Outboards

[rbh1515]

You guys are convincing me more and more to go electric.

[Tom L.]

Lot of new info for me. I didn't know the battery was so light. That is a big plus. The down size is how long it will last. Sounds like maybe an hour. That would be plenty for most day sailors to power in and out of a slip. Not so good for cruising any distance. I also have never priced these motors and was surprised how expensive. Isn't there less expensive trolling motors.?Fishermen use them all the time. If the purpose is to just get in and out of a slip seems like any trolling motor would do.

Tom L.

[Tim Gardner]

I have a 40 # thrust minn-kota that I used on my 19 occasionally.  I carried two 12v deep cycle batteries, one for out and one just in case.  I bought it for less than 100 clams at a church sale.  The batteries were approx. 100 each.  Worked great for on the lake.  I use it now on my grandson's Mutineer. With the battery strapped in, the motor can handle turning turtle.  I use a 4HP 2cycle Yamaha on my 19 and a 5hp Nissan 4stroke on my Hunter 23.

TG

[wroundey]

I have a 40lb trolling motor on my CP16 with a single 12v battery. Works fine for getting in and out of the harbor/dock. Not so great if trying to get to windward, but then I would be sailing... I also bought a solar panel to charge up the battery. I have only used the motor 2-3 times and never needed to recharge the battery so I am not really sure what my range/time on it is.

[Craig]

Had Honda and Tohatsu 4cycle obs for many years. The phobia  about engine position is a little overblown. Just don't store it lying on the wrong side for an extended period of time. I stored both my engines in the vertical position over the winter. Although a winterizing shot of spray lube into the cylinders is a good thing, I usually didn't. I ran the carb dry and put them away. Never had a problem. Honda ran as well in 1992 as it did new in 1978. Tohatsu lived in storage shed in Central New York(lots of subzero days!) Always started on second or third pull on initial spring start-up. I LOVE 4 cycle obs(so does the environment as did my neighbors at the marina!).

[skip1930]

Boating with Out Board Engines On The Transoms

There was nothing wrong with O/B 2 stroke engines ... O/B 4 strokes came along as a knee jerk reaction to stupid EPA pollution mandates.

Mandates that have and are becoming more strict.
Hence requiring more break-up of the fuel air fuel molecule for complete consumption from burning, which has proven to be more difficult without plugging up the fuel induction systems used in todays engines [soon catalytic converters may be required ... how is this possible?]

In Sturgeon Bay both of our BP [British Petroleum] stations sell ethanol free gas ... it's their premium grade.


--:> break-up of the fuel air fuel molecule <:--

O.K. How? Electronic Fuel Injection = high fuel delivery pressure and smaller orifices with higher velocities ... for a stinking fishing boat or sail boat?

Who gave these EPA people the power to legislate this nonsense?

Truth be told so little fuel is burned up in O/B's that it makes no difference which engine is used ... NatGeo states " ... not when one can stand in front of Niagara Falls and watch the water fall over the cliffs for 18 minutes and 17 seconds " ... that amount of water equals the quantity of gasoline burned every day combined for all fifty states.

Electrics motors are O.K. if you have a forklift battery weighing 3000 lb.


All be silent for another half year. No response appreciated.

skip.

[Bob23]

No need to be silent. I appreciate your informative posts. I love my Nissan 8hp 2 stroke. It's a very simple engine that starts first time. I suppose that when she goes to outboard Heaven, I'll look into a 4 stroke...but maybe not. I kinda like the sound of a 2 stroke. Now if I could put an expansion chamber on it!
Bob23

[rbh1515]

Skip,
I agree, it seems like everything is being done to make outboards more unreliable.  This ethanol thing is terrible.  Down in Milwaukee we don't have any ethanol free gas.  I know that up in Door County there is a lot of it available--lucky you!  
There are no more new small 2 stoke outboards being made as far as I know.  People say that they are dirtier, which they probably are, but sounds like most people that have 4 stroke engines run the fuel out of them at the end of the day, so, so much for fuel efficiency!
I know you don't like the electric engines such as Torqeedo, but I have done a lot of research on them, and the 1003 engine has a 10# battery that sits on top of the engine.  You can bring the battery home to charge.  I don't think I will be using much more than about 20-30% of the charge to motor out of the slip to the harbor and back to the slip, leaving at least 70% charge.  Plus Torqeedo has a new cable that you can connect to your house battery when you are sailing to charge it back up a bit.
Yes, the Torqeedo is about twice the price of a comparable gas outboard, but there is no yearly maintenance, and don't have to buy gas.  Plus, for a couple hundred $ I can buy a remote throttle that hooks to the engiine via a cable, and I never have to reach back over the transom except to tilt the engine up out of the water, and put it back into the water.
It is so light weight (about 20#) without the battery, that I can take it off the transom when I am done and put it down below.
In many ways the Torqeedo may be dirtier than a 2 cycle, since its electrical charge is derived from burning coal!!
I am looking at it mainly because it may be the most convenient.
Rob

[Duckie]

I have both a 2 stroke and a 4 stroke outboards.  I prefer the 4 stroke for quiet and ease of starting.  As near as I can tell the gas mileage is about the same between them, but the 4 stroke is easier to pull while the 2 stroke requires more pulls to start and it is harder to pull.  As to the pollution thing, I believe that the big problem is the exhaust from the two stroke.  If you look at the water just behind the motor, you will probably see a rainbow slick on it from the exhaust of 2 stroke oil.  Personally, I think this is significant. 

Al

[skip1930]

Every day in the U.S. all the crude lost in the Exxon Valdese tanker is dropped off the bottom of our motor cars.
O/B's ? Not significant.  [consider rain washes the spill into the water] That's just ducky.

skip.

[Craig]

Legislation and pollution issues aside, I like 4 strokes because I hate mixing oil with gas. Just a matter of convenience. That being said one of my favorite cars I have owned was a 2 stroke Saab 93!

[atrometer]

Batteries should never be discharged below 50% (shortens battery life considerably), lose power with age, and lose power with temperature.  So you think you have an hour of power but do you?  Have you ever noticed at golf courses they usually keep them plugged in when not in use - just sayin'.  I would prefer 2 (two) 2.3 hp. Hondas with two separate fuel containers - I like back-ups! (And some oars too)

[kickingbug1]

   backups---interesting.  i think maybe a cruise and carry 2.7 hp would fit in there somewhere. well i do have two

[rbh1515]

Batteries should never be discharged below 50% (shortens battery life considerably), lose power with age, and lose power with temperature.  So you think you have an hour of power but do you?  Have you ever noticed at golf courses they usually keep them plugged in when not in use - just sayin'.  I would prefer 2 (two) 2.3 hp. Hondas with two separate fuel containers - I like back-ups! (And some oars too)

Never say never! 
Actually with the Torqeedo batteries that is not an issue.  Its a Lithium battery.  It actually beeps to let you know when it reaches 30%, again at 20% and again at 10%.  These new batteries are very different.  They are probably like the batteries in iPhones, iPads etc.  In these they actually recommend that you occasionally bring the battery to zero and charge all the way back up.
I doubt they have Li batteries in the golf carts.
Rob

[Shawn]

Rob,

"Its a Lithium battery.  It actually beeps to let you know when it reaches 30%, again at 20% and again at 10%.  These new batteries are very different.  They are probably like the batteries in iPhones, iPads etc. "

True, those can be discharged further than lead acid. But those batteries do loose capacity just like any other over time and recharge cycles. Battery replacement will still be needed with a Torqueedo at some point.

Shawn