New Motor

[jb]

 Small Tohatsu, Nissan and Mercury motors are basically the same motor except for exterior appearance and price. I believe all are made by Tohatsu....

My Nissan was a fairly reliable workhorse under less than ideal conditions.

j

[rogerschwake]

  I'm sorry but I'm cheap but also like well built equipment, impossible to have it both way's at the same time. Read on the internet about someone having trouble with there 6 HP Tohatsu vibrating, anyone know anything about that. Hope to get this done with soon an get out sailing.
ROGER

[jb]

Roger,

My positive experience is with the 5 HP, not the 6 HP. I believe that is the size motor you originally expressed an interest in?

j

[Jon898]

  I'm sorry but I'm cheap but also like well built equipment, impossible to have it both way's at the same time. Read on the internet about someone having trouble with there 6 HP Tohatsu vibrating, anyone know anything about that. Hope to get this done with soon an get out sailing.
ROGER

Maybe this is the (current) thread you're remembering:

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=7368.0

[rogerschwake]

  I finally took the big step and ordered a Tohatsu 4 HP, 20" shaft outboard from BOATS.net for $1,137. I'll keep you updated on when I receive the motor and how it runs.
ROGER

[moonlight]

I've got a customer who has resorted to keeping in stock a spare carburetor for his Tohatsu; it's both cheaper and easier to change it himself than have anyone try to reasonably clean it.  That's why I suggested Lehr, although I've never seen one except at a show.  Same with Torqueedo.  I've no performance knowledge nor skin in the game either way, but if I was in the market I'd have to give them a much closer look.
Trouble is, these new EPA super star outboards idle on three gnats arses of fuel per parsec.  If any one of the gnats stayed out late, ate to much, or God forbid got knocked up; then that arse is too big and the whole fuel:air mixture is crud and the thing runs like crap.  But usually it's not too much fuel, but they lean out really quickly.  And you can't get in them deep enough to clean them enough to get them running right again; so by the time you pay a shop $65~125~175 to mess with it you're off to another carburetor for $130 instead...

[Mike Howell]

 Tohatsu makes Nissan and small Mercury outboards. I've owned 3 - 4 stroke and 2 - 2 stroke Tohatsu outboards on my sailboats. I loved them. The problem sailors face with outboards is we don't use them enough to keep them running. I've found if I run the outboard once a month for 15 minutes, I don't have problems with the motor not running. I'd guess, my outboards have more time running in a bucket on the driveway than in the river. I think the LEHR propane OB are interesting but at 2x the price of a similar Tohatsu, are just too expensive.

The 4-5-6 hp Tohatsu Outboards are the same. The Carb is the difference. IIRC, the 4 hp is the only one with both an internal and external tank. I prefer the external tank.

The 4hp will weight about the same as the 5/6hp outboards (about 60 lbs), since they are the same motor. The Tohatsu 6 hp Sailpro has a HT prop. I've never used a hight thrust prop, but people that have swear by them.

I just sold my Nimble 20 with the NEW 2013 5hp Tohatsu. The Nimble 20 uses a short shart. Had I foreseen buying the Sun Cat, I would have bought the long shaft, sold the Yamaha 4hp with the Nimble, and kept the 5hp Tohatsu for me. Keep in mind, the 4-5-6 hp Tohatsu Outboards are SINGLE cylinder, so you'll have more vibration than a 2 cylinder OB.

I just had my 12 year old Yamaha serviced. If I had to replace the motor today, I'd call online outboards and buy a 5 or 6 hp longshaft.

Usual disclaimers apply.

Your money, your decision.

Mike

[BruceW]

Hi, Mike! Good to see you here.

I've now got a CP 23 with the Tohatsu SailPro, keep it on the Neuse near New Bern. I sure used to like my Suncat before I sold it due to wanting a bit more room (and bought your P-21).

Bruce

[brackish]

I'm finishing my first season (that's a year for me) with my Nissan 6HP 25" shaft four stroke Sail Pro on my 23.  I've had absolutely no problems with the motor.  It starts on the second pull every time.  There is no vibration.  What I do to make sure that happens:

I've not disconnected the fuel line from the outboard ever.  It stays hooked up all the time.  I do not run it dry after use.  Theory is that an empty bowl or space in fuel system, including the line, can condense water with daily changes in temperature and the water initiates corrosion in the system which in turn clogs the jets.

