2 stroke or 4 stroke

[PacificNWrib]

I would agree with everyone's response so far. I had the same dilemma, I wanted to have a SIB with an decent outboard for fishing. My first SIB was a Zodiac Mark I with a 25HP Evinrude.

It performed fine, but you do run into issues of putting the motor on. Most of the time I was waist deep in the water trying to clamp it on the back.

This is after hauling it out of the trunk of my Honda Accord, then installing the boards, and then blowing it up.

The break down was even longer, then you look at getting the sand off of the thing before you roll it back up and into the trunk and hauling the rest of the stuff off of the beach.

You think about the time it takes to do that and it was a no brainer for me to buy a RIB and trailer setup.

Now it is two straps, check the drain plug, and in the water she goes...

Oh yeah, I have been good so far with the tiller on my 50 Mariner. But I plan to convert it to a console setup. It just feels more comfortable, especially in some rough water to have the console.

[Locozodiac]

I'm looking to buy a SIB, probably Zodiac Futura, around 4m in size...

The Mercury/Mariner 25 HP will be fine for a futura 3.80; 30 HP for a 4.20, that I know 4.20 uses long tail engines, will you be using a trailer or placing and removing the engine every time your boat is launched and retrieved from water. A big difference that your back and skeleton will surely appreciate.

If your boat is 4.20 or larger there is this nice 2 strokes C-40 HP option, apparently sounds very heavy and powerful to use, but no, is the Tohatsu Compact light version of the 40 HP standard 2 strokes engine. 4 strokes weights 10 Kg more compared to the same 2 strokes same version engine in the portable range.

This Compact 2 cylinder version is only 493 cc with 58 Kg compared to the 25/30 HP version, which has 430 CC and weights 52 Kg. Just 7 Kg more weight and 63 CC of extra power. 2 strokes engines consumes more fuel than 4 strokes, but my motto is, Family diversion is priceless…

We are using this engine configuration for 4.20 & 4.60 Sib boats with nice boating results. On the other hand Zodiac Futura models have 2 small inflatable keels like tubes under the main tubes for better stability, better flotation and more engine weight & speed increase, so will tolerate this engine configuration well. If out of budget a 30 HP will be a optimum election, don’t go for less HP, specially if your boat will be family leisure loaded.

Other good priced option alternative will be a Quicksilver 4.30 Hypalon model with a Tohatsu C-40 engine configuration, much cheaper than pricy Zodiac Strongan Futura model.

Tohatsu manufactures Mercury/Mariner engines in Japan with their own logo and colors in the range of 2.5 to 50 HP 2 strokes engines, The only big difference is that Tohatsu is better priced, If you already are going after a Mercury/Mariner brand, see if you can find Tohatsu in UK, used or new and have a look at the C-40 HP alternative.

2 stroke engines consumes 10% of it’s HP at full throttle, example a 25 HP engine will consume 2.5 gallons per hour at full throttle. You can adjust slightly the steering friction bracket nut clockwise in increments of 5º to have a heavier steering load on your tiller handle if this issue bothers you, the idea is to have a better comfortable/controlled tiller steering specially with bigger HP engines. The ideal adjustment is not tight, not loose

A good cheap alternative will be a flat pontoon trailer for launching and retrieving your boat and an engine dolly for transporting, flushing and storing your engine in a vertical position. See attached practical photo examples.

Happy Boating…
Locozodiac