Best dinghy outboard?

[brianlara 3]

Originally Posted by J Clark H356

Had a Yamaha 4HP 2004 model 4 stroke and it was a great motor until the gas changed. Even using Non-ethanol the carb jets still get clogged. The jets are the size of a hair and get crystallized gas in less than a month. Motor is high quality, but current gas is junk.

Got a Lehr 5 HP propane in 2014 and love it. Reliable and no gas on board. Propane easy to get and carry and a 1 lb cannister lasts about an hour.

Curious J Clark. Do you carry a supply of those small bottles on board. Just thinking, not a great deal of running time for a heavy 5 hp motor. Disposable cartridges or re-fillable?
Sounds way too hard just to elininate gasoline dependence. What is the current cost in USD of the Lehr? Also, is it a quiet motor, gearbox with fwd and rev? Thru prop exhaust?

[J Clark H356]

brianlara3: I carry 6 propane cans in two 4 inch 4 foot PVC pipes. (See starboard stern photo for tubes) I have an end cap on one end and a clean out plug that screws in in the other. That is 3 hours per tube plus whatever is in the bottle attached to the motor- could be 7 hours of fuel if a new bottle has just been attached. That is plenty for our use. We just use the dinghy to go from the boat to the shore or putt around in a cove at the lake. In Florida, we used it at Indian Key and in Pelican Bay in SW Florida.

I have the motor stored on a rack and use a hoist to lower it onto the dinghy.

It has a separate hose that attaches on the front and you can run it on any size refillable propane tank and use the 1 lb as a spare reserve. I throw a tube in the back of the dinghy - fits easily crossways and out of the way. Starts on the first or second pull. It weighs about the same as my old Yamaha and makes about the same amount of noise. I run it on an Avon270 air floor inflatable. At half throttle, it runs for an hour and goes 4 knots with two people.

We use the dinghy just to play around and used it in Florida while cruising. I spend about $150 a year on cleaning and fixing carburetors on my Yamaha, but the reason I got rid of it was it was not reliable when I needed it. With the propane, it immediately starts, no winterizing or draining the carb after each use. There is a bleed valve that I use a paper clip to bleed the air out of the line when it has been sitting for a while before I start it. For my use it is the perfect outboard.

It costs about $1750. It has both forward and reverse. I'm not sure where the exhaust comes out since it makes zero smoke. It is water cooled and the water flushes down from the rear like my Yamaha did. For all practical purposes, it is like the Yamaha with clean gas. Propane burns nearly 100%, so there is no soot and the plug does not get carbon buildup. Also the oil stays pretty clean too.

[brianlara 3]

Originally Posted by J Clark H356

brianlara3: I carry 6 propane cans in two 4 inch 4 foot PVC pipes. I have an end cap on one end and a clean out plug that screws in in the other.

It has a separate hose and you can run it on any size refillable propane tank. I throw a tube in the back of the dinghy - fits easily crossways and out of the way. Starts on the first or second pull. It weighs about the same as my old Yamaha and makes about the same amount of noise. I run it on an Avon270 air floor inflatable. At half throttle, it runs for an hour and goes 4 knots with two people.

We use the dinghy just to play around and used it in Florida while cruising. I spend about $150 a year on cleaning and fixing carburetors on my Yamaha, but the reason I got rid of it was it was not reliable when I needed it. With the propane, it immediately starts, no winterizing or draining the carb after each use. There is a bleed valve that I use a paper clip to bleed the air out of the line when it has been sitting for a while before I start it. For my use it is the perfect outboard.

It costs about $1750. It has both forward and reverse. I'm not sur where the exhaust comes out since it makes zero smoke. It is water cooled and the water flushes down from the rear like my Yamaha did. For all practical purposes, it is like the Yamaha with clean gas. Propane burns nearly 100%, so there is no soot and the plug does not get carbon buildup. Also the oil stays pretty clean too.

Very interesting JC. Since my last post I made local enquiries.....velly interesting. First, about the same weight as my old Honda 5 hp. But here's the bit that will kill you. At todays exchange rate USD in Sydney $1330 for a Lehr 5hp short shaft ! Or nearly a thousand less than my next 5 hp Honda Which is currently usd in Sydney USD 1700.
Usually, because of economies of scale and the distances involved, in Oz we pay massive amounts more for US equivalent goods.
Mmnnn. Unfortunately my current merc 5hp hasn't been stolen again and is still good & 3 years old.
So the Lehr is USD 400 cheaper in Australia.
Thanks J Clark.

