Elec Start Outboard on Tender?

[alansmith]

I will echo the motorcycle battery... lithium of course. I had a bike for 10 years. 1340 cc Suzuki Hayabusa. That little 3 lb battery never failed me in 3 years. If it can start that big a$$ bike it can start a 10/20 hp outboard.

Also... I did tons of research before I bought my Suzuki 9.9 EFI. I looked at Honda, Yamaha, mercury, Tohatsu. Weight, cost, features, reputation, and availability of parts. Suzuki won it. Did you know that some fine manufacturers build outboards that are electric start but don’t have backup for pull start? Some nice motors are still carbureted? Tohatsu’s are good bang for the buck. I have one in my trimaran. Can pull start or electric. But it has a carb. Since it is in Mexico I don’t have the issues with corn alcohol. But I have a 10 ho Suzuki with power tilt and EFI and electric start sitting in the garage for my other boat.

I think the Zuk weights in at around 110-115. If you go electric start take. Good look at it. Make sure u buy EFI and pull start with it. Power tilt in dingy nice to have but not critical.

[Avionics_Joe]

Before you buy the outboard motor make sure the charging circuit will work with an LI battery. Suzuki says in there manual it will not work with LI batteries.

I have the 25 hp Suzuki EFI pull start and love it, pulls us wakeboarding on our 9.5 foot AB RIB.

I wish I had gotten the electric start so I could power a depth finder, lights and bilge pump.

[SteveSadler]

One drop of water in your carb and you're stranded, unless you have an electric start. My Honda 20 needed its carb cleaned too often, even with a transom mounted fuel filter! Water is the problem. Now I have the Honda water fuel separator with glass bowl and drain, I can see whats in it and drain it often. Yes definately buy the elect start it's easier and safer for everyone. Even with a new carb, it takes a few 6' long pulls to start. Everybody leans way back. Your wife will thank you for it.

[Chuck Hawley]

Originally Posted by LeeV

We may have found our "final" cat, but I'll need to buy an 11' dinghy with a 15hp outboard.
I've considered an electric, but we want to roam around, and tow toys = more power.

I have an 11 1/2 foot RIB with an aluminum floor and a 30HP Suzuki tiller steered OB. It has electric start, and I love it. I use a small PWC AGM battery in a small battery box, which also allows me to have a bilge pump and to charge a handheld if required. Ideal situation. I have never had to pull start, and thanks to the fuel injection on the Suzuki, it starts up instantly with either electricity or a quick pull on the rope.

Chuck

[tpuckett]

We are buying a Leopard 44 and plan on getting the Honda BF20 with electric start and power tilt on a 12 ft RIB I spent time on an AMEL with an undersized motor. never again. Also pretty hard to steal a 129 pound motor quickly.





https://www.inmarinflatables.com/Hon.../bf20d3sht.htm

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by LeeV

Whew; and I thought 15hp was huge! I had a 15 on my Condor 40!
Nice idea although we'll have 2 diesels on the big boat.
Here's what I'll carry with me to start: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...6YTQSQT8JAVVBP



Works well starting a v-6 jeep!

In many cases, the 15 and the 20 is the same motor.

[alansmith]

Avionics Joe, thanks for the heads up on the Lithium battery and Zuks. Didn’t know that

[44'cruisingcat]

In theory, most outboards will charge Lithiums to too high a voltage, but the dinghy I mentioned has had a Lithium battery since 2012 without any problems.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by tpuckett

We are buying a Leopard 44 and plan on getting the Honda BF20 with electric start and power tilt on a 12 ft RIB I spent time on an AMEL with an undersized motor. never again. Also pretty hard to steal a 129 pound motor quickly.

https://www.inmarinflatables.com/Hon.../bf20d3sht.htm

Which RIB are you looking at? I’m trying to watch our weight. We’re looking at a Leopard 46 but I’d rather not have 400lbs on our stern

Thx,

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by SteveSadler

One drop of water in your carb and you're stranded, unless you have an electric start. My Honda 20 needed its carb cleaned too often, even with a transom mounted fuel filter! Water is the problem. Now I have the Honda water fuel separator with glass bowl and drain, I can see whats in it and drain it often. Yes definately buy the elect start it's easier and safer for everyone. Even with a new carb, it takes a few 6' long pulls to start. Everybody leans way back. Your wife will thank you for it.

