RIB and Outboard Advice

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Yes, but
This one is a little different. It has no battery. I found it sort of fascinating that no electrical current exists until you pull the starter cord, once pulled electricity is generated, the fuel injection computer boots up and injection occurs, all in a split second, rarely do I have to pull twice.
I assume the injection pump is mechanical? pretty slick trick to build fuel pressure, boot the computer and fire the injector all in like one revolution of the crankshaft. Plus this thing tracks oil change intervals and will display fault codes via the LED etc. Pretty sophisticated for a little outboard, but this is the 21st century, this thing isn't 1950's technology

Yep, that is interesting, and sounds like a lot of development has been involved. Cool stuff!

So, when it stops running and the LED display comes up with an error code, AND you are in a remote island anchorage in Vanuatu, and the nearest authorized repair station is in Australia, whadda ya do?

Not likely, you say? If they were not concerned about failures, why put the error reporting features in? I'm not a Luddite (I think!) but for essential items like dinghy motors (and for folks who do the sort of cruising that Ann and I do, they are indeed essential) I want something that I have a chance of repairing myself.

YMMV, and if you stick to more populous areas in or near to a first world country, the situation is surely different.

Cheers,

Jim

[thomm225]

There's always rowing.

Do cruisers like physical exercise?

I would think after sitting on a boat for possibly weeks at a time some type of exercise might be a good thing.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Yep, that is interesting, and sounds like a lot of development has been involved. Cool stuff!

So, when it stops running and the LED display comes up with an error code, AND you are in a remote island anchorage in Vanuatu, and the nearest authorized repair station is in Australia, whadda ya do?

Not likely, you say? If they were not concerned about failures, why put the error reporting features in? I'm not a Luddite (I think!) but for essential items like dinghy motors (and for folks who do the sort of cruising that Ann and I do, they are indeed essential) I want something that I have a chance of repairing myself.

YMMV, and if you stick to more populous areas in or near to a first world country, the situation is surely different.

Cheers,

Jim

Yes reliability and ease of repairs are the main reason I stick with two strokes. A cruiser in Georgetown last month bought another outboard (used 2 stroke) off another cruiser because his 4 stroke Yamaha was having problems being repaired. There is a Yamaha dealer in GT and they ended up telling him he needed a new carburetor! And they didn't have one in stock or readily available. Also the new carb was their last guess at what was required.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by thomm225

There's always rowing.

Do cruisers like physical exercise?

I would think after sitting on a boat for possibly weeks at a time some type of exercise might be a good thing.

Well, mate, we actually do row our RIB at times, for pleasure and exercise.

However, when one depends on the dinghy for transportation, hauling stores, laundry, fuel, LPG tanks, setting extra anchors, pushing/pulling engineless yachts around, going to distant dive sites, exploring rivers and shallow bays, fishing, and all the other myriad chores that long term cruisers must accomplish... well, rowing simply ain't enough. Even in a good pulling boat (which few yachts have room for).

There are devotees of rowing dinks around, some who post here on CF. We even know a few of them... and often give them lifts to places where they do not want to row!

But yeah, some exercise is good!

Jim

[downunder]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I had several Evinrude 2 strokes. They are pretty good if you change out or clean the fouled spare plugs often like any 2 stroke..............

But my first 4 stroke was much better and over 2X more fuel efficient. That motor was a 1960's version homeline 55hp 4 stroke.

Big Daddy Scott Stewart

Was not referring to any of the older models but the latest Evinrude ETecs which appear very reliable, neet enviro specs and compare well with the 4strokes certainly in the larger motors.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

...pretty slick trick to build fuel pressure, boot the computer and fire the injector all in like one revolution of the crankshaft. Plus this thing tracks oil change intervals and will display fault codes via the LED ...

Pretty slick. But that is one reason I have a used 2-stroke.

[Pelagic]

If you are Marina bound for a few years... Which type (2 or 4 stroke) mothballs better?

[Terra Nova]

2-stroke is simpler. Why wouldn't you use the OB in the marina?

[Pelagic]

If not living on boat and OB is mothballed and stored in lazarette... Just thinking....This could be a factor on deciding?

[nimblemotors]

row? put up a little sail? replace it with the backup?
There is something simpler than a 2 stroke..

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Yep, that is interesting, and sounds like a lot of development has been involved. Cool stuff!

So, when it stops running and the LED display comes up with an error code, AND you are in a remote island anchorage in Vanuatu, and the nearest authorized repair station is in Australia, whadda ya do?

Not likely, you say? If they were not concerned about failures, why put the error reporting features in? I'm not a Luddite (I think!) but for essential items like dinghy motors (and for folks who do the sort of cruising that Ann and I do, they are indeed essential) I want something that I have a chance of repairing myself.

YMMV, and if you stick to more populous areas in or near to a first world country, the situation is surely different.

Cheers,

Jim

[robert sailor]

MMMmmm! So we are on our way this winter to the Caribbean and wanted to make landfall in St. Marten because I could buy a 15hp Yamaha 2 stroke. I very much prefer to have the non Enduro model but what I am learning is that it can only be purchased in the Bahamas...bugger! How decent are the new Tohatsu outboards these days compared to the Yamaha's??

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by downunder

Was not referring to any of the older models but the latest Evinrude ETecs which appear very reliable, neet enviro specs and compare well with the 4strokes certainly in the larger motors.

I've seen those I believe if they are still similar to the Johnson ETec. I had quite a gap though between outboards from the 1970's, early '80's power boats to 2011 with the 5hp 4 stroke I have now

My first 4 sailboats were racing catamarans without engines.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

MMMmmm! So we are on our way this winter to the Caribbean and wanted to make landfall in St. Marten because I could buy a 15hp Yamaha 2 stroke. I very much prefer to have the non Enduro model but what I am learning is that it can only be purchased in the Bahamas...bugger! How decent are the new Tohatsu outboards these days compared to the Yamaha's??

The Tohatsu's are also good engines, and on par with the Enduros. Their 2-stroke models are not really "new", since there has been no design or manufacturing changes to them for probably 10yrs or more (which is also the same for the Enduro). I think the Tohatsu 18hp is a really good deal and almost bought one. They are usually very competitively priced.

The 15hp Enduro's are really a cult thing where people's high praise is mostly built on other people's high praise and not having much experience with other models. They are good motors, but really nothing different than similar 2-strokes by other manufacturers (which mostly turns out to be Tohatsu). Actually, the Enduro 6-8hp is one of the worse engines out there.

If you are talking about the new Tohatsu 4-strokes, they are very heavy and I think there are better choices.

Mark

[a64pilot]

Either model, four stroke or a two stroke should preserve for a long time if done correctly.
In my opinion the carburetor is the majority of the issues of these engines, either four stroke or two stroke and the elimination of the carburetor may well result in a much more reliable engine.
I used to mistrust fuel injection, just as I used to mistrust electronic ignition, but I can tell you that I don't miss points and capacitors, electronic ignition has shown itself to be far more reliable and maintenance free than a magneto with points, and I bet fuel injection will be the same.
Don't you think when Diesels were first used, many said they would never go away from that simple gas engine? Who wants one now?

[robert sailor]

Thanks for the feedback Mark, I owned a 15 Yami for years when we were last cruising and it only weighed around 78 lbs of so. I know how to fix the basic stuff on them so comfortable with them but I don't like the additional weight of the Enduro model plus I have been told they are sort of low tech compared to the standard engine. I would consider a Tohatsu, I think Mark J bought one and was happy with it. Who has the best deals on them in the Caribbean? Also shopping for an aluminum rigid dink as well.