat

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Anyone had any experience of using/owning either the aircooled 2HP Honda 4 stroke outboard, or the watercooled Yamaha 2.5hp 4 stroke outboard? Any preferences?
 
I guess this won't help you decide between the two. I have the Honda 2HP. Excellent as far as I'm concerned, good starter etc. Being air cooled it is slightly noisier than my previous 2 stroke Mercury but that was never as relaible.
 
Honda 2HP is not the lightest but it's reliable, economical, doesn't suffer from waterway corrosion and runs on plain petrol. When it finally dies, if I'm still alive and sailing (That's daft, why wouldn't I be? Sailing that is...), I'll probably buy another.
 
I have the Yamaha 2.5 four stroke and have been very pleased. Personally I would rather have the water cooling and so quieter running. However if you are not likely to flush with fresh water to prevent corrosion the Honda may be a better bet. The Honda also has a centrifugal clutch, so you can't engage the prop at idle it comes in automatically as you increase revs. The Yamaha has a conventional N / F gear selector which I prefer.

I tried both on my dingy before I purchased and went for the Yamaha, but as you can see there are ups and downs with both. I am sure either will perform well, so just comes down to preference on the features offered.
 
I have a Honda 2HP - the one before the centrifugal latest one. The Honda only weighs 12Kg dry and the Yamaha weighs 17kg dry - quite a difference in weight. The latest Honda is totally aircooled and is noisier than a watercooled unit but it is not a great problem. Never having to worry about the water jackets getting blocked or renewing impellors is a good point. The Honda can only be laid on one side but again is not a problem. The Yamaha can be laid on two sides.
 
I find that the fact that you have to be careful how you store the Honda to be a bit of a bind. I'd like to have kept it on its side in an onboard locker but pitching and rolling may well have got oil in the cylinder. It therefore has to really be kept on a bracket. Is noticeably lighter than the Yam 2.5 though.
 
Had the honda 2hp 4 stroke out for the first time tonight - no problems! ok, a bit noisier than the old mercury 2.2 (that we left on the bottom of the channel) but a dream to handle - 4 knots at 75% power whilst towing another tender (just me in the boat) and the approach to the mooring - turn the trottle down to idle and it just sits there - ticking over - whilst I can grab the mooring and tie up, kill the engine, do the jobs and come back against the wind at ~4.5 knots - excellent!
 
Good, hope you'll be very happy together /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I bought mine in Jan 2004 and haven't used it yet due to procrastination over where to fit a bracket /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
on the pushpit? thats where most of them go!
hmm .. on a targa ... well you've got a rather nice bridge house there - can't you mount a bracket on that?
 
Yes, considered both pushpit and "Shed" wall. Won't fit on 1st as we don't really have one, dont want to make holes in 2nd. I will actually be able to fit a bracket aft of the wooden rail on the rear bulwark. Hadn't wanted an engine there as it would snag the inflatable when I hauled it onboard over the bathing platform however, as in all things boaty, I'll have to compromise /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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