I'm looking for a 2.5hp outboard alternative

[bluey01]

Hi

I'm new so please bear with me if this is posted in the wrong section.

I'm was looking to buy a 2.5hp outboard for my inflatable tender, many years ago I had a small Selva 2 stroke which I now regret selling!!!

So two questions really could this small electric outboard be powerful enough
to get me to/from my boat? its only a 500m run and tides not to bad but is seawater are these built for this type of use? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sigma-Electric-Motor-Thrust/dp/B004XY2U52/ref=pd_cp_sg_3

I've seen this new 2 stroke on ebay but not sure if its a good idea or legal even? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2HP-TWO-S...eParts_SM&hash=item3a6a9b3b99#ht_16732wt_1398


any thoughts would help!

thanks

bluey01

 

[Kelpie]

That cheap 2-stroke looks a bit iffy. Can't possibly be legal to sell that within the EU, not with a 20:1 oil ratio and consequent emissions. There was a forumite on here who had a cheap little Chinese 2-stroke and couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

No experience of electric outboards myself but I think all of the ones that aren't made by 'Torqueedo' seem to be 'trolling' motors of about half a hp.

 

[seumask]

You need a second hand good twostroke like this one that has probably gone, but keep looking out
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=290063

 

[FishyInverness]

Yep, don't touch that 2-stroke , it wont be legal. New 2-strokes (unless direct fuel injection and that will only be on much higher HP models) are only permitted for purchase if you are a commercial operator with a commercial licence and you need to jump through hoops if you're going to import one. Edit : Seeing this is supposedly being shipped from Portsmouth, UK, with the way that description is written makes the alarm bells even louder! There is no way this seller should be selling this item to the general public!

Also the cheaper electric trolling motors of the 55lbs thrust, end up with the equivalent of 1/3 to 1hp depending on a variety of factors, drag, speed, etc, etc...they really aren't practical for any area tidal area.

 

[vyv_cox]

I thought that the sale of two-stroke outboards in EU was illegal?

I have no experience of electric outboards but a 75 Ah battery is a heavy item in a dinghy. Presumably the terminals would need to be waterproofed to a high level to cope with seawater splashes?

Boat jumbles are probably your best bet for a secondhand two-stroke, other than the occasional one that comes up on Ebay or the For Sale section.

 

[jwilson]

Hi

I'm new so please bear with me if this is posted in the wrong section.

I'm was looking to buy a 2.5hp outboard for my inflatable tender, many years ago I had a small Selva 2 stroke which I now regret selling!!!

So two questions really could this small electric outboard be powerful enough
to get me to/from my boat? its only a 500m run and tides not to bad but is seawater are these built for this type of use? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sigma-Electric-Motor-Thrust/dp/B004XY2U52/ref=pd_cp_sg_3

I've seen this new 2 stroke on ebay but not sure if its a good idea or legal even? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2HP-TWO-S...eParts_SM&hash=item3a6a9b3b99#ht_16732wt_1398


any thoughts would help!

thanks

bluey01

Look for a good Mariner/Mercury/Tohatsu 2.5 or 3.3 two-stroke secondhand, the engines are identical except for the plastic covers and the makers labels, the 3.3 has F/N shift and is only only a few ounces heavier. I have a 6 year old one in use and an almost new one sitting unused in the cellar as a spare. Although obsolete now there are so many around that spares should not be a problem for a very long time.

The other 2/S engine that owners love is the little Yamaha Malta 2 hp - again a good S/H one of these would do.

 

[dylanwinter]

that is really funny

the language is wonderful and uniquely for an air cooled engine it "appears" to suck air in from beneath the cavitation plate and out from the air vents around the cyclinder

I would love to see it in operation

cracking stuff lads

take a look

it also appears to come with a menu....

two servings of number 32 and one of 46 please.

Dylan

barge pole stuff I reckon

 

[Lakesailor]

The other problem with electric motors is that if the battery goes flat, that's your lot.
With a petrol outboard, a plastic bottle of fuel as a reserve will get you home.

 

[VicS]

It will only be legal if it was already in stock in the EU when the emissions regulations, which effectively now outlaw small 2 strokes, came into force!

It will now contravene the European recreational craft directive to import and sell them.

Electric outboards may be attractive if you want to travel shortish distances at lowish speeds in near silence and are prepared, in most cases, to handle and recharge a heavy battery.


The Torqeedo range of electric outboards http://www.torqeedo.com/en/hn/home.html are probably at the forefront of the game and includes some interesting small models with integral batteries and some modern high tech batteries for the more powerful models.
Be aware that great claims and impressive static thrust figures are quoted for relatively low powered motors.
They are expensive!

 

[V1701]

If you end up having to get a new 4 stroke the Suzuki is very light compared to most of the others (13kg I think, most of the others are early 20's kg). There is a Selva 2.5 which is 15kg and has an autolube system that lets you store it in any position, see here...

 

[Coaster]

If you end up having to get a new 4 stroke the Suzuki is very light compared to most of the others...