Yep, I’m definitely going electric start. Now to figure out a good combination.

Thx.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by tpuckett

We are buying a Leopard 44 and plan on getting the Honda BF20 with electric start and power tilt on a 12 ft RIB I spent time on an AMEL with an undersized motor. never again. Also pretty hard to steal a 129 pound motor quickly.

https://www.inmarinflatables.com/Hon.../bf20d3sht.htm

Btw, I show the BF20 w/elec start & tilt at 104lbs, which would be nice:
https://www.powerequipmentdirect.com...es/p62861.html

[c.spots]

Originally Posted by alansmith

I will echo the motorcycle battery... lithium of course. I had a bike for 10 years. 1340 cc Suzuki Hayabusa. That little 3 lb battery never failed me in 3 years. If it can start that big a$$ bike it can start a 10/20 hp outboard.

Also... I did tons of research before I bought my Suzuki 9.9 EFI. I looked at Honda, Yamaha, mercury, Tohatsu. Weight, cost, features, reputation, and availability of parts. Suzuki won it. Did you know that some fine manufacturers build outboards that are electric start but don’t have backup for pull start? Some nice motors are still carbureted? Tohatsu’s are good bang for the buck. I have one in my trimaran. Can pull start or electric. But it has a carb. Since it is in Mexico I don’t have the issues with corn alcohol. But I have a 10 ho Suzuki with power tilt and EFI and electric start sitting in the garage for my other boat.

I think the Zuk weights in at around 110-115. If you go electric start take. Good look at it. Make sure u buy EFI and pull start with it. Power tilt in dingy nice to have but not critical.

The lithium batteries are not supposed to be charged with 15 volt. One that just ordered says 14.4-8 volts. My Yamaha puts out up to 15 volts.
Anybody thought about reducing the voltage, possibly by adding a diode to the circuit?
BTW, after 12.5 years, I finally had to clean the junk out of the carb. But I always use fuel stabilizer, and often add some carb cleaner to the fuel line. I also leave the vent on the tank closed until used.

[Perfect Ride]

Originally Posted by LeeV

Thoughts, or solutions, anybody? Am I the only one???! :-)

We are on a 44' cat and use a 11.6' rib with a 20hp Yamaha w electric start. It has been excellent for us. We do have a way to use electric winch on our davits so it is very easy to raise and lower and we are vary comfortable leaving the engine on for crossings (40,000 miles so far). I fog any time left for more than a few weeks without use and am very gaurded on clean fuel and have had very few problems. Would keep same system for another 40,000.

[s/v Jedi]

Our current dinghy is... counting.... our 6th one and by far the best combo we had. We use the Highfield Classic 340 which is 11’ with the Mercury 20hp EFI with electric start. Perfect combo.

For battery we got this small cheap one which works great https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This Mercury has the new tiller that is on the centerline...

[purvisgs]

Personally I'd go with Suzuki 20hp (2014+), but new Tohatsu/Merc 20 also worth consideration. Honda 20hp if buying used also worth consideration (carbed not fuel injected though) but overpriced new.. New Yamaha 20 is now supposedly a couple lbs lighter than Suzuki if you can stomach the price tag.



You could go 9.9/15 or look for an older yamaha T8 (the smallest 4stroke ob that I've found w/ electric start)...that OR the real power to weight champion old tohatsu 9.8 2-stroke pre ~2005... but the 9.9 & 15's are (essentially) the same weight as the 20's and the pre ~2010(ish) Yamaha 8hp is only like 15-20lbs lighter. I forgot to mention Tohatu 9.8 4-stroke. That might be slightly lighter than the 20's but not by much. Hopefully that just about covers it.



The li-ion jump box of 18650 cells are cool, but (probably) won't be able to charge it with your outboard- if you want to go li-ion you'd have to buy one that's meant for automotive/motorcycle/"12v" application and as others mentioned can be charged at whatever output voltage the outboard alternator has. $$$. But realistically, any small 12v battery will do, lead acid is fine- a small marine sealed battery, mid sized tractor battery or the smallest size automotive batteries are cheap and not very heavy.