Outboard decisions: 2 vs 4 strokes

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

here's a few....many more..

https://yamaha2strokeoutboards.com/p...oard-engine-2/

https://www.smalloutboards.com/y889.htm

Again, can't buy a NEW 2-stroke in Canada or US.. Not legal any longer. Florida is a very long drive for me to buy a late 80's era motor... $600 for the motor and $1000 in driving there and back...

also NOT in my area. The challenge and hunt continues.

BTW: https://yamaha2strokeoutboards.com/ looks very suspicious as a site. Not way to contact them except email. No warehouse/store location all stock photos

[MicHughV]

Well, it's not for everybody that is for sure..

Nobody disputes the smoke from a 2 stroke....but even 4 strokes produce emissions..

I don't typically see a lot...if any....dinghy use in the US.....ICW, etc...maybe the Florida Keys.....so it's mostly a cruising occupation.....

Interestingly, I see more and more center console fishing boats equipped with 2, 3 and even 4 big engines...one wonders about the emissions resulting from four V8's.. ????

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Well, it's not for everybody that is for sure..

Nobody disputes the smoke from a 2 stroke....but even 4 strokes produce emissions..

I don't typically see a lot...if any....dinghy use in the US.....ICW, etc...maybe the Florida Keys.....so it's mostly a cruising occupation.....

Interestingly, I see more and more center console fishing boats equipped with 2, 3 and even 4 big engines...one wonders about the emissions resulting from four V8's.. ????

It’s not the smoke pollution that bothers most folks it’s the oil discharge into the water that accompanies the smoke.

[bharney]

I've had both merc 9.9 2 stroke and 4 strokes and I can say from my experience that the 2 stroke was a much better engine in every way. The 4 stroke is heavier and awkward, hard starting, less usable power and prone to flooding. I would buy another 2 stroke if they were availble in the US.

[MVDarlin]

Go Yamaha! Definitely need at least 15 hp. Power to weight ratio better with a 2 stroke. Ease of operation, reliability and longevity better with a 4 stroke. I just replaced my 2018 honda 4s 15hp with a new Yamaha15 4s in Mexico. Nice engine. 15hp 4s Tohatsu with fuel injectors may be a good, cheaper choice. Depends on whats available.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by bharney

I've had both merc 9.9 2 stroke and 4 strokes and I can say from my experience that the 2 stroke was a much better engine in every way. The 4 stroke is heavier and awkward, hard starting, less usable power and prone to flooding. I would buy another 2 stroke if they were availble in the US.

This can only mean your experience with a 4-stroke Mercury is from long before efi, automatic decompression during start etc.

The OP is buying a new motor now, not ine that was used way back when… thise beast were also 1.5x the weight!

[carlwk3c]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

niet so......

Get the lightest outboard you can.....manhandling a 100 lb ...43 kg outboard is a pain in the rear end..

You get another vote for the Yamaha 8 hp 2-stroke, probably my favorite outboard engine of all time. You can pick it up with one hand. Mine has run like a Swiss watch from the git-go. The perfect size for your dink, in my opinion. It will put two people on plane on your dink no problem. A 15 hp engine will be too much.

Outboards can (and will) suck a lot of gas, The small Yammie 8 is a miser on fuel consumption.

We had a Tohatsu 9.8 4 stroke since 2016. Cruising full time. Worked well until a recent problem. Sold it to a local mechanic who has the shop space to fix it and flip it.
We debated. Ended up deciding on a Tohatsu 9.8 2 stroke. Much lighter and goes a bit faster. The ease of lifting makes up for having to mix a bit of oil in the file for this cruiser at 72-1/2 years of age. And, the 2 stroke being like 2/3 the price of a 4 stroke, and being instantly available were also bonuses.
With a clean bottom, it planes our 9’ AB RIB nicely with both of us and some groceries or our small dog. With just me, it flies like a bat out of hell.
I had reservations about “going back” to a 2 stroke, but after a couple of months of use, they’re all gone.

