Dinghy Outboard Questions (and Rant)

[off-the-grid]

1. Do dinghy outboards really run better the further you get from the US and our crappy corn gas?
2. Is ethanol really the source of most outboard problems?
3. Is anyone out there, besides the real extremists really cruising with a dink with no motor, and just rowing it?

1. This little Honda is only a few months old.
2. Has a small built in tank, so fuel is never sitting for long.
3. I always use Ethanol treatment.
4. I turn off the gas and run it out every night.

This morning it started on the first pull. This afternoon I had to row back! Do I need to start running it out every time it's going to sit for more than a few minutes?

Seriously I'm ready to just sell the damn motor, and start rowing everyplace!...And not even allow any corn products aboard my boat.

Besides the pain in the ass, I'll save money, get in better shape, actually get better at rowing, since I'll be doing it all the time, as opposed to the slow bad rowing I do now, since I only row on the occasions when I have to, because of the outboard not starting. And I'll be putting less money in the pockets of the slimy oil companies and corn lobbyists.

Rant over. Back to the original questions. See 1-3 above.

[sailorboy1]

You wouldn't like this, but ........... the past 2 seasons I didn't even take the old gas out of the tank. 6 months later the outboard started right up.

Maybe they're like redneck girls, down deep they like to be treated bad.

[perchance]

I see you are in Florida so I would think the temp. and humidity must do bad things to your fuel. In our cooler northern climate we don't seem to have fuel the problems many on these threads seem to have.

[off-the-grid]

And they start faster or not at all, regardless of condition and age, depending on if you're still tied to the dock or not. And after struggling for 1/2 hour, they'll start right up as soon as someone shows up to tow you, and...

[Arch Stanton]

I have a little Honda 2HP (Honda BF2) also. Ethanol and stabilizer don't seem to make a big difference one way or the other.

The main bother is that it seems to be really, really picky about the exact position of the choke. 1/4" and sometimes even 1/8" makes a big difference. It takes a few minutes of warming up before you can push it all the way in and forget it. If you're just going ship to shore, a lot of times it'll still be choked when you've arrived at your destination. And unless it's still warm, on a warm day, with a warm breeze blowing into the intake it wants some choke for a warm start also.

Also a pain since a totally cold start requires medium throttle and lots of choke, which makes it rev up as soon as it starts, which creates lots of excitement with the centrifugal clutch. You need to be ready to GO when you pull the starter!

The 2HP Hondas really keep you on your toes.

[pressuredrop]

just start rowing, after a week youll have it down, yes you will get in shape and spend less money, oars are more reliable less maintenance... once you get the hang of it youll wonder why you didnt start sooner.

ive never rowed a walker bay, but i imagine they cant row half bad, only problem is when its blowing 25+....

[Mark1977]

Yes, everthing does work better the farther you get from the U.S.

[Blue Crab]

Guess we all have had frustrating relationships with outboards. rather than relate mine one can do no better than John Steinbeck's Log of the Sea of Cortez. A marvelous book on several issues and I'm surprised at the # of people who don't know it.

[tager]

Originally Posted by tgzzzz

Guess we all have had frustrating relationships with outboards. rather than relate mine one can do no better than John Steinbeck's Log of the Sea of Cortez. A marvelous book on several issues and I'm surprised at the # of people who don't know it.

This is exactly what I was going to write. Then I got to the bottom of the page.

Great minds tgzzzz

[Dulcesuenos]

I have a BF2 as well, bought it for a song and a dance because it wouldnt run. I took apart the carb, cleaned the crud from the bowl, blew some air and carb cleaner through it, reinstalled it with a new gasket. Spent maybe an hour total on it and it runs great. I have left fuel in it for 2 months and it fires right up and I never run the gas out of the carb. I just turn the valve off when I am done, The jets are so small that they get easily clogged and need cleaning more periodicaly than a 2 stroke.

[ADMPRTR]

We row our Boatex 8 and for the most part, I enjoy it, especially early in the moring when the mist is still on the water. However, I have been guilty of occasionally looking with envy at the dinks with with motors (must vear ones eyes, see no evil).

The key is to anchor close to shore and the bad thing is it takes forever to take the dog for his business...

Once, in a 20kt wind my oar broke so it isn't without it's challenges...

a.

[off-the-grid]

Arch Stanton - I've also noticed even moving the throttle a fraction one way or another makes a difference when starting. Guess I'll have to play with the choke a little tomorrow...or just start rowing since it's going to be a nice day.

Originally Posted by pressuredrop

ive never rowed a walker bay, but i imagine they cant row half bad, only problem is when its blowing 25+....

Actually pretty good! Even with my horrible rowing skills, I didn't do half bad. Yeah and it always seems to do that when you have the dink loaded, doesn't it!

Originally Posted by Mark1977

Yes, everthing does work better the farther you get from the U.S.

Yet another vote to go further South!

[Wand]

Originally Posted by tgzzzz

Guess we all have had frustrating relationships with outboards. rather than relate mine one can do no better than John Steinbeck's Log of the Sea of Cortez. A marvelous book on several issues and I'm surprised at the # of people who don't know it.

Or Hemingway...something like "he approached a problem (with the outboard) as would a chess player faced with a good move on the part of his opponent".

I have the same motor (honda 4stroke 2hp) and think it's the best little beast ever. But as an earlier poster noted, you have to get used to its idiosyncracies because it's easy to flood.

With experience and careful observation, you'll gauge time and temperature intuitively and start it first time, every time.

[off-the-grid]

I guess the other option would also be to get a kayak for longer runs as long as I'm not going to be hauling a large and/or heavy load back?

[roverhi]

Long before the advent of gasahol We left San Diego with our Avon Redcrest and a small British Seagull outboard. The motor had worked fine putting around the West Coast Anchorages but started having issues as soon after we hit the Marquesas. Initially it would run fine downwind but would refuse to start as soon as we tried to go back to the boat. If I didn't shut it down, it would run fine both downwind and up. It got progressively worse conking out at random and not restarting till it sat for a long time. I finally chucked the Seagull in a fit of passion when it quit one too many times.

So I'd say your problems are because the engine is homesick and won't work again till you return to your home port.

In any case, we rowed the Avon all over French Polynesia and for some pretty long distances like from one end of Ahe Atoll to the other. Even though I'd heard the Redcrests were supposed to be pigs to row, I found it relatively easy, even rowing it with four aboard for some relatively long distances. We had no floorboards so don't know if they would have made rowing easier or not. As far as getting in shape, with all the swimming, free diving, walking, and rowing, I never had to watch what I ate. Ended up 20 pounds lighter than when we left San Diego and it was weight I didn't miss at all. Too bad I haven't been able to maintain that weight living ashore.

So the current boat have a Montgomery 8' sailing dink which does row better than the Redcrest which I've got as a backup dinghy. Do have a 3 horse Evenrude outboard but have felt the need to fire it up yet. Hope it works if I ever do feel the need.