2 - 2.5hp Outboards - recommendations of good/bad ones

[Clipper 195]

I'm thinking about getting a new 2hp or similar size for the dinghy, There are now a few more options around than there used to be. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations, or ones to avoid?

 

the waterman is a great price, but a little concerned if it really is as good as the yamaha?

 

Mercs are cheap - seems good option?

 

Honda does an aircooled 4 stroke, which sounds good, but is expensive and possible noisy?

 

Cant go wrong with the yamaha i guess?

 

And finally, wondering if anyone knows if is worth going to the boat show to look for specials?

[Vorpal Blade 87]

Is the electric one not doing it for you??

Go with Yamaha, my 2hp seems to keep going no matter how much the kids abuse it, and it is the Yammy that a lot of the Chinger outboards claim to be copies of but I would doubt their ability to be as continuously reliable as the original.

[Clipper 195]

the electric was good, but rusting away pretty quickly, and getting slower. looking for a more long term solution.

[Island Time 786]

Be careful of the Chinese ones. A mate had one - all the paint blew off in under a year, and it failed permanently in 18 months. The handbook says it must be washed in fresh water after every use, and kept indoors and dry!!

Not much help for a cruiser who lives aboard!

I'd go with a common brand. I have a Suzuki DF2.5 four stroke (2009) and an old Mec 15 Hp 2 smoke, 1997. I much prefer the 15. The Suzuki is beginning to loose it's paint as well, bubbling off. I also just had to pull off the head on it due to a stuck valve. The merc has been really mistreated, and is fine, heaps more hours, and way older.... BUT it is one of the USA mercs, not the Japanese ones.

I think I'd go for the Merc or the Yamaha...

[too_tall 15]

Have personally or seen friends have brilliant runs with Merc 2 strokes and baby honda 4 strokes. Also personally have, or have seen friends terrible runs with Suzuki and chinese brands. I think that the Merc babies are actually Tohatsu outboards, but more expensive ( was told this by a dealer so unsure of validity as many dealers know worse than nothing in my experience! ).

 

I think that the Merc's are a "cant go wrong" in that size. Not so sure about the larger ones though!.

[Battgirl 22]

A friend has a 2003? yammy thats still great gets a fresh flush after every use.

My 2008 merc 2.5 starts first pop and goes good. I just ensure sparkplug is clean and fuel is no more than 3mths old. It gets no flush after use. When this one dies I'd probably get a yammy.

[Guest]

The best one would be anything that I haven't owned.

We don't seem to get on. The current one is still getting over a dinghy flip.

I would have thought that the Honda 4 stroke is very quiet. But as you say, expensive.

[Clipper 195]

Anyone have a waterman?

[John B 93]

I'd recommend mine , but I have no idea what it is.

Something that hasn't been under water , could be yamaha or that other motorbike, never been serviced , never had a fresh water flush , might have had a plug once, always has fuel older than 3 months, Is currently about 9 years old .

New I think I'd buy the tohatsu 3 or 3.3 ,whatever it is from the guy at silverdale , who is a yachty/ cruiser. And I'd do the same for the 2/ 2.5.

Mercury is the same motor but usually detuned a fraction.

The brands all do those market share deals , I think the old mariner I had for 9 or 10 years and a yamaha was the same unit too. The really funny thing about those two identical motors was that one was specced to run on 50:1 and one on 100:1. That tells you sumpin doesn't it.

 

edit : been back through some old photos, I currently have a yamaha 2hp. Its been good, like a good consumable should be.

[Clipper 195]

New I think I'd buy the tohatsu 3 or 3.3 ,whatever it is from the guy at silverdale , who is a yachty/ cruiser.

 

Who is 'the guy at silverdale'?