[Ken Goodings]

After 18 years fulltime liveaboard and cruising US, Bahamas and Caribbean we've seen that the outboard of choice for local fishermen in their open boats is YAMAHA two stroke motors. Our Yamaha 15hp two stroke has always started first time using no choke. They're easier to maintain than a comparable 4 stroke and unlike other makes...Mercury etc, Yamaha two stroke parts availability in Caribbean is excellent. Fishermen use them. They know something! ;-)
New two stroke outboards, YAMAHA, NISSAN AND TOHOTSU are very common in Caribbean and seeing a Mercury, Evenrude and Johnson is very rare.
The Yamaha 2 stroke 9.8 and 15 are the same engine with different carburetors.
The Yamaha 9.8 is much lighter than its 4 stroke brother engine and the lighter weight makes a difference in your dinghy crew and cargo capacity as well as much easier lifting out of the water on davits or an outboard crane.

[Isba]

I am happy with my 15hp 2 stroke 28kg Selva Naxos new model Italien built outboard 1600 Euro.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Ken Goodings

....
The Yamaha 9.8 is much lighter than its 4 stroke brother engine and the lighter weight makes a difference in your dinghy crew and cargo capacity as well as much easier lifting out of the water on davits or an outboard crane.

The 2-stroke is 3kg (6.6lb) lighter than the 4-stroke, 36 vs 39kg.

If you are cruising outside of the US or EU and maybe also Australia, yeah the 2-stroke is the way to go. Parts and mechanics are available for engine repair.

Inside the US, EU, etc, the engines themselves are not available and parts take a little longer to source. If you are starting in the US or EU you will need to start with a 4-stroke unless you buy used then swap to a 2-stroke once you get beyond.

[FerrariSailing]

I got a Tohatsu 18hp 2 stroke, very light, tons o grunt. Pulls my 25yr old grandson on wake board, pops him out!

[CarinaPDX]

I think the best engine for a small RIB is the old Mercury 15hp 2-stroke. There are used ones around - a friend just bought one in basically mint condition. These are the lightest 15hp engines I have ever seen (75lbs) and are a pleasure to use. One feature I really like, and was not available on other outboards in 1995, is the combined throttle/shifter tiller. Turn one way for more power forward, the other way for more power in reverse - all with just one hand. In that regard @jedi's new tiller is a giant step backwards, having a separate shifter on the tiller; the other adjustments seem like just toys for my application.

Yamahas are very good engines. One point to note is that, unlike the Mercury/Mariner engines, the sport and commercial 2-stroke models were very different engines. The models that used to be sold in the Caribbean were not supported in the U.S. - no going to a U.S. Yamaha dealer for off-the-shelf parts. This was quite a topic years ago.

Greg

[CdS2 Roland]

Hello,
I'am just surprised to see that nobody take environmental protection in consideration. So no more 2 stroke, much easy decide. Some countries don't allow 2 stroke anymore.
We changed for a 20hp Mercury it still work with no issues.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

I think the best engine for a small RIB is the old Mercury 15hp 2-stroke. There are used ones around - a friend just bought one in basically mint condition. These are the lightest 15hp engines I have ever seen (75lbs) and are a pleasure to use. One feature I really like, and was not available on other outboards in 1995, is the combined throttle/shifter tiller. Turn one way for more power forward, the other way for more power in reverse - all with just one hand. In that regard @jedi's new tiller is a giant step backwards, having a separate shifter on the tiller; the other adjustments seem like just toys for my application.

Yamahas are very good engines. One point to note is that, unlike the Mercury/Mariner engines, the sport and commercial 2-stroke models were very different engines. The models that used to be sold in the Caribbean were not supported in the U.S. - no going to a U.S. Yamaha dealer for off-the-shelf parts. This was quite a topic years ago.

Greg

I had that 15hp 2-stroke Mercury with the combined throttle/shift lever and I loved it. But I love the new handle more, even though it has a separate shift handle. The reason is that the handle is mounted on the centerline of the motor, instead of on one side, plus you can adjust it in all directions to your liking.

The reason Mercury stopped with the combined throttle/shift is that it would develop problems relatively soon, requiring new cables, corrosion cleanup etc.

The new system can still be operated with one hand. Because the handle is on the centerline, operating the shift doesn’t swing the motor… you can even steer it while holding the shift lever.

The good Yamaha motors are the Enduro line. These are developed for professional use in developing countries, so must be very reliable. The negative is that they are heavy. My 25hp Enduro weighed more than my current 4-stroke 20hp.

[Evergreen]

Lower weight & higher power --- 2 stroke is definitely the way to go if it is an option.