Outboard Discussions

[c_amos]

....Assume that lighter two stroke 8HP models are now available that run a lot cleaner - equal to the California ordained four strokers.
I believe they are around 50 or 60 pounds.
I may have to find one of them (in Nevada?).........

The 2-stroke Yamaha's are the same design that they have sold since the 80's. They used chrome rings, and a different needle after (96?) to get them to run on 100:1 mix (still no where near as clean as a 4 stroke).

I loved mine (it was a 100:1) and would probably ditch my new Tohatsu 4x6 for one. The problem is the only ones (if you can still find one) for sale in the US have been the short (15") shaft models favored for tender motors. I had a chance to buy one in the Abaco's and should have jumped on it.

Looks like they stopped even marketing the 15" model in the US now (it is no longer listed on the Yamaha USA site)... here is a link to it for the overseas market (same one they have sold for years).

[Orca]

My long shaft Tohatsu 6 worked pretty well but the zinc is so little that it was useless. After about two months on the mooring it was gone. This year I put bigger zinc by drilling through the captivation plate. At the end of the season I was bringing the boat over to the marina in a 30 knot wind when the motor failed (it kept running but raced as something went wrong with the prop or lower unit. It looks like the lower unit corroded through in a pinpoint hole. The bigger zinc method worked with my old outboard for 10 years so I'm not sure what happened. Looks like a $500 bill to buy a lower unit . . . not what I was expecting.

[c_amos]

My long shaft Tohatsu 6 worked pretty well but the zinc is so little that it was useless. After about two months on the mooring it was gone. This year I put bigger zinc by drilling through the captivation plate. At the end of the season I was bringing the boat over to the marina in a 30 knot wind when the motor failed (it kept running but raced as something went wrong with the prop or lower unit. It looks like the lower unit corroded through in a pinpoint hole. The bigger zinc method worked with my old outboard for 10 years so I'm not sure what happened. Looks like a $500 bill to buy a lower unit . . . not what I was expecting.

Wow!

I am sorry to hear this. Both for you, and for me! I sure hope you don't need a new lower unit, maybe it is just the pin?


I pull the motor out of the well now, but did not with the Yamaha (I sailed more days then i did not when I was in NC.)

The zinc issue is not for the daysailor, but for the cruiser (as I see it). When cruising, you are simply not likely to pull the motor each time you anchor.

Even if it were not difficult, it would not be advisable, sometimes things happen that you need the motor for on a 'dark and stormy night'.

My old Yamaha 6hp 2 stroke had a big zinc, and would be happy for 6 months in the water...