[CSY Man]

Had plenty dink motors.
Best one was the 2009 Yamaha 4HP.
Ran the 310 Airfloor dink at 11 knots with my 220 lbs arse on board.
Started easy and not too much noise or vibration for being a single cylinder.
Pretty darn impressed.
Don't think they make 'em no more, the latest version is a bit heavier. (60 vs 48 lbs)
My problem was pulling dink and motor up on deck every day, no davits, no crane, a light motor was a better motor..

[HopCar]

I own two Lehr outboards, a 2.5 and a 15. I use the 2.5 on an inflatable and a canoe. The 15 is mounted on a 14 ft plywood Skiff I built.

I rarely run the 2.5 on the little bottles. I have a small 11 pound fiberglass tank that it will run over fifteen hours on in normal use.

I've been selling and using the Lehr outboards for several years now and like them quite a bit.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by malyea

Mercury, Honda, Yamaha...??? Looking for a good/solid/reliable new 2 to 5 hp outboard for my new WM PRU-3 dinghy... Would really like to hear your opinion if you actually have experience with the outboard you're either promoting or bashing. Thanks!

Mercury, Mariner, Nissan and Johnson/Evinrude are relabeled Tohatsu's in the smaller sizes which is what you are after.

Distinct alternatives are:
Honda
Yamaha
Suzuki
various off brands.

The one place I found independent performance data was this site: Yamaha Outboards: choosing an Outboard Motor For Your Dinghy

The testing data was only sporadically given and there was no description of test methods so no way to do a smell test but this was the only actual comparison testing I found so beggars can't be choosers.

My direct experience is mostly with 2-strokes: 30-40hp mariners, 6-10hp Johnsons and the 4.5hp Johnson I currently have plus some 4-stroke 7.5-8hp Hondas.

I have the 4.5hp because the price was right but am not fond of 2-stroke and will replace it eventually.

I was impressed with the Honda's because of their reliability and fuel economy.

Given that I intend to cruise I will probably replace the current motor with a Tohasu due to world wide support but I really haven't investigated how available parts are for Honda, Yamaha & Suzuki so that decision is not cast in stone.

[J Clark H356]

Brianlea 3:
Would love to have saved $400 but the way I look at it, I have already saved $150 a year for 3 years NOT owning the Yamaha! Not only that, it starts and runs like a top.

If you decide to sell that Mercury, I highly recommend the Lehr.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by bytownboy

Have owned a Lehr 2.5 propane outboard for two years now. Like it a lot an love even more no longer having gasoline on board!!

I have a 2HP Honda but if the Lehr 2.5 propane outboard had been around at the time, I would have seriously considered it.

The gasoline on board doesn't bother me so much, it's the fact that gasoline deteriorates in storage and gums up the motor while propane does not.

[Suijin]

You'll have to pry my Yamaha 8hp two stroke out of my cold dead hands. Best power to weight, reliable, indestructible, easy to get parts.

Convinced my BIL to get a Lehr after he had constant issues with his Yamaha 9hp four stroke, mostly from infrequent use, and he loves the thing.

[malyea]

Thanks to all, great info!

[DeborahLee]

Most outboards are good it's the **##^^ gas that is the problem. I'd have to look at the Lehr because of that.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

Most outboards are good it's the **##^^ gas that is the problem. I'd have to look at the Lehr because of that.

The gas is fine at least for the newer engines that were designed for 10% ethanol but do mix in a bit of stabilizer if your gas will not be used in a month or so

[Emerald Sea]

If your going to be cruising extensively, then Yamaha is the most widely represented outboard out there in terms of parts, mechanics, know how, service. Typically two strokes over four.
We have a Honda 4 stroke. Not that impressed.

[ur2slo]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

, Academic really because both will never need a spanner .....sorry, wrench.
Fwiw.

British Standard or Wentworth? .... busted knuckles and all lol

enjoy the day...........

[travellerw]

My vote is Tohatsu... Ours has been great (once we put an external fuel filter).

I would vote against Honda.. I've recently had to repair 2 of them and was very disappointing in the carb design. Engineered to fail (idle jet not removable). Either buy a new carb (about $500) or find a shop with a tank to soak it.