Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 05-11-2014, 10:01   #1
Registered User
 
gilgsn's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Antibes France
Boat: Havsfidra 20
Posts: 191
Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

Hello,

I know these outboards have been discussed in other threads, but please help me choose.. Tomorrow the UPS truck should be dropping off an Achilles LEX-77 inflatable at my door. It's 7'7". I will next need to get an outboard... Max HP is 4, which is also the recommended power.

Intended use is as a tender and occasional exploratory vehicle :-)

Which of the three would be best?

The Suzuki is cheap and light.
The Yamaha, quite a bit heavier, more expensive.
The Tohatsu is heavier still but 3.5hp.

I weigh 200lbs so not sure if planing would be possible with the 3.5hp. Not with a 2.5hp I am sure. The dinghy will mostly be used solo. If I can't plane with a 3.5, I might as well get a lighter 2.5 and save gas...

Reliability is important of course, and I wonder if the Yamaha would be better? The extra weight has to be there for a good reason, right?

I might also encounter conditions where I wish I had one more HP... Is that worth the extra weight?

Hard choice... Opinions? Thanks!

Gil.
gilgsn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2014, 10:08   #2
Moderator
 
Shrew's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Rhode Island/Florida USA
Posts: 3,283
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

I doubt you'll get a 7'7" with an inflatable keel to plane with a either a 2.5hp or a 3.5hp. I would seriously doubt it will get on plane with a 5hp. Certainly not with 2 people it won't.
Shrew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2014, 10:10   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: So Cal
Boat: Catalina 387
Posts: 967
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

I have a 8.5 west marine slat-floor (roll up) inflatable with a Lehr 2.5 motor.

I would MUCH rather have more power. It's never gonna plane, but a 3.5-4 hp motor would have been a much better experience. It's just dang slow.
jeepbluetj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2014, 10:16   #4
Registered User
 
Stu Jackson's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Cowichan Bay, BC (Maple Bay Marina)
Posts: 9,759
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

Since you aren't gonna plane with that rig, get the lightest, or the one with the best reviews.
__________________
Stu Jackson
Catalina 34 #224 (1986) C34IA Secretary
Mill Bay, BC, SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)
Stu Jackson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2014, 10:18   #5
Registered User
 
Nord Sal's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: POW Alaska
Boat: Trlåren 31
Posts: 340
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

I doubt you'll be planing with that small of an inflatable nor am I sure you'd really want to. I've been able to get my 8.5' Achilles to plane with a 4hp Yamaha but it was tough (had to get well forward with tiller extension) and not too stable. A smaller inflatable would be more difficult still.

I'd go for the lightest outboard. I'm planning to replace my 4hp Yamaha with a 2hp air-cooled Honda (< 30 lbs).
Nord Sal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2014, 10:25   #6
Registered User
 
Tayana42's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Long Beach, CA
Boat: Tayana Vancouver 42
Posts: 2,804
Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

I have a Tohatsu 3.5 on an 8'6" air floor dinghy. With me alone (160) under just the right conditions it can plane. Takes a long time to get up. With anyone or groceries it will not. I'm happy with the motor. It's quiet, light, starts easily. All of these small outboards have issues with the carb jets due to ethanol. If I had davits I'd want a 10" RIB with 9.9 hp.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Tayana42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2014, 23:16   #7
Registered User
 
gilgsn's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Antibes France
Boat: Havsfidra 20
Posts: 191
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

Thanks guys, very good points. I am slightly leaning towards the Suzuki for the lower weight and price... Still listening to any opinion... The Yamaha is $300 more and heavier, any argument as to getting one instead of a Suzuki?

Max motor weight for the LEX-77 is 55lbs. My max would probably be around 40lbs, since I don't have davits.

I did think about the Honda but the noise, lower power and price would make it my fourth choice...

Then there is the possibility of getting a two stroke in the Bahamas, but mixing oil is a bit of a pain. Though if there was a light 4hp around...

