hi all
i recently bought an 11ft fibreglass Sparrow sailing dinghy to putt around williamstown in - partly to take friends out to my moored yacht, partly to chase flathead and snapper fairly close to shore, and partly for sailing trips to places my keel boat can't go. i have a 34ftlb watersnake trolling motor that will just push it around in calm conditions, but for more demanding times i thought a 2.5hp four-stroke suzuki might be a good, light motor (13kg). i could also use it on my Bombard 2.3m inflatable on keel boat trips. so my question is, would a new suzuki fit the bill or should i look at another brand or size - light weight is important. any thoughts appreciated

2.5 or 3.5 Tohatsu two stroke secondhand.

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Ramona said..
2.5 or 3.5 Tohatsu two stroke secondhand.

Yep. My daughter flipped and fully submerged my little tinny with 3.3hp 2 stroke Mercury while running flat out in the middle of nowhere 10 years ago. Got it going thank goodness with spare petrol on location and still runs fine today. Not uncommon to fully submerge 2 strokes with no lasting ill effects. Shame they are illegal to sell new now in OZ. Should just have made larger two-strokes illegal.

Previous Suzuki steering arm mount corroded badly and steering arm snapped off.

Mercury is light as. One arm pick up (hand around shaft below power head) and carry job and I'm no gym junkie.

Rave rave for my 13 year-old 2hp Yamaha 2-stroke (identical to the Tohatsu). It has breathed water a few times but after a lick and promise still starts and runs beautifully. I treat the poor little thing to a new plug every couple of years or so when starting goes from 1-2 pulls to 3. At 9kg it's fine for this geriatric to lift on board on the water.

Just a word of warning re your tender: if you're going to stray far from the obvious path out to your yacht, check whether it needs to be registered as a powerboat and suitably equipped.

Cheers, Graeme

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wongaga said..
Rave rave for my 13 year-old 2hp Yamaha 2-stroke (identical to the Tohatsu). It has breathed water a few times but after a lick and promise still starts and runs beautifully. I treat the poor little thing to a new plug every couple of years or so when starting goes from 1-2 pulls to 3. At 9kg it's fine for this geriatric to lift on board on the water.

Just a word of warning re your tender: if you're going to stray far from the obvious path out to your yacht, check whether it needs to be registered as a powerboat and suitably equipped.

Cheers, Graeme

good point - Vic regs say it's ok if within 300m of 'the mother vessel', but otherwise I'll need full safety gear. i wonder how they class a boat with small sail and trolling elec motor

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i wonder how they class a boat with small sail and trolling elec motor

Very simple: more than 4.6 m or less than 4.6m for a motor boat.
It's around 4.6 or 4.8 from memory, so only 2 classes of motored vessels.

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julesmoto said..

Ramona said..
2.5 or 3.5 Tohatsu two stroke secondhand.

Yep. My daughter flipped and fully submerged my little tinny with 3.3hp 2 stroke Mercury while running flat out in the middle of nowhere 10 years ago. Got it going thank goodness with spare petrol on location and still runs fine today. Not uncommon to fully submerge 2 strokes with no lasting ill effects. Shame they are illegal to sell new now in OZ. Should just have made larger two-strokes illegal.

Previous Suzuki steering arm mount corroded badly and steering arm snapped off.

Mercury is light as. One arm pick up (hand around shaft below power head) and carry job and I'm no gym junkie.

I should have mentioned the Mercury 3.5 is just a Tohatsu spelt differently. They even use the same parts numbers! Nissan is another name for the same machine.

Another vote for a 2nd hand 2/stroke, go for a 3.5 or better, 2.5 is better than a trolling motor but not much. That being said I use a 20yr old Honda 2.5hp 4 stroke it's ok but a loaded 9ft dingy makes it work & it wouldn't lift a planeing hull in a fit

I have had a Suzuki DF6a for four years that lives permanently on the transom.
It has been very reliable ,easy to carry with the handles , can be laid on one of three sides without issue . Don't have to mix fuel and have never had to touch oil between services. I do get it serviced once a year for around $200 by Suzuki .

Basically any of them. 2 & 2.5hp usually have direct drive, meaning no neutral, so more of a risk for toes and kids (apart from the 4 stroke Honda that has a centrifical clutch). Of the 3-3.5 2stroke range, Tohatsu & Mercury (and Mariner?) are the same. The Yamaha 3 adds a tiller twist throttle (handy) and is a bit quieter, but heavier.
any of them will stab thru the floor of an inflatable dinghy if you misjudge lifting it off or onto your yacht. Whatever you buy (I'm presuming second hand here) swap over the impeller sooner than later, and keep a regular check on the water telltale.

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Bushdog said..
Basically any of them. 2 & 2.5hp usually have direct drive, meaning no neutral, so more of a risk for toes and kids (apart from the 4 stroke Honda that has a centrifical clutch). Of the 3-3.5 2stroke range, Tohatsu & Mercury (and Mariner?) are the same. The Yamaha 3 adds a tiller twist throttle (handy) and is a bit quieter, but heavier.
any of them will stab thru the floor of an inflatable dinghy if you misjudge lifting it off or onto your yacht. Whatever you buy (I'm presuming second hand here) swap over the impeller sooner than later, and keep a regular check on the water telltale.

The Suzi . has twist grip and F,N .

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Bushdog said..
Basically any of them. 2 & 2.5hp usually have direct drive, meaning no neutral, so more of a risk for toes and kids (apart from the 4 stroke Honda that has a centrifical clutch). Of the 3-3.5 2stroke range, Tohatsu & Mercury (and Mariner?) are the same. The Yamaha 3 adds a tiller twist throttle (handy) and is a bit quieter, but heavier.
any of them will stab thru the floor of an inflatable dinghy if you misjudge lifting it off or onto your yacht. Whatever you buy (I'm presuming second hand here) swap over the impeller sooner than later, and keep a regular check on the water telltale.

the 3.5's have a gearbox.

One of those 2hp Yamahas came up on gumtree, but it's in Metung - many hours drive from Melbourne.

If anyone knows of anyone travelling from Metung to Melbourne, by land or sea, able to test and pick up said motor, I would reward them with a bottle of something very fine at the Melbourne end.

www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/metung/boat-accessories-parts/yamaha-2cmh-portable-2-stroke-outboard-for-sale-/1293178234

Just came back from the Lakes yesterday unfortunately.
This is available:




And I just filled it with fuel and it still runs. $100 and far closer than Metung, just down the Monash, turn left at Warrigal or Forster Roads for a few clicks. Your money back if it is not powerful enough.

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FabulousPhill said..
Just came back from the Lakes yesterday unfortunately.
This is available:




And I just filled it with fuel and it still runs. $100 and far closer than Metung, just down the Monash, turn left at Warrigal or Forster Roads for a few clicks. Your money back if it is not powerful enough.

ahh, great stuff Fabulous Phil. I'll take that deal. I'll send a PM with my details

PM sent.