Parsun, Selva outboards- any good?

Following this a bit further, what is a racing craft? Is it something built specifically to race and unsuitable for other purposes or, bending the rules a bit, could a leisure boat which is club raced qualify to buy a new 2 stroke? Maybe worth having a word with a dealer, they want to sell engines but must be seen to keep within the law.

Directive 94/25/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 June 1994 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to recreational craft [See amending acts].

SUMMARY

This Directive aims to harmonise the laws, regulations and administrative provisions in the Member States as regards the safety characteristics of recreational craft * and their environmental characteristics.

Scope

The Directive apples to three different areas:

  • the design and construction of recreational craft, partly completed boats, other personal watercraft * and certain components or parts mentioned by the Directive;
  • exhaust emissions produced by propulsion engines * installed on or in pleasure craft and by other personal watercraft;
  • noise emissions produced by recreational craft with stern drive engines without integral exhausts or inboard propulsion engines, by personal watercraft and by outboard engines and stern drive engines with integral exhaust.
The directive does not apply to craft such as racing craft, canoes, kayaks or gondolas, surfboards or sailing surfboards, original and individual replicas of historical craft, or experimental craft, nor to engines fitted, or intended to be fitted, to such craft.
 
Selva is part owned by Yamaha and amongst other stuff manufactures parts for them. I heard most of the larger Selva outboards are simply rebadged Yamahas, but don't know which and if that's still true.
 
I was in South Wales on a course recently and the instructor was telling me about the local fishermen all using Selva engines - apparently dead reliable and easy to do something with the electronics to persuade them to be more powerful.
 
I know one fisherman using one of the larger Selvas, seems happy with it.
The 9.9hp 2-stroke doesn't appear to be related to any Yamaha or other reputable engine, and it's very unusual to have a single cylinder engine of that size. I'm a bit worried that it could be very rough.
 
SiteSurfer said:
I was in South Wales on a course recently and the instructor was telling me about the local fishermen all using Selva engines - apparently dead reliable and easy to do something with the electronics to persuade them to be more powerful.
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There was an old trick with smaller outboards that increased power - change the carb intake ...

There were a few in the 3hp range that had same engine as the 4hp ...
 
The little 2.5-3.5hp Tohatsu/Mariner/Mercury engines have a little restrictor plate in the carb, about the size of a small coin, with a slot in the middle. Remove it and hey presto an extra horsepower.
 
Kelpie said:
I've ended up with three of them! All at full power now, of course :D
Really ought to rationalise the collection and sell at least one of them...
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I have similar problem ... Mariner 20 ... Evinrude 18 ... Johnson 4.5 ... Johnson 3.5 ... Mariner 3 .... and a whole bunch of Soviet jobs that you need to be a bl***y gorilla to even try to pull the start cords on !!
 
Yngmar said:
Selva is part owned by Yamaha and amongst other stuff manufactures parts for them. I heard most of the larger Selva outboards are simply rebadged Yamahas, but don't know which and if that's still true.
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As far as i am aware, Selva do make parts for Yamaha, but the only Selva that is re badged Yamaha, is the 85hp Selva, from what i read years ago, it was part of a Yamaha/Selva deal, don't know what the state of play is now, but Selva would not be high on my list, nor would Parson!
 
Kelpie said:
I'm looking out for an outboard for the tender. Ideally I want a Tohatsu 9.8 2 stroke- much lighter(26kg) than any of the alternatives. Quite rare on the secondhand market (I've been watching for at least six months now, nothing remotely local has come up yet). Still available new under certain circumstances, but not cheap, at about £1700.

Parsun make a motor which, on paper, looks almost a clone- same weight and specs. A little over £1k brand new, which makes it only slightly more expensive than the secondhand Tohatsus seem to go for.
Does anybody have any experience of these engines?

Alternatively, Selva make a 4 stroke 9.9hp which is a tiny bit heavier at 30.5kg. Retails at about £1300. Obviously if all else is equal, a four stroke is going to be cheaper and cleaner to run, with no fuel mixing.

Everybody says the Tohatsu is a great engine. But if I can't find one, or stretch to a new one, the others look very tempting indeed...
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We have a 9.9 Yamaha on our 24 ft boat.
There is no way I will lift or move that without mechanical help. Derrick and pulley block to lift it off the boat and sack truck to move it around. I do have to clear the transom at about 2.3M with the bottom of the outboard leg when boat is on the trailer as it resides in a locker.

I suppose it depends on the size of your tender, main boat and whether the outboard had to be demounted to store the tender.
 
davidpbo said:
We have a 9.9 Yamaha on our 24 ft boat.
There is no way I will lift or move that without mechanical help. Derrick and pulley block to lift it off the boat and sack truck to move it around. I do have to clear the transom at about 2.3M with the bottom of the outboard leg when boat is on the trailer as it resides in a locker.

I suppose it depends on the size of your tender, main boat and whether the outboard had to be demounted to store the tender.
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Long or short shaft ? That equates to not a lot of kg I know ... but in lifting height - adds to the chore.

My Snap 23 had a Mercury 9 Saildrive ........... one of the best Outboards I've ever had. But Oh ! what a pain getting it on / off bracket. I know the Saildrive version was heavier than its standard cousin, but still !!

It led me to convert the boat by cutting a section out of hull at rear of cockpit, building an engine mounting box and setting outboard there. WOW what a difference .. now prop was ahead of rudder ... engine was easily got at ...

I have to admit that I'm now 64yrs old and I hate even thinking about lifting any outboard over 3HP !!
 
Definitely avoid Parsun - the Chinese can produce quality as evidenced in electronics and phones. But at the moment from what I see and hear, the likes of Parsun, Hangkai, Hyfong and many unknowns are copies of Japanese outboards, but with inferior metals and inferior quality control. And therefore very little resale value at all.

I had a very bad experience with one of the smaller Selvas. I believe the 2.5hp ,for example, is simply a 'badged' Chinese engine - not Selva designed or manufactured. It is actually a straight copy of the Suzuki 2.5! I think the bigger ones are ok. But dealer network in the UK limited.
 
Kelpie said:
I know one fisherman using one of the larger Selvas, seems happy with it.
The 9.9hp 2-stroke doesn't appear to be related to any Yamaha or other reputable engine, and it's very unusual to have a single cylinder engine of that size. I'm a bit worried that it could be very rough.
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Why would it be rough it's not exactly a big engine. Consider that my 650cc motorcycle that produced 54bhp was a single cylinder. This outboard is about 150cc so nothing really.
 
Mikedefieslife said:
Why would it be rough it's not exactly a big engine. Consider that my 650cc motorcycle that produced 54bhp was a single cylinder. This outboard is about 150cc so nothing really.
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Single cylinder bikes ... pal of mine many years ago had a BSA Starfire ... such a distinctive sound from it. Even when he was in middle of our Lambretta 'group' on the road - you would still hear it !!
 
Graham376 said:
The directive does not apply to craft such as racing craft, canoes, kayaks or gondolas, surfboards or sailing surfboards, original and individual replicas of historical craft, or experimental craft, nor to engines fitted, or intended to be fitted, to such craft.
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Just had a reply from Tohatsu UK about purchasing a 2 stroke for racing use -

If a two stroke outboard is purchased for racing use, then the engine itself has to be the main propulsion of the vessel.
The purchaser would also need to send a copy of their UIM race licence as proof of use.
 
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