In the 4 years or so we've had our 2.5hp 4-stroke Suzuki it's been very reliable and effective. The only significant downside of very small 4-stroke outboards seems to be the need to store them carefully, ensuring they are not orientated incorrectly. When not in use we clamp ours on a wooden pad fixed to our boat's pushpit railing, where it's no bother at all.

 

[northwind]

If you want a new 2stroke, you can still buy them in the channel islands, as they are not in the EU.

It's legal, as you are buying it outside the eu, and these guys do mail order...


http://www.mainbrayce.co.uk/brokerage.php


No connection.. Just pointing out another option..

 

[ithet]

That new 2 stroke seller is registered Ebay China. Perhaps the item will be located in Portsmouth - after it is seized by customs! Probably not worth the £77 delivery to find out.

You can get decent second hand small 2 Strokes on Ebay, you need to find one locally and then will have to bid a good going rate - there are no bargans now.

 

[bluey01]

Blimey!

what a response! thanks very much, i'll start to go through each one.

yes I agree the ebay one doesn't seem to stack up!

I take on board (sorry boaters!) the storage issue with 4 stroke engines.
Just thought minimal moving parts on the electric engine sounded good, but
have always thought these were lake type fishing engines so dismissed them but just wondered if anyone had experience of them used on a tender for short trips etc (literally 5 mins each way) ?

thanks

bluey01

 

[charles_reed]

Hi

I'm new so please bear with me if this is posted in the wrong section.

I'm was looking to buy a 2.5hp outboard for my inflatable tender, many years ago I had a small Selva 2 stroke which I now regret selling!!!

So two questions really could this small electric outboard be powerful enough
to get me to/from my boat? its only a 500m run and tides not to bad but is seawater are these built for this type of use? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sigma-Electric-Motor-Thrust/dp/B004XY2U52/ref=pd_cp_sg_3

I've seen this new 2 stroke on ebay but not sure if its a good idea or legal even? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2HP-TWO-S...eParts_SM&hash=item3a6a9b3b99#ht_16732wt_1398


any thoughts would help!

thanks

bluey01

It's not illegal to own a two-stroke but it is illegal in the EC to offer one for sale.

Two stroke OBs have many advantages; better power/weight ratio, ease of storage; but the one on e-Bay looks to be noisy, probably unreliable and not supplied from within the EC, so lacks any purchaser's rights.

You can buy "gray" 2-strokes, of Tohatsu origin, in a number of EC countries, but not (to my knowledge) in the UK.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Its not illegal to sell two strokes second hand in the EU!.

I've got a Mariner/Mercury 2 HP two stroke that I am trying to get rid of. A forumite did make me an offer subject to me finding a carrier and sorting out delivery to the other end of the country - but we were in the middle of moving house and that was all too much hassle, so its still sitting here doing nothing.

2 hp two stroke Mariner/Mercury in very tidy condition. No reasonable offer refused. I will have to go and look in the garage to see exactly whether its a Mercury or Mariner. At this time of day all I can remember is that its black and not battered looking.

 

[FishyInverness]

Blimey!



yes I agree the ebay one doesn't seem to stack up!



bluey01

Just for fun, I sent him an enquiry about how long the item has been in stock in their lovely UK warehouse, and got the following :

"Dear coveredinbees-iom,

Dear friend,
Thank you for your interest in our company's item.
first,
very sad for this ,because this item is very popualr in UK and now the item
is out of stock in our uk wearhouse now.We already ordered this item from
factory about 9 days ago. But it still will take about severaldays to be
available. If you are urgent to need it, we will ship the item to you from
our chinese wearhouse through EMS. Though the postage is more expensive
than ship from uk but you don't have to pay extra shipping cost .it will
take 3-6 business daysto your hand , it is very safe and fast.

2.We
marked the shipping cost higher because the ebay fee charged by the item
price but not the shipping cost.Then we marked the shipping cost higher the
item price lower. My friend you just need see the total
price(price+shipping cost) then the shipping cost actually including the
item cost.


dear friend ,if you have any question please be free to
contact us
Best regards"

 

[nimbusgb]

Drop shipped from China. Totally illegal.

 

[V1701]

Its not illegal to sell two strokes second hand in the EU!.

I've got a Mariner/Mercury 2 HP two stroke that I am trying to get rid of. A forumite did make me an offer subject to me finding a carrier and sorting out delivery to the other end of the country - but we were in the middle of moving house and that was all too much hassle, so its still sitting here doing nothing.

2 hp two stroke Mariner/Mercury in very tidy condition. No reasonable offer refused. I will have to go and look in the garage to see exactly whether its a Mercury or Mariner. At this time of day all I can remember is that its black and not battered looking.

PM sent...

 

[donde]

go for torqeedo

I have been using a Torqeedo electric outboard at the Med for 3 years and it is absolutely great. It is easy to lift on and of the dinghy, weights less than 10 kg without the battery. It is the folding travel version, so I can fold it and store in a locker. The battery lasts for more than an hour of use and can be charged using inverter at the boat or ashore at the taverna while dining. No need to have canisters of fuel around. The motor also always starts, that does not happen with combustion engines.
It aint cheap, but sailing is not saving..........