PBO on Two Strokes

[m1taylor]

There's a really good article in the August PBO on the ending of sales of new carb fed two strokes from 31 December. It really underlines what we are going to miss - none of the small four strokes tested matched the power, quietness or ease of use of the Tohatsu 3.5HP two stroke.

For my small plywood tender I was thinking of investing in a new two stroke whilst I still can. It's only 60lbs, so a 3.5hp may be too much. Would anyone recommend the lighter Tohatsu 2.5HP two stroke or 2.5HP Mariner (which I believe is the same??)?

 

[seumask]

I think you will find that the 2.5 2 strokes's are not significantly lighter, for the small amount of extra money I'd go for the 3.5. I have the 3.5 for an inflatable tender and it has power in reserve, so much so that it plans well with just one person on board

 

[steve_cronin]

I bought a Mariner 3.3 last year and we've just finished the "run-in" can of petrol.

This model has a clutch unlike it's lower power brother the 2.5 of which we previously owned a Mercury badged version.

The 3.3 is a gutsy little performer with not a lot of drive at low revs - but then it has the same prop as the direct drive 2.5 so this is to be expected. Once you open up, the acceleration is impressive but there are two annoying "flat spots" in the rev range, one at what we (& the neighbours!) like to enjoy as a comfortable cruising speed. Flat out, there is so much thrust that the crude soft plastic pivot bushes get compressed and it is difficult to steer with the rather short tiller as the friction in the bushes becomes massive. As with all these engines, when going astern, the rotated by 180 engine, annoyingly squirts water into the boat through the cylinder head bypass outlet hose. Just tolerable but the rather non-linear throttle response does make living with this engine less of a joy than it was with the 2.5. The power increase is down to a different ignition advance profile and re-jetting I suspect.

Still FAR, far better than a Seagull though & those noisy 2.3 air cooled Hondas are just a joke (except of course to their owners who no doubt wouldn't hear a word said against them.)

Don't fight shy of the move to heavier 4 strokes. Apart from being better for the planet, they're better for you. - You see, when the Nanny State has convinced you to keep yourself in better shape, you'll be much more able to lean over the taffrail and hand a big heavy deadweight over into the dinghy and because they'll also convince you to drink less (or nothing) you'll do it without fear of hernia long, long into your extended working life.

Steve Cronin

 

[graham]

I think the 3.5 is the same engine but with a different jet in the carb.Personally I would get the 3.5 .It wont be too powerfull especially with a couple of people aboard.

 

[gandy]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a really good article in the August PBO on the ending of sales of new carb fed two strokes from 31 December. ....

[/ QUOTE ] That's real bad news. I just know what'll happen, our Mer 2.2 will soldier on perfectly for the rest of this season, then early next year it'll drop dead and no replacement will be available.

 

[richardabeattie]

But hang on - what about all the other two strokes we use in the garden? Is my next chain saw going to have to be a 4 stroke? There must be far more 2 stroke garden machines sold every year than outboards.

I wonder whether the Stihl product where you buy an engine and can then put a strimmer head or a hedgecutter head or whatever on it will now offer a propeller ended version!