viewI need an outboard for my dinghy. Of course there are several outboard engines I could choose – Honda, Suzuki, Tohatsu or Yamaha. To name just a few. So lets look at some of these manufacturers. The Honda BF 2.3 D6 is reguarded as the most lightweight 4 stroke outboard motor in the world. So if weight is the main concern you could go with this engine for your dinghy. It has other good points as well – low maintenance with transistor ignition and a forced air cooling system which eliminates the need for a water pump impellor. One other difference from other outboard motors is that it has a centrifugal clutch instead of normal gears.

However, having tried this outboard motor on the dinghy I did not like the centrifugal clutch. I found that the dinghy would move off with a sudden jerk without any real warning! The twist grip was also uncomfortable to use as was the stop button. When I wanted to remove the engine cover it was quite awkward.  Once off the engine was difficult to get at with all the plastic air cooling cowling to remove first of all. You will need to remove this stuff if you want to do a complete service yourself.

The Honda BF 2.3 pushed the dinghy along at 4.5 knots with two adults on board. The biggest disadvantage with this outboard engine was the jerky clutch – especially when going astern with the 360 degree rotation (the engine facing the other way!).

The Tohatsu FS 3.5 hp was quite a bit heavier than the Honda it was also more powerful. It seemed solidly built with a good twist grip and the accessibility for maintenance seemed good. The only disadvantages was it was more expensive than the others tested and a bit more noisier!

The Yamaha F 2.5 AMHS seemed to have the best throttle grip with the Stop button positioned right next to it. However, it seemed quite noisy compared with the other outboard engines tested. It was also less powerful than the others. Accessibility was also difficult – you have to remove the engine cover to see the oil level indicator and a bung in the lower cowling to get at the Spark plug. In fact getting at anything with this engine was fiddly. Everything seemed so packed in! Having said all the negative things – there are some good points! It has a good throttle control, stop button, choke, starter handle and gear shift. It was also one of the cheapest outboard engines I tested.

The Suzuki 2.5 hp outboard engine was my favourite! It was smooth and quiet during the test. The Suzuki had reasonable powercombined with being quite lightweight. Another advantage was the large carrying handle which made lifting it on and off the boat, easy.  It was also one of the cheapest to buy. Disadvantages were the throttle twist grip and stop button were not as good as the Tohatsu FS 3.5 HP or the Yamaha F2.5AMHS.

As with every product you consider buying there are advantages and disadvantages to weigh up. Of the four outboard engines tested I decided to opt for the Suzuki 2.5 hp.

Well its been a little bit later this season but finally we are afloat! Too many small jobs that needed doing delayed the launching this season. One of the not so little tasks was adding a second outboard motor to the boat. Previously on our catamaran we had a single 15 hp yamaha engine with a long shaft. Which was fine most of the time. However, my sister also has a catamaran but it is fitted with twin diesels and having been on hers when manoeuvring in the marina I just found the process so easy!

So I set about fitting twin outboards to my catamaran over the winter. There was a lot of debate about whether to change the 15 hp yamaha for a smaller engine, since I would have two outboards from now on. In otherwords, do I have two 15 hp engines or one 15 hp and another smaller, say 6 hp? Or do I have two 8 hp outboards instead? Finally, I reasoned it out. I originally bought the 15 hp outboard engine because the catamarn needed that size to power through all sorts of weather. Anything smaller was just struggling – especially in a force 6 headwind!

Two smaller outboards such as 2 x 8 hp, would both need to be going all the time when motoring in a headwind. This increases the fuel consumption as they would both be on almost maximum throttle just so the boat could make decent headway. So they were ruled out.

Keeping the 15 hp yamaha, which has proved reliable and efficient would make sense. Adding a second outboard was really just for easy movement in and out of marinas and harbours. So all I really needed was another reasonably sized outboard. That was the thinking process. However, it is not so simple. The 15 hp yamaha is electric start. You just turn the key! But an 8 hp outboard needs manual starting – pulling a cord to start! Not an easy task leaning over the stern of the catamaran! So the sensible reasoning was going out of the window as far as economics was concerned! I would need to look at a 9.9 hp outboard if I wanted electric start.

To cut a long story short I went for another 15 hp yamaha. I know it doesn’t make sense when you look at it at first, but lets consider a few things. Two matching sized engines on the stern of the cat look very good! I can now use each one alternatively. For example next week I intend using the port outboard engine when I need to, while the following week I will use the starboard engine. This will half each engines use – wear and tear so to speak. Each outboard on its own is now capable of getting me where I want to go, on its own. I only need to fire up both engines when in the confines of the marina or harbour. Ideal! Problem solved.

If you are considering fitting twin outboard engines to your boat why not visit our store to find real bargains!

Whether you have an inboard or outboard engine it will need a good thorough service before using it this coming season. With the recent increase in VAT everything is going to cost more. So looking for value for money products and services is now more vital than ever before. Spend some time doing your research before deciding to purchase a product or service.

On ebay there are various products and services that offer value for money. You can access them using this link to outboard motors.

Practical boat owners also appreciate tools both hand and power that can make life a bit more easier when doing the annual maintenance. During the winter that little tool that was given as a present at Christmas can prove very useful! Even reading about ways to improve your vessel is interesting, so not only books but nowadays, cds and dvds are a really great Christmas present.

Two years into this recession means that most boat owners are used to making every penny count. Value for money in gifts for the family and friends is important. But that does not mean that the funny and silly Christmas gifts need to be ignored! Making someone laugh when they realise what they have unwrapped on Christmas morning is a great tonic for these difficult times.

So if you want to see what the top Christmas gifts for practical boat owners are for 2010, then click here.

If you are happy with the way your outboard behaved during the summer then keep it. If you are not happy, then consider replacing it with another model – perhaps newer. Why not look on our store listings to view other outboards that maybe of interest?

You can benefit from this fact. Many people will list there outboard engine for sale and accept anything you offer. Just for ready money. Competition is low as not too many others have spare money right now. So you can pick up a bargain. Why not follow this link to see the various outboard engines listed for sale in our store?

Larger outboards in the Mercury range are called the Optimax. Again they are well known for their fuel efficiency and are packed with additional features. Quietness is also a quality these Mercury outboards have as an advantage over rival outboards.

Larger still is the Verado supercharged Mercury outboards with superb power, smooth running and quietness combined with fuel efficiency. All Mercury outboards are tested extremely well in their Quality Assurance programme and are often offered with a 5 year warranty as an option.

To find out if new and nearly new Mercury outboards are for sale in our auction follow this link.

Propellors are often getting damaged. A slight ding on a blade can reduce your engines efficiency and affect fuel consumption. It will be best to replace this damaged propellor with a prefect one.  Many are advertised in our store.

Elsewhere on this blog I mentioned getting your 4 stroke engine’s oil changed.  This is another routine thing to do.  It will help your engine run better and more reliably.  Modern 4 strokes tend to be smoother when idling than the older 2 strokes, although this will not be the case if they have not been maintained properly.  Take time to pamper your engine and it will respond, by keeping going when you need it most!