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Outboards for sailboat

9K views 27 replies 8 participants last post by  rbh1515 
#1 ·
I''m buying a 26'' sailboat. Need to buy an outboard. Any advise on what brand. I''m looking for a 4-5hp long shaft. Any brands people have had really good or really bad experience with. Also trying to decide on 2 or 4 cycle. I know the 4 cycle is a lot cleaner, but the 2 cycle weighs less for most brands (~10 lbs less), you never have to worry about changing oil and I''m not worried about efficiency (and I''m not in California). I''m just going in and out from the slip for daysailing. Is there a big difference in noise between 2 and 4 cycle?
 
#2 ·
I''m not sure if there are "bad" outboards on the market, but I have had good experience with Honda 4 cycles. Changing the oil takes minutes and it beats mixing oil & gas every time you fill up. I have an old Honda 10 on my 26'' Balboa and I''m happy with it. Maybe somebody else can comment on noise, I think they''re all noisy.
 
#3 ·
Hi, The Yamaha 9.9 4-stroke is probably the best one for sailboats, because of its high torque. It has a 3:1 gear reduction, and swings a very large prop. Much larger than any other outboard its size. I have 2 in my 36'' catamaran,and the are just like having inboards.
Marc
 
#5 ·
I have a Johnson Sailmaster 8hp. 1989 on a 7.3 meter S2. It has stood the test of time and is not loud. But, there have been times when facing a two to three knot current my speed over ground was near zero. A five hp would probably be too small for a 26 footer in any kind of sea or current regardless of prop size unless you are using it on a small lake.
 
#6 ·
I''ll let you know this summer how my engine works. As I mentioned, I got a 4hp Yamaha. The company selling the boat offers a 3.5hp engine with the boat, which has a displacement of 2600#''s. They say the 3.5hp is plenty. I met a local person that has the same boat and uses a 5hp engine and says it is plenty of power. I think alot of people overpower their sailboats. I want a light weight engine--this one is only 50#. I''ll be sailing in Lake Michigan. No currents but plenty of wind and waves. Rob ~~~~_/)~~~~
 
#7 ·
50 lbs is enormously heavy for a 4 hp engine on a 26 footer. Years ago I had a 4 hp Mercury that weighted just under 30 lbs and it was a real pain in the butt to put on or take off and was too heavy to leave on the transom for racing. I would look at the weight of the outboards that you are considering as you will have to haul the thing around more than you would think.

Jeff
 
#8 ·
Jeff,
I think that your memory escapes you (or you are a bit weak). The 4hp Yamaha is a 4 stroke with FNR and with built in tank (and its a long shaft). I have lifted it and it is very light compared with other outboards. There is no other 4hp 4 stroke made with FNR that I know of that weighs less. If you can find one let me know. The 2 strokes are a lighter, but no where near 30#. My father had a 4.5hp 2 stroke Mercury outboard that he bought new in the 70''s and it was much heavier (they were made of all metal back then). Maybe you''re thinking of 30kgs--big difference (~2.2 factor). The 4 stroke, although a bit heavier, has much better fuel efficiency, is whisper quiet, and doesn''t smoke. Being a sailor, I like these qualities.
~~~~_/)~~~~
 
#9 ·
Here''s the data:
Mercury 4hp 4 stroke: 55#
Mercury 4hp 2 stroke: 43#
Honda 5hp 4 stroke: 61# (they dont make a 4hp)
Nissan 4hp 4 stroke: 57#
Nissan 5hp 2 stroke: 44#
Johnson/Evinrude
5hp 4 stroke: 68#
Yamaha 4hp 4 stroke: 50#

Did I forget any major brands??
I don''t see any 30 pounders. It would be nice if they could make them that light. I think I''ll stick with my 50# Yamaha that you can''t even hear when its idling!! No smoke either!!
Rob ~~~~_/)~~~~
 
#11 ·
I have a Yamaha 9.9 on a 28 foot boat and have had excellent performance. The design of the propeller allows the exhaust gasses to exit at the front in reverse and it stops the boat very quickly. Other motors suck the gasses back into the prop in reverse. Fuel economy is much improved over the 2 stroke I used to have.
 
#13 ·
It''s a Magnum 28 trailer sailer (built in Australia) with a displacement of about 2tonnes (probably closer to 2.5t when my wife has loaded it up). I get 6 knots plus with plenty in reserve for pushing into weather. All the Magnums run 9.9 Yamahas although the new motors have the 15hp body and will no longer fit into the engine well.
I was recently talking to the owner of a 36 foot catamaran who just completed a circumnavigation of Australia and he used a single 9.9 Yamaha as his only motor and was pleased with its performance.
 
#14 ·
I just bought a Johnson 9.9 4-stroke. I sail on the Mississippi so you need some push going upstream. I am just about to put my O''Day 26 in and use this engine for the first time. It is very heavy - 112# and that concerns me a little. I did beef up the outboard bracket to one that will hold 240#. I''m looking forward to improved thrust and lack of oily smoke. The Yamaha 9.9 looked pretty heavy too and I got a good deal on the Johnson.
 
#15 ·
Whats the displacement on your O''Day 26. My Colgate 26 is 2600# and I got the 4hp Yamaha (50#). I won''t have to deal with current, but we do have wind and waves on Lake Michigan. I''ll let everyone know how it works next month when I get the boat.
Rob ~~~~_/)~~~~
 
#20 ·
Have not gotten my 26'' sailboat (Disp=2600) in the water yet and am still wondering how the 4hp Yamaha will push it. Last weekend I met someone with a J27 (Disp=3800). He also has a Yamaha 4hp outboard, and said it has plenty of power to push his boat!
Rob ~~~~_/)~~~~
 
#24 ·
I also have a 2600# disp, 26ft sloop (same boat as rbh1515) and it has a Nissan 3.5hp 2 stroke. With little/no current I make about 5kts SOG in forward, almost the computed hull speed. I don''t think I need more power than that. It is very loud (forget about hearing the VHF), vibrates the whole boat and has a tiny internal tank with gravity feed only and that needs refilling every 40 minutes or so (at full throttle) from a gerry can. If you are in a slip and would like to back in or out, a motor with FNR gears that can throttle up in R would be a better bet. The Nissan 3.5A starts in gear and to go in R you turn the motor around. If you throttle up at all, the plastic fitting that is supposed to stop the motor from kicking up slips its coupling. I''m on a mooring so I don''t really use reverse, and this little thing is fine for my everyday needs. But not being able to hear the VHF and the probability of spillage while refueling are not exactly endearing features.

Rob - how does the C26 like having 50# plus fuel on its tail? Does the external tank fit into the starboard locker?

--Mike
 
#25 ·
Mike-
Actually just bought my boat and its not in the water yet--waiting to have the bottom painted. A friend in Milwaukee also has a Colgate 26 and has a 5hp 4 stroke Nissan (around 60#''s). It is about 10#''s heavier than the Yamaha, and he says it works great. Remember, the boat was designed to have an instructor in the stern, and that could add a couple hundred pounds. I usually won''t have anyone back there unless my wife lets the 5 & 8 year olds go back there (fat chance).
The Yamaha 4 stroke I''m told is whisper quiet and doesn''t vibrate, and has FNR. It has an small internal tank (I think about 2 liters). The engine is much more efficient than a 2 cycle, so it wont need to be filled often. Also you can plug in an external tank if you want--don''t think I''ll need it.
Cost was $1030. I couldn''t find a lighter 4 or 5 hp 4 stroke outboard than the Yamaha, and they have an excellent reputation. Also, I''m keeping the boat at a slip, so I need the FNR.
Rob
~~~~_/)~~~~
 
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