Hi Peter, My HONDA 2 HP doesn't burn any oil, so I don't have to add any during the season. My Honda lawn mower is the same, so I guess, I just accept total reliability.............. Then you hardly have to check oil level with the amount of engine running I do in a season. As for mistakes: Join the crowd. We've all been there and done that! Later it's called "experience"! Had anchors drag? Yep! Run aground? Yep! Had engine quit? Yep! Dropped parts overboard? Yep! Got dinghy painter wrapped around the propeller? Yep! Read tide tables wrong? Yep! (but my excuse was they were in French............) Been out in miserable deteriorating weather? Yep! That's the fun of sailing. Yes you make mistakes, but with each mistake you learn and become a more proficient and expert sailor. Have fun! That's what it's all about! Connie M15 #400