Gil.
gilgsn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2014, 06:06   #8
Senior Cruiser
 
GordMay's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 51,363
Images: 241
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

A Bollard pull test showed that the:
Mercury 3.5hp and Tohatsu 3.5hp were the most remarkable at 90lbs of thrust (These two engines along with the Mariner are virtually identical).
The least efficient was the Honda 2.3hp at 66lbs of thrust.
In between were the Suzuki 2.5hp at 83lbs of thrust,
the Yamaha 2.5hp at 78lbs of thrust
and the Parsun 2.6hp at 70 lbs of thrust.
choosing an Outboard Motor For Your Dinghy | Yamaha Outboards
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"



GordMay is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2014, 07:06   #9
Registered User
 
gilgsn's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Antibes France
Boat: Havsfidra 20
Posts: 191
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

Very interesting, thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
gilgsn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2014, 07:15   #10
Moderator Emeritus
 
a64pilot's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,348
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

Silly question, but is there much difference in speed between these little motors? I was thinking even a small motor would push you at hull speed, double the HP and you go 1/2 mph faster? Unless you can plane does it make much difference?
The air cooled and especially the centrifugal clutch would make me not want the Honda.
Static thrust is well just static and is highly driven by prop diameter and pitch, once moving not sure how valid the comparison is?
a64pilot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2014, 08:19   #11
Registered User
 
Tayana42's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Long Beach, CA
Boat: Tayana Vancouver 42
Posts: 2,804
Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

From what I see around me at anchorages there doesn't seem to be much performance difference. The air cooled ones are of course louder. To me the best thing would be a solution to the tiny carb jets that get gunked up from ethanol or from infrequent use. The little propane outboard looks attractive in that regard.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Tayana42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2014, 08:35   #12
Moderator Emeritus
 
David M's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Boat: Research vessel for a university, retired now.
Posts: 10,405
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

We have a number of outboards at work that are used to power small trailer boats for research. I have been dealing with outboards professionally for over 23 years now. I would never get another Suzuki again. They have had numerous problems over the years. The Yamaha's have always worked almost flawlessly. In my own experience Yamaha's and Honda's are the most reliable outboards.

What good is a lighter outboard if it does not work? I suspect that Suzuki cuts corners in order to make their engines lighter and less expensive.

The solution to prevent your carburetor from getting gummed up is when you are done with the engine, disconnect the fuel line and let the engine burn all of the remaining fuel out of the carburetor. This helps to prevent the jets from getting clogged. I have never found any fuel additive to be effective.

The downside to propane is that it takes a greater volume for the equivalent amount of stored energy. Quite often dinks don't have a whole lot of spare room, the cans are an odd shape and can corrode leaving rust stains if they are steel.
__________________
David

Life begins where land ends.
David M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2014, 08:40   #13
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,492
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

I've owned the Suzuki and the Tohatsu. In my opinion, the Tohatsu is the better engine. It just felt better engineered, ran better, and was more dependable. Very dependable, in fact. And of course, you've got a bit more power.

Problems with jets blocking can be avoided by good practice (run the carb dry, use stabiliser, keep the gas fairly new) and have nothing to do with ethanol. It's a function of very small orifices in small 4 strokes, and the fundamental properties of gasoline.
MarkSF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2014, 09:38   #14
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cambridge MD
Boat: Carter offshore 35
Posts: 393
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

Reliability is one thing easy maintenance is another. Had a Yamaha 2.5 ran nice up to a point. They had the fuel filter in the gas tank, just a little thing, but with the new gas it would shut the engine down with no warning. To get it out you had to drain the gas and remove the tank. The carburetor was just as tempera mental and as hard to get at all this is only a problem when you are hanging onto someone's rhode waiting for them to come back.
DeborahLee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2014, 09:45   #15
Registered User
 
gilgsn's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Antibes France
Boat: Havsfidra 20
Posts: 191
Re: Yamaha 2.5 VS Suzuki 2.5 VS Tohatsu 3.5.

Thanks guys. I guess you get what you pay for... The Suzuki certainly looks good on paper. The Yamaha costs about the same as the Tohatsu, which is 4lbs heavier. Darn, this is not going to be an easy choice.

Gil.
gilgsn is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Outboard Dimensions (suzuki, tohatsu, Honda, Yamaha) Sailing fast Deck hardware: Rigging, Sails & Hoisting 6 24-03-2014 20:34

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:00.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.