Little Outboards

[whisper]

I'm considering buying a small outboard for use on a heavy 8'6" dinghy and 7'6" inflatable. The latter is limited to 3.5hp max. My two main requirements are light weight and quiet operation. Any recommendations and has anyone got any comments re. the Honda 2hp & Yam 2.5hp fourstrokes ?

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[claymore]

Yamaha Malta
Brilliant

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[pkb]

Couldn't agree more. I've been using the same Malta since 1990 without any problems. And why on Earth would anyone want to go for a 4-stroke while there are still good 2-strokes like the Malta on the market. The advice I've been given is to buy a new 2-stroke while they're still legal and store it away until my current outboard has seen the last of its days. On current performance that might be quite some time.

Peter

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[Little_Russel]

I have had a 4-stroke 2-hp Honda for a couple of years now and it has been very good. It is light and quiet and still worked fine when I forgot to top up the oil for months. It got a bit noisier then! However it is still going fine.

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[Twister_Ken]

I have a very basic Yamaha 2hp stroke. Light, foolproof (survived at least one dunking), and uncomplicated. FWIW it is (or was) the standard optional extra o/b for Sunsail charters, so must be reliable even in inexpert hands.

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[snowleopard]

mercury/mariner/tohatsu 3.3

reliable and an amazing amount of power. it makes my rubber duck plane.

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[bigmart]

Re: Buy the Honda

Why buy a 2stroke when you can get away without all that mixing fuel & oil. Why buy a motor with a water pump & waterways to clog up. Buy the Honda, I did & its great. Three years so far & not a hint of trouble.

Martin

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[nicho]

Re: Buy the Honda

Martin, we're in the market for a new outboard of around 2hp. I fancied the Honda 4 stroke, but someone told me that it cannot be laid down in the lazarette, because the crankcase oil forces it's way past the piston rings into the combustion chamber, leading to a fouled plug. Is that right do you know??

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[StugeronSteve]

Re: Buy the Honda

My old Honda 2hp (no reverse gear) can be laid down and has been a cracking engine. Not sure if it would be happy on its side being pitched about in a seaway though.

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[Andy_H]

I've got a Tohatsu 3.5 which has been completely reliable, even though it's been dunked in the drink twice! (De-dunked by the outboard shop at Fareham). Tohatsu/Mercury/Mariner are all basically the same engine, but the Tohatsu parts are often a bit cheaper.
I personally think it's worth paying a bit more and go for the 3.5 with forward and nuetral gear. It's just a whole lot easier when you can start the engine without the dinghy zooming off as soon as it fires.

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[escape]

Re: Buy the Honda

My Honda 4 stroke leaked oil when stowed in the car boot.Did not go into combustion chamber tho'.
I think it was over filled when new (2 yrs ago) but it has been faultless in use if a little noisey.
Regards

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[cgull]

Re: Buy the Honda

I just bought a secondhand Honda 2hp. i think its excellent. aircooled,centrifugal clutch, 4 stroke,light, srarts first time,what else could you ask
Isnt it nice when everything just works


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[bigmart]

Re: Buy the Honda

The Honda, in common with all 4 strokes, can only be laid down on one side. This is because the crankcase, which has oil in it & a breather will leak the oil out of the engine. I have never experienced a problem with the oil causing the plug to foul as you describe. It must be said that I only transport the engine laying down when it is in my car. Overall I am extremely impressed with the motor which is miserly in its fuel consumption, extremely reliable & pushes my 8 foot flubber along as quick as the 4 horse Mariner it replaced. The mariner became unreliable after over 20 years use.

Martin

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[Metabarca]

Re: Buy the Honda

I'll second that. My Honda's new so I can't comment on reliability and what-not but as for transportation I can assert that if placed on its right side in the boot, not a drop of oil leaks out. I tested this by putting some tissue paper underneath. Not a drop. On board, however, I keep it verticalish by the cockpit. It's very light, too.

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[whisper]

Thanks for all the replies - it seems that no one has tried the Yam 2.5 fourstroke.
Is there likely to be much practical difference in ability between a 2hp and a 3.3hp engine ?

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[rex_seadog]

Have to agree about the Yamaha. I have an Ancient Mariner 2HP (vintage 1979) which is essentially the same as the current Yamaha 2HP. I bought it second hand about 8 years ago and considering its age it has been fairly trouble free and never totally let me down. I admit that I have once had to clean out the salt-clogged water passages in the head (possibly the first clean for 20 years?) and have just replaced (with a second hand spare) the inlet needle valve in the carb. On the last trip before this repair, despite this valve being totally seized, the engine kept running provided I turned the fuel tap off every minute or so to prevent flooding. The real advantage of the engine to me is its light weight - so easy to transfer from yacht to dinghy and then to car.

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[Twister_Ken]

yammy 2 stroke

At the Southampton BS I was looking lovingly at the shiny, curvy new 4-stroke baby yammy and was approached by a 'salesman'. When I explained I had the 2 stroke 2hp he counselled me to stick with it, using words something like "best small engine we ever made".

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[gtmoore]

I have one but have had little chance to test properly yet.

I see that YM are reporting on one next month

<hr width=100% size=1>Gavin

 

[whisper]

Re: yammy 2 stroke

Thanks, that's interesting as I was leaning toward the 2.5 hp 4stroke in preference to the Honda.
What I really want is something light and so quiet that it doesn't disturb the peace too much when creek crawling. S'pose I could row, if necessary!

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[whisper]

Thanks Gavin I'll wait and see what they think. When does YM come out in the shops?

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