Outboard motor choice

[graham]

I use a 5 hp 2 stroke Yamaha outboard mounted in a well ,as an auxillary engine for my 22 foot yacht.It has been very reliable and powerfull enough but doesnt have any battery charging facility.

Rather than spend hundreds on a wind charger or solar panels I am considering buying a new engine with an alternator.

So far I have considered a 4 stroke Suzuki 4 hp with alternator almost new at a considerable saving on the new cost or a New Tohatsu 2 stroke 4 hp with alternator and high thrust prop for a similar price.

One consideration is stowage. I normally keep the motor laid flat in a cockpit locker when not in use but may have to think again with a 4 stroke.

Other point is quietness,obviously the 4 stroke will win here but I think that the Tohatsu will be quieter than my old Yamaha which is LOUD.

Final Point is reliability. The Yamaha has never let us down in hundreds of hours of use and abuse.I suspect that the Tohatsu may be ahead on this point.A new Yamaha is more than I am prepared to spend unfortunately.

Any advise on how to choose would be appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

You can lay four strokes down but you have to lie them down on a designated side. Personally, if the present engine is sound and if you don't want to upgrade to four stroke for reasons of reliability, economy and quietness, then I would spend the spare money on wind and/or solar power - but that's just a personal preference, there is no 'right' or 'wrong' and it really depends on how you use your boat.

 

[tross]

I agree. I have a Yamaha with a charger but the amount of time I use the engine it hardly puts anything into the battery. I have a small wind generater up the mast which keeps the battery charged - it does this all day every day !

 

[paulburton44]

I heard that the 4 stokes don't like wells, due to lack of fresh air ??

The same might be said for 2 strokes ??????

I have a tohatsu as an aux and for the tender, very pleased with it.
4hp and will push my heavy snapdragon 26 along at 4knots.

what about keeping your engine and getting a solar panel.!!

or

buy another battery and alternate (charge at home )

Paul..

 

[Ceejay]

Hi Graham

The 4 stroke Suzuki sounds like a good option to go for assuming that it will fit in the locker, given that your old engine may well start to show it's age some time in the near future. I was told by a Suzuki dealer that the 4 stroke is identical to the 6 hp and is easily uprated, which would give you a little more thrust if required. He doesn't supply 6 hp Suzuki outboards for this reason and carries out the modification to the 4hp if a customer wants it....apparently it is quite a saving in cost

Charlie

 

[graham]

Paul What is your opinion of the noise level with the Tohatsu? My kids cannot stand the high noise level with our old motor and migrate to the forecabin with glum expressions whenever its started up.This is part of the reason for the change.Im sure there are many years of use lefty in it .

 

[graham]

charlie Thats interesting to know ,if the 4 is a downrated 6 then it would be a strong engine you could run at full throttle without worry.I am still undecided though .I have just looked on a Suzuki website all the dimensions for the 4 are identical to the 6 both are 138 cc . single cylinders.

 

[VicS]

Before you make your final decision take into account the electrical output of any engines you may be considering and the number of hours you will run it (On an ideal day that could be minutes rather than hours). Then compare that with the amount of power you are likely to use.

For my own puposes on a small boat I reckon the power generated by the engine is negligible and therefore fitted a small solar panel. It means that the battery is being charged all day (on bright days at least) during the week when I am not there. Locating a panel on a small boat is perhaps problematical but I am lucky in having the ideal position.

Small wind generators are relatively expensive and with the exception of the low powered vertical axis Forgen are too large to leave rigged while sailing IMHO.

I rate my 5watt solar panel as one of my "best buys".

 

[PureChemistry]

Nip down to Aldi and pick up one of their 2-stroke generators for only £69.99. These have an 8.5 AH 12Volt output and 650Watt 240V AC output to boot. Keep your reliable outboard until your bank balance alows you to upgrade to a new Yamaha. Like you I have always had good service from Yamaha's perhaps I have just been unlucky with Honda's etc. N.B. 4 strokes are rather heavier to lift in and out.

Regards

Dave Griffin

 

[nmelton]

I agree with VicS, solar panels are the way to go. I am on my second Unisolar 10 watt panel and would not be without it. The battery is always topped up even if the boat is only left on its mooring for a day or two. Furthermore it is flexible and can be secured to the boom, cockpit, or even on the sprayhood. No moving parts to go wrong either!

 

[lockwood]

I have a yamaha 7hp on my 22 footer and it is used for minutes on each trip (less than 5% of the time) and it keeps my battery fully topped up at all times. It is used only to motor out of my Marina berth but still powers my VHF, GPS, wind, speed, depth, dig. compass, stereo, cabin lights, and running lights.

I have seen Yahama 7hp's going for as little as £350 on the secondhand market. Mine is 7 years old and starts on the first pull.

I haven't used a different motor, so I can't compare it to another model, but it suits my needs perfectly.

 

[mcgarry1]

if you are considering the suzuki range then pay the 15 pound extra and get a 6hp than a 5, there is a lot more power behind them, the 5 is very flat on the torque range

 

[graham]

Many Thanks for all the advise. I have agreed to buy a nearly new 4 hp Suzuki with the charging kit.We only run the 5 hp Yamaha at 3/4 throttle anyway so I am confident the Suzuki 4 will cope.The Suzuki 4hp 5hp and 6hp are all identical engines with the revs limited to lower the hp .

If really needed I could increase the hp to 5 or 6 by buying a throttle adaptor but personally I like the idea of not working it too hard.At least we are looking forward to quieter motoring with the added bonus of a small amount of battery charging.

 

[Anonymous]

There's every chance that you will get enough power this way and if not you can get a solar panel and meanwhile enjoy a quieter and more efficient engine. Good luck.

 

[graham]

Thanks again to all for the advise. Tried out the Suzuki today,fitted in the well ok.

Top end speed is similar to the Yamaha 5 but where it wins is that at slow speed manouvering the new 4 stroke seems to have a better grip on the water ie going astern stops the boat quicker.Probably more to do with the prop than the motor.

Also the noise is much more bearable,we can actually speak to each other now!Havent measured the battery charging yet but its going to be an improvement on the previous zilch.