LEHR outboards???

[Blown Away]

Can anyone out there please share thoughts, or feedback on LEHR outboards?? Considering the 2.5 HP for the inflatable to avoided carrying a 2nd gasoline fuel tank.

[wes]

I looked closely at Lehr at the Annapolis boat show a couple of years ago. I was pretty pumped about losing the gas tank and all the hassles with ethanol, clogged carbs etc. But I found the Lehr much noisier than expected - actually noisier than a conventional 4 cycle outboard. Bummer!

Back to wrestling with whether the Torqeedo electric would have enough muscle to get me out of a tight spot. I love everything else about it (except the price).

Wes

[Potcake boy]

Blown Away,

Making these kinds of decisions is such a pain in the butt for sailors, especially for we that sail small boats where space and weight are principle concerns. As far as a dingy motor, I use a Honda 2.0, which I believe in the current iteration is 2.5 hp. It uses so little fuel that I carry a 1 gallon plastic tank for it. It weighs in at around 27 pounds which makes handling on and off the dingy easy. It is simple mechanically, requiring minimal maintenance, and parts are readily available if needed. IMO there is nothing wrong with propane as a motor fuel. However, almost all marinas have gas, but not necessarily propane tanks. If you plan to use the remote tank, you'll find it even more challenging to locate a source for a refill. Not knowing anything about the manufacturer of this motor would give me pause.

My opinion, in having given this option a fleeting consideration is that there are other choices which are of time proven reliability and availability.

[brackish]

One of the sailors at a regatta cruise I attended a few years back had a standard outboard that had been converted to propane.  By the way, I think you can do that for a lot less than the cost of a Lehr.  His conversion was very reliable, instant starting and devoid of the problems of a small gasoline motor.  However he had a cockpit full of propane bottles, neither safe, nor efficient.

If your primary problem is the space/inconvenience of carrying spare gasoline, you might look into the numbers for volume required for a BTU of gasoline vs propane.  Gasoline wins the space required game by a bunch.

[kahpho]

I've considered the Lehr outboard. My main reason is the size, weight and ease of refueling. I have a Honda 2hp which works quite well but has only a small fuel tank and no provision for an external tank. For most days it's perfect.

I would like to do some multi-day cruises though and in my local area the wind just isn't always reliable. I need the ability to use the engine and not worry about spilling fuel while refilling the tank. The noise issue I think I could remedy at least partially. I plan to mount the external fuel tank so it would "drain" overboard if leaking though leaks should not be a problem with a little precaution. Propane would answer all my problems. I just haven't taken the plunge yet.

[Potcake boy]

There are two uses for an outboard that have arisen in this conversation.  The discussion began with power for a dinghy but has evolved to include outboards as the primary propulsion. There is a clear distinction between the two on the topic of fuel, as the dinghy outboard will be used for much shorter periods between refueling. My little Honda 2.0 will run about an hour on one tank of fuel, which would be a pain if used for longer cruising periods. A remote tank is a very nice option to have for a cruising outboard, but of course, that requires a fuel pump which adds cost, weight and another point of failure. I don't find the noise such a problem when getting around in the dinghy (not as objectionable as rowing), but for several hours in a calm sea, noise becomes an intrusion.

An easy and less messy way to refuel a small outboard is to use something like a small squeeze bottle filled from the main container. It's easier to fill a small bottle than to lean over the side holding a large container of gasoline, and greatly reduces the chance of a spill. The fish will love you for it. Carrying a small bottle would double your dinghy range and not take up much space at all. I don't remember the capacity of the fuel tank on the Honda 2.0 but it shouldn't be a problem figuring out what size squeeze bottle would do. With a little engineering, I think it possible to refill the squeeze bottle from your main tank, so now the only extra gear is a small squeeze bottle. I'd consider this a winning combination for us small boat sailors.

May I reiterate the advantages of my little Honda 2.0 for my dinghy:
1. Light weight at 27 pounds make it easy to lift onto my rail mounted motor mount
2  Air cooled means no water pump impellor to go bad and no need to flush with fresh water
3  Centrifugal clutch means fewer lower unit gears to become a problem and disengages at idle speed
4. Readily available parts if needed - I purchased mine used as a 20" shaft and it cost about $100.00 for a 15" drive shaft and seals. I still have the 20" shaft and     extender should I ever find a need to convert it back.

In my opinion, it's hard to find a better solution for use on a small cruising boat, and it's always ready for service without a lot of to-do.

[hoddinr]

Hi Ron et al.

Good friend who owned a Tohatsu dealership took on the LEHR outboards because they GAVE them to his to try to sell.  He sold a few, but after a year he had them come take them back.  He said they were well engineered but poorly made.  Parts that should not have broken and were hard to replace broke off and couldn't be replaced without replacing entire cowlings or larger parts. etc.

On the subject of Honda 2's.  They are great little engines, but you DO have to run them in fresh water after salt water use.  The exhaust system sucks salt water up into it when run, and it should be rinsed out with fresh water.  You are correct that they have no pump or impeller to replace though.  When you run them in a bucket you will see the water going into the lower leg and being spit out after the engine warms up.  Plus ... it says to do it in the manual. 

