RIB and Outboard Advice

[Frozen Chosen]

We need to replace our RIB and are in Puerto Rico en route to Grenada. Am currently looking at a Caribe LHT and a Nissan 18 two stroke, but we have been offered a Walker Bay which is less cash. Weight and cost are an issue but we don't know the WB product and have some reservations about the 2 vs 4 stroke. My preferred engine is the Yamaha but availability is an issue. We are planning on buying the package in St Thomas but would appreciate any advice from someone who has done this recently.

Thanks

[marlinmike]

Not sure how St Thomas regulations are, but in the US of A they don't sell 2 strokes anymore, you can get them in other country's with less stringent DEC regulations.

[ColdEH]

Get one of these with a 15 hp two stroke .

Remember Yamaha's are the most favourite motors to steal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Kt57RbzZU

Make sure they are not painted , go for bare aluminium , the painted ones have had serious adhesion problems .

These things are super light , fast, and rugged .

Regards

[Terra Nova]

I wouldn't touch the Walker Bay. But the Nissan 18 hp 2-stroke is a great motor made by Tohatsu.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

We are really pleased with our Walker Bay Genesis 340 after two seasons in the Caribbean. Planes with a Yamaha 15 four-stroke, which just sips gasoline, a real plus.

[Dustymc]

If I have to lug it around, try to make it run on iffy gas, or when weight matters at all, I'll take a 2-stroke every time. Big 4-strokes are AWESOME motors, but the little ones are heavy, cantankerous things that like to puke oil in inconvenient places. "They" do still sell 2-strokes in the US - there is a bunch of new-old stock floating around, if you can find it. (The restriction is on manufacture/import.) I've bought 2 "new" Yamahas (a 2008 25HP and a 2007 15HP) in the last couple years, both new in factory packaging with factory warranty.

[jcapo]

+1

And there's craigslist. Lots of 2 strokes there and sometimes a 15hp Yamaha.

[chrisjs]

The 2T wins hands down in terms of reliability and simplicity. Much less of a problem with that damned ethanol mixture as well. Also a lot lighter than a similar power 4T.

[rw58ph]

I would take as hard bottom over a soft bottom dink and a 2 stroke over a 4 stroke any day. The brand is some what dependant of parts/service in your area. No use having a engine you can not get parts service for and/or they cost a bloody fortune.

I been running Mercury engine for 40+ years. We still have a 1970, 140 hp Merc, 2 stroke out board that still run strong and as 1976 9 hp Merc 2 stroke. Running a low pitch prop and mix the oil on the heavy side which tend to foul the spark plugs, but a new set of plugs and they start right up and run strong. In fact today I start both up after 8 months of storage after puting in new spark plugs. Also If you have to take the engine off and on, might want to buy a less hp and light weight to save on the old back.

[thomm225]

Remember though that a 5hp 4 stroke equals about an 8hp 2 stroke.
I have had zero fuel type problems with my Mercury 5hp 4 stroke which I use not to push a dinghy, but a 6600 lb Bristol 27 in all types of weather.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by chrisjs

Also a lot lighter than a similar power 4T.

The weight differences between 2 and 4 strokes nowadays are inconsequential. For example, our new Suzuki 20hp 4-stroke weighs 97lbs. A new Yamaha Enduro 15hp 2-stroke weighs 89lbs. A new Tohatsu 18hp 2-stroke weighs 93lbs. When you consider that you need to carry an extra 3gal of gas for comparable use of these 2-stroke engines, the weight penalty turns in favor of the 4-strokes. The weight meme is an old one no longer valid with today's engines.

Originally Posted by thomm225

Remember though that a 5hp 4 stroke equals about an 8hp 2 stroke.

No it doesn't. What metric are you using in making this claim? Not torque, not horsepower. Any performance difference to support that would have to be due to a non-optimum prop on the 8hp.

Mark

[colemj]

BTW, I'm convinced that water in fuel is the biggest problem with all engines. Even when you think it is ethanol-related. Since installing a small fuel filter/water separator on ours, we have experienced zero fuel issues, and I have had to empty water out of the separator many, many times.

Of course, we are not getting our fuel from corner gas stations out here, but I still think a lot of water finds its way into good fuel also.

Mark

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by colemj

No it doesn't. What metric are you using in making this claim? Not torque, not horsepower. Any performance difference to support that would have to be due to a non-optimum prop on the 8hp.

Mark

Yes it does. They measured the horsepower in a different way back in the day and lots of these ole boys are still running old 2 strokes. (Maybe I can look it up tomorrow)

So, that is why I threw that statement out there. Also, since they are illegal in the US these days to sell I'm not sure what the latest measurement techniques were.

Mark, you need to get out a bit more..........you throw in a couple terms like "metric" and "non-optimum" and figure that will do it, but you are incorrect.

Maybe it's time for you to come on back to shore.

Tom

[colemj]

The way horsepower was measured changed in 1983, but even then, as now, the measurement standard was used consistently across engines. There isn't, or wasn't, a measurement for 2-strokes different than that for 4-strokes.

The OP was discussing new engines - not comparing a pre-1983 with a 2014 model.

We are currently out and getting outer. I don't understand why non-optimum is a poor term to use for a prop that does not have the optimum pitch or diameter for the loads the engine is under. Metric I apologize for - I'm an ex-scientist and it is a word we used in everyday speech to describe a measured quantity or quantifiable quality. How am I incorrect with these terms?

Mark

[Dustymc]

Originally Posted by colemj

For example, our new Suzuki 20hp 4-stroke weighs 97lbs. A new Yamaha Enduro 15hp 2-stroke weighs 89lbs

That Suzuki looks pretty impressive. No battery, no carb, no fouled plugs - what's not to love?

My 15HP Yamaha weighs 74lbs - not sure where they found an extra 15LBs for the Enduro. ~25LBs is, for me anyway, the difference between being able to sling the thing around and needing mechanical assistance. My 25 weighs 106, and it's just an entirely different thing to handle than the 15.

I also paid about $1000 less than Suzuki's MSRP for my 15.

Originally Posted by colemj

BTW, I'm convinced that water in fuel is the biggest problem with all engines. Even when you think it is ethanol-related.

Yup. Ethanol may have some long-term effects on things drying out, or corrosion on seldom-used engines, but acute ethanol problems are super obvious - fuel lines swell shut, filter gaskets leak, etc., and it all happens in hours. Dump some ethanol in something made in the '40s for a demonstration....