Are propane outboards worth considering?

[flyingfin]

Just ran 30 miles the other night on our 9.9 JohnRude two-stroke. Burned almost 2-1/2 gallons of fuel but still had another half-gallon left. Tell me again the benefit of LP?

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Just ran 30 miles the other night on our 9.9 JohnRude two-stroke. Burned almost 2-1/2 gallons of fuel but still had another half-gallon left. Tell me again the benefit of LP?

It sounds cool...

[cottonsail]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Just ran 30 miles the other night on our 9.9 JohnRude two-stroke. Burned almost 2-1/2 gallons of fuel but still had another half-gallon left. Tell me again the benefit of LP?

No gasoline on the boat.

[seafarer31569]

Originally Posted by cottonsail

No gasoline on the boat.

That's the main reason. Plus I don't think that I've ever gone over 5 miles in a dinghy. Don't plan on it either. The main purpose for the dinghy is to get from the mother ship to shore with a little beach exploring thrown in.

[Straggle lake]

Hi there. I purhased one of these Mercurys...very happy with it. I have a 20 LB propane tank it runs off. According to the website it can push a sailboat for ten hours. I have it on a 12' tin boat. It runs well and pushes the boat at a surprisingly fast pace. It's louder than expected, but does more than I expected. It took a year to get.

[cottonsail]

I have a 5 Hp Propane Tohatsu. Hardest starting outboard I've ever owned. FORGET the instruction manual's directions on starting unless you want to do 50+ pulls. Once running and warmed up it starts with a 1/2 pull. My experience is to bleed all the lines of air. 1/2 throttle and full choke. Still takes 5+ pulls. Electric start would be a dream on this.

[HopCar]

I sold Lehr for several years. A lot of people had trouble starting them until I showed them how to bleed the air from the fuel line the first time they started it for the day. After bleeding the air it was always a one or two pull start.

Lehr would have been a great engine if Bernardo, the owner of Lehr, had concentrated on quality control instead of making bigger engines. I don’t think that will be a problem with Tohatsu / Mercury.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by seafarer31569

How do you store the gasoline for your dinghy? I've always been uncomfortable about that. I don't like propane either but its easier to store (at least in my opinion).

I store dinghy gas in a Type I safety can. I have several. The 2.5 gallon size seems to be the most useful.



https://eagle.justrite.com/safety-cans


I believe gasoline in a safety can is safer than propane in a cylinder. It is certainly more compact and lighter (including the packaging) on a per-mile-traveled basis.



A fact to consider is that 4-stroke outboards use about half as much fuel as 2-stroke outboards.

[sailorboy1]

No experience with a propane outboard, but I considered due to gas problems. But it is harder to track down propane than gas while cruising and I have enough problems getting cooking gas. But since I stopped ever putting ethanol gas in the outboard it has never had a problem the past 3 years.

[grantmc]

Typically much easier to spot a leak in the petrol than a leak in the gas. And sure leaking petrol can cause a serious fire, but heavier than air leaking gas tends to blow stuff up.

[japawil]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

No experience with a propane outboard, but I considered due to gas problems. But it is harder to track down propane than gas while cruising and I have enough problems getting cooking gas. But since I stopped ever putting ethanol gas in the outboard it has never had a problem the past 3 years.

Where do you get the ethanol free gas while cruising?

[ChrisJHC]

Originally Posted by japawil

Where do you get the ethanol free gas while cruising?

Just about everywhere outside the US.

[AA3JY]

Originally Posted by japawil

Where do you get the ethanol free gas while cruising?

CONUS & Canada locations..

https://www.pure-gas.org/

[tbodine88]

I have a Mercury 6hp. I have used it in two Texas 200's and it has performed well. I have had difficulty finding propane. Both trips I brought my own and found a place to cache a few bottles half way through the trip. A 15lb bottle lasts me about 12 hours at 4mph in my west wight potter with light fair winds


In between Texas 200's I have had a bottle on board that has lasted all year when I go out on day sails