I'm one of the strange people that reads manuals.  Owned the Honda 2 for several years with my SeaPearl Whisper.

Ron

[Blown Away]

The feedback is great and I should have given a bit more detail. We enjoy spending weekends anchored out a few miles from our marina. The spot we love most is about a quarter of a mile from the boardwalk and all the action, restaurants, pubs, etc. I'm not lazy except on weekends when I become extremely lazy. My point is that we leave the boat anchored and use the dinghy to get to and from the boardwalk so my trips are short but sometimes frequent especially if the music is good and the beer is cold. I have a 2hp Suzuki with the built in fuel tank but still have to carry a small 1gal tank to top off with that drives me crazy to have on deck or in the cockpit at my feet not to mention the possibility, aggregation, and smell of spillage. Considering all mentioned the use of propane especially in 1lb cylinders makes sense. So let me rephrase my question... What do you know about LEHR (the good the bad and the ugly)?

[Blown Away]

Thanks Ron great info!!!

Hi Ron et al.

Good friend who owned a Tohatsu dealership took on the LEHR outboards because they GAVE them to his to try to sell.  He sold a few, but after a year he had them come take them back.  He said they were well engineered but poorly made.  Parts that should not have broken and were hard to replace broke off and couldn't be replaced without replacing entire cowlings or larger parts. etc.

On the subject of Honda 2's.  They are great little engines, but you DO have to run them in fresh water after salt water use.  The exhaust system sucks salt water up into it when run, and it should be rinsed out with fresh water.  You are correct that they have no pump or impeller to replace though.  When you run them in a bucket you will see the water going into the lower leg and being spit out after the engine warms up.  Plus ... it says to do it in the manual. 

I'm one of the strange people that reads manuals.  Owned the Honda 2 for several years with my SeaPearl Whisper.

Ron

[Potcake boy]

Ron,

Thanks for the Honda 2.0 info, I didn't know. The PO didn't provide a manual (I'm in the strange club) and I never noticed the water flow you mentioned. Well, you just burst my maintenance free bubble, I guess I'll have to locate the trusty bucket and rinse it next time.

Have you sailed with the West Coast Trailer Sailors? Your Sea Pearl Whisper has a place in my dim memory.


Blown Away,

Why don't you leave the gas can in the dinghy?

Sounds like you are set on getting a Lehr, so please provide the rest of us with your experience. 

I store propane tanks for my stove in the area that you would use for your main gas tank as it is available thanks to the diesel fuel tank being below deck. I had the problem of corrosion on the threads so I found a couple of plastic pitchers at Wal-Mart that were very close to the same diameter and just the right height to fit the propane bottles. With the lid on they are pretty much air tight and have solved the problem of the rust.

[Blown Away]

Ron,

Thanks for the Honda 2.0 info, I didn't know. The PO didn't provide a manual (I'm in the strange club) and I never noticed the water flow you mentioned. Well, you just burst my maintenance free bubble, I guess I'll have to locate the trusty bucket and rinse it next time.

Have you sailed with the West Coast Trailer Sailors? Your Sea Pearl Whisper has a place in my dim memory.


Blown Away,

Why don't you leave the gas can in the dinghy?

Sounds like you are set on getting a Lehr, so please provide the rest of us with your experience. 

I store propane tanks for my stove in the area that you would use for your main gas tank as it is available thanks to the diesel fuel tank being below deck. I had the problem of corrosion on the threads so I found a couple of plastic pitchers at Wal-Mart that were very close to the same diameter and just the right height to fit the propane bottles. With the lid on they are pretty much air tight and have solved the problem of the rust.

Potcake boy,

My experience and or knowledge of propane fired outboards is quite vague to say the least. I do know that the forklifts in the warehouse that run on propane have served us well with little to no problems. I will say for reasons previously mentioned that the propane option (for me not everyone) is very attractive. With LEHR as the only option out there outside of a DYI retrofit it has naturally taken center stage in this discussion. I'm definitely not set on buying a LEHR but will say that  I am certainly leaning toward a propane option for this particular application.

[Potcake boy]

Blown Away,

Looking at the picture of your boat, it appears to be a 16. If that is the case, you also have the option of using the same motor for your boat and dinghy. What a winning solution that would be.

Also, I perceived the water in your picture to be of  southern latitude quality. Where do you sail?

[hoddinr]

Yes, Ron.

I'm still the Founder of the West Coast Trailer Sailing Squadron. 

Former boat - SeaPearl Whisper -
Current boat - SunCat - Nomad.

Ron

[rbh1515]

Why not look at the Torqeedo.  I use one on my Com-Pac Horizon Day Cat and it is great.  It would work fantastic on a dingy.  Very light weight and very reliable.  If you need any more info on them let me know.  I was originally going to get a Lehr, and decided against it due to quality issues.
Rob

[Blown Away]

Why not look at the Torqeedo.  I use one on my Com-Pac Horizon Day Cat and it is great.  It would work fantastic on a dingy.  Very light weight and very reliable.  If you need any more info on them let me know.  I was originally going to get a Lehr, and decided against it due to quality issues.
Rob

Thanks Rob, I know nothing about the Torqeedo and would surely appreciate any info that you can  share.