Which Engine?- Please Help!

[cliveg]

Need more of your expert advice.

My limited enquiries tell me that Yamaha 4 stroke are very good reliable engines.Is this true? Would anyone suggest I should look elsewhere for an engine in preference to Yamaha?
I am considering a 40hp engine.
Thanks in anticipation,

Clive

[JCW]

cliveg,

(Sorry this is the same reply as on other thread)

I can certainly recommend you go for a Four stoke engine in that size range. Also, I would go for an EFI model as they add further to the economy and smoothness of the engine. I previously had a carburetted 4 stroke which was good, however with the EFI you get first time starts every time, better winter starts, more consistent tick over and I get about 20% more MPG than the carb version.

[thewavehumper]

I've got three engines, four if you count the Donkey and they are

Honda BF15 15HP 4stroke
Honda BF130 130HP 4Stroke
Mariner Optimax 150 150HP 2 Stroke HPDI
Yamaha 70 BETOL 70HP 2 stroke

I would recomend any of them, Honda 4 strokes I think are the best and would recomend them over a Yamaha or a Mariner 4 stroke and the 5 year warranty is a nice thing to have.

If you want a 2 stroke then It's Yamaha or Mariner/Mercury and for under 90 Horsespower 2 stroke then I'd buy Yamaha. Over 100 then my personal experience is that the Opti is an amazing engine

I love the power delivery, smell and noise of a 2 stroke, but I have always had a heavy throttle hand/foot so no surprises there.

If you want reliabilty, low maintenance, quietness, less smoke,
don't want to purchase 2 stroke oil then it's a 4 stroke for you my man. In which case I'd go Honda.

Stuart (Fonda Honda) Hopkins

[Alan]

Optimax is not HPDI. Well it is pressurised but not as High as HPDI (High Pressure Direct Injection) which is the Yamaha technology. Optimaxes are great and are cheaper than Yam HPDI's but having owned both I think the HPDI is quieter and probably a tad more economic (although theres not much in it.)

[thewavehumper]

Alan , you are correct, the HPDI was a slip of the finger.

All my boats have been bought secondhand, all under a year old, but it meant that I didn't have any input to the engine choice. I nearly didn't buy the Scorpion 6.5 as it had a Mariner Optimax and I prefer Yamaha or Honda. Having said that I am most impressed by the Mariner and am V glad it's on the boat.

I have no experience of the Big Yammies, but from my love of the little one I know they make a great engine. You re entirely welcome to give me that experience if you want too?

Having said all that I still think the best engine noise I have heard from a Rib was when the turbos cut in as Still Deep One was pulling away from me. Spine tingling!

Cheers
Stuart

[Alan]

Thats quite a flotilla of RIBS you have there Stuart!

SD1 does sound superb doesn't she? I had a brief ride in her from Tobermory to Kyle this summer and it sounds even better onboard! Mind you the two Yanmar 300's in Hot Lemon sound pretty wicked too!

I would be happy to show you how quiet and powerful the Yamaha 200 HPDI is but alas having knackered my back severely twice in the last two months I am currently laid up and unlikely to be ribbing again until next year at the earliest. Which is a bugger having only recently bought the new (new to me anyway) boat.

How do you find the Scorpion 6.5? I love my 7.5 its streets ahead of anything else I've been in .... apart from a bigger Scorpion! (or SD1)

Cheers,
Alan

[Brian]

This is Still Deep One.
Spine tingling, as you say.

Photo: John Whitbread

[Alan Priddy]

Or bloody wet as others might say!

[thewavehumper]

Want one

[thewavehumper]

Alan,

We think the Scorpion is an incredible boat, we are amazed at her sea keeping and pace. Agin I am extremely impressed with the cabling quality. All our boats are namrd after songs or albums and the Camel was nearly called Bare Wires for reasons that are obvious when you pop the hood

The Scorpion (Wake up call) was out on charter one day in the Solent, Jasper was driving and it was nasty weather (force 8) and she behaved very well. the yacht supported was a Nautor Swan 52 and was being thrown all over the place.. It had about 20 estate agents on board......shame!

So all in all we are delighted with her and would like to have a bigger Scorpion.

For very different reasons I also think my Avon is wonderful, but she is up for sale sadly, but with a bit of luck the nobody will buy her

Sorry to hear abot your back, so far touch wood I have been lucky with mine, especially as it carries more weight than it was designed too

Cheers
Stuart