Lightest outboard for 23er

Judders

Judders

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I am thinking of going with a boat with an outboardwell as I want to be able to remove the engine when racing and pop it in the saloon. The boat that has caught my eye has a heavy looking Tohatsu 9hp which might be a bit bigger than necessary. IS there one particular brand of outboard which is lighter than the others for the same HP?
 
For a new one, what about...

New lightweight yam

Still a bit of a lump to lift at 39kg. All the manufacturers have their weights on their spec pages.

A two stroke would probably be the lightest for the power you need, but you may have to buy a used one now to get one. Wouldn't want to live with a stroker as a main boat engine though.
 
That seems big. We have a 3 ton cat that goes nicely with a 9.9hp. I would never want to lift it though, even though it's a Mercury and so much lighter than the Yamaha. I'm sure a 5 or 6 would be ample. You'd get a much better power to weight ratio with a 2 stroke and it wouldn't matter which way up you put it.

Of course you could fit a 6hp electric o/b that weighs the same as a 3hp petrol... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I have a hunter duette which is 23'. It has an 8hp Johnson which I think weighs 29Kg. This is more than adequate and I think many people who race the fin keel version, the Sonata, use 5hp engines or even a bit smaller at a push. I would have thought you could easily get an engine weighing less than 20kg which would do the job.
 
If all you want is to be able to manover in harbour and motor when the wind disappears you could easily go as small as a 3.5, tohatsu, mariner , merc. I have motored all the way across Lime bay on one of these in a 20ft Sun 2000 in no wind. Refill every 40 mins or so. Downside is that it would not push the boat into a F6 and above.
 
If you are OK with 2 stroke then look for a 9.8 Tohatsu around 28 kg, got a good review in PBO some years ago with best power to weight ratio. Would like one myself but Yamaha 8 still working well on our 25 ft.
 
Our 24 footer, weighes 1600 KG, reaches hull speed with a 4 or 5 hp.

When racing I stick a 2.5 hp 2 stroke on just to get to the start line. That can easily be lifted off. Doesn't move the boat much but works for racing.

A 5hp 4 stroke will weigh 26 - 28 Kg which is still quite an effort to lift off when under way without risk of dropping it.
 
Even with a decent 5hp, I'll need to arrange some sort of tripple purchase lifting gear on the end of the boom to get the thing lifted, but even then, I am unsure how I am going to get it down into the saloon.

If anyone has made such an arrangement in the past, then any knowledge you can pass on would be gratefully received.

On our Hunter 707 we have a small 2.5hp job with a storage mould in the cockpit floor, but despite being similiar in length, the 707 is much lighter.
 
[ QUOTE ]
You'd get a much better power to weight ratio with a 2 stroke and it wouldn't matter which way up you put it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Goes much better with the whirly bit at the bottom, though /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(I know what you meant....)

To continue:

Engine power needed depends on how much tide / sea you want to punch, though. We've got 8HP in a well on a 22' er, and it's only just enough to get into / out of Conwy against a spring tide.

Andy
 
My Snap 23 had a Merc. 7.5 sailpower job .... but that was heavy having the reduction g/box for sailboat.

If its' only as get to mooring / start area and you don't intend punching weather / tide etc. - then 5HP should be enough ... before the Merc. I had a Yam 5B ... air-cooled and I mean light ! It ushed her fine ... but then I was offered the Merc. - price was a steal ... sold the Yam to a guy who had been pushing me for ages to sell to him !

IMHO 5HP 2 stroker ... OK - you'll have to search old stock for new ... or buy a second-hand one ... but worth it ....
 
I use a Yam 5hp 2 stroke on my Anderson 22, seems about right, and easy to get out of the well and lay in the locker. Also being 2/S you can lay on either side.

IanC
 
Yep .... apart from lack of new ones nopw - can't really see reason to go all excited about 4 strokers !!

I have 3 x 2 strokers ... simple ... they work ... lay down as you want ... pollution ? Compared to what ? I reckon more pollution from so many other things in the world - the tiny bit my o/boards MAY do .. I don't believe can be that significant to a 4st.

In Bembridge few weeks back ... guy was in a dinghy and the 4st he had on it was LOUD !! Just few min's after a small 2st followed ... nowhere near as loud .... and I bet he had less hassle lifting it on / off etc. !!

Would also add that many outboard wells were designed with 2 st'rs in mind !! So you may have trouble getting that larger head / cover 4 st'r in !!
 
Hi Ian we did have a Yam 5 2 stroke on our Anderson22 which was light ,plenty of power and fitted in the locker. Changed to a Suzuki 4 stroke 4 hp partly because my kids hated the high pitch 2 stroke engine noise and also we wanted a motor with a charging coil.Had to modify the cockpit lockrer to fit it in and keep it vertical.

Both motors had plenty of power for the boat .The Suzuki has more low speed manouvering speed than the Yam. Personally I wouldnt consider a motor bigger than 6 hp for an easilly driven 23 footer.

Img_0498.jpg

I built this stowage position for the outboard so it can be lifted out of the well without having to lug it down below where it gets in the way .
 
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