I run the motor at least every two weeks.

I top off the tank when it gets down to a quarter and that usually happens about every three months.

I do not use any fuel conditioner.

I always use fuel that does not contain ethanol.

My only complaint with the motor is that the outboard side fuel connector seems to be excluded from competition and is very expensive at least for a 5/16" barb.  I want to make up some additional lines and the connector is about $25.  That and the steering friction lock is not really a lock.

Lehr, interesting concept, however if I wanted to go Propane I would just convert a gas motor for about 25% of the premium that you pay for a Lehr.  I don't want propane because of the fuel storage issue.  Too much volume required to store the equivalent BTU's of propane when compared to gasoline. 

I'd be more interested in Torqueedo, However, if I went electric I go the whole way with an electric inboard and the battery bank replacing part of my ballast located in the perfect position for the weight.  That combination would certainly impact vessel trim positively and I would love the quiet.

[capt_nemo]

Mike Howell writes ..."The problem sailors face with outboards is we don't use them enough to keep them running. I've found if I run the outboard once a month for 15 minutes, I don't have problems with the motor not running. I'd guess, my outboards have more time running in a bucket on the driveway than in the river."

It has also been my experience that periodically running ANY and ALL small gasoline engines, from Standby Generators and Motorcycles to Marine Outboards, with STABILIZED FUEL greatly minimizes problems. They LOVE to be EXERCIZED!

Coincidentally, just the other day I ran my YAMAHA 4 HP 4-stroke a while in a large (clean) garbage can while still attached to the boat. AND, I emptied the "old" previously STABILIZED fuel in the 3 gal tank into my Chevy Blazer to burn it up. I'll put FRESH, STABILIZED, NON-ETHANOL FUEL in the tank for 2014 Com-Pac Florida Rendezvous at Caladesi Island, May 5-9.

capt. nemo

[BruceW]

I started out with a 5 hp Nissan 2 stroke in the early 90's.  I always just mixed a gallon at a time, used it up, and then made another fresh batch.  Kept it till in 2005 when I sold my Suncat; the buyer just had to have it.  Bought Mike's P-21 with a 5 hp Nissan 4-stroke. Kept the same gallon at a time policy, unless I was taking a trip where more would be needed. Poured the extra from a trip into the Explorer.

With Slipper 17, I had a 4 hp Evinrude 2-stroke. I found that the gaslines went bad in a year; looked into it, and that's when I switched to non-ethanol. I've kept that policy up, using fresh gas and Stabil in the oil (which I found back in the old Nissan days).

Now, with motor issues from a used motor I was going to buy, I have a convenient station to buy non-E, and I buy a gallon or two.  The guys at the club recommend Sea Foam to stabilize and dissolve particles, so I use that instead of Stabil.

So far, so good! I'm still in the breakin period on the motor. After next trip, going to empty any gas left back into tank.

[rogerschwake]

  Received the 4HP Tohatsu yesterday and have it mounted on the SunCat and ready to give it a try. Like the gear shifter mounted up front on the engine. Hope to get in the water on Friday or the weekend, I'll let you know how it goes.

ROGER

[frank]

look forward to your thoughts once you try t out. hope everything works well.

[rogerschwake]

  Put my SunCat in the water today with the new Tahotsu 4HP, 20" shaft. I bought the boat with a 1986, 4HP, 15" shaft, 2 stroke, 2 cylinder motor. It ran good but with the short shaft the motor would come out of the water when someone went to the bow for docking. The new Tahotsu started on the third pull and ran great. It's a very quiet motor and I believe there is less vibration than the old two cylinder motor, the Tahotsu has just one cylinder. So fare I'm real pleased with everything about it. At about 1/3 throttle the boat was doing 4 knots. The shifter on the front of the engine is a big plus also. If you have any questions let me know and I'll be glad to answer them if I can.

ROGER

[BruceW]

Glad it is working out for you Roger. Mine is is the 6 HP with 25" shaft, working great for me. I find it difficult to find neutral to start the motor, but by playing with that and the pull cord till it releases, I can do it. Then it starts first or second pull. So far, just motoring out 15 mins, back in 10 has been the use, 4 trips, so at this rate I'll still be in break-in period at end of year, unless wind dies with me further away.