Pete: Many options ... IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!) Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17. I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine. Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets. Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!! One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning. Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel! Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_). Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/ Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations. :: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com On Sat, Mar 23, 2024, 09:50 Peter Metherall <pmetherall@gmail.com> wrote:
Dave - Thanks for the info. Is there an outboard manufacturer you recommend? I'm thinking Yamaha or Honda. Pete
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 3:44 PM Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote:
Pete:
A 2007 M17 should have a Garhauer OB-125 bracket and this will work fine with a 4-6 HP outboard 20" 'long shaft'. No larger than a 4hp motor is needed but there are no true 4hp motors available (all are 6hp blocks that a de-tuned to be a 5 or 4 HP output).
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024, 15:26 Peter Metherall <pmetherall@gmail.com> wrote:
Dave - Thanks for getting back to me! The Boat is a 2007. I haven't closed on the boat yet so I will have to contact the owner and get the make of the motor mount and get back to you. Thanks again.
Pete
Dave - Thanks for your detailed and informative reply. Much appreciated! Pete On Sun, Mar 24, 2024 at 6:22 AM Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote:
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
On Sat, Mar 23, 2024, 09:50 Peter Metherall <pmetherall@gmail.com> wrote:
Dave - Thanks for the info. Is there an outboard manufacturer you recommend? I'm thinking Yamaha or Honda. Pete
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 3:44 PM Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote:
Pete:
A 2007 M17 should have a Garhauer OB-125 bracket and this will work fine with a 4-6 HP outboard 20" 'long shaft'. No larger than a 4hp motor is needed but there are no true 4hp motors available (all are 6hp blocks that a de-tuned to be a 5 or 4 HP output).
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024, 15:26 Peter Metherall <pmetherall@gmail.com> wrote:
Dave - Thanks for getting back to me! The Boat is a 2007. I haven't closed on the boat yet so I will have to contact the owner and get the make of the motor mount and get back to you. Thanks again.
Pete
Some of us M17 owners here are quite satisfied with our Honda 2.3HP outboards. Others consider that not enough and arguments, user reports, etc. are in various past threads... :-) In terms of new or recent years' used motors: Suzuki has a 2.5 hp as alternative to the Honda. It's water cooled so quieter at low RPMs but then a bit more more maintenance. Also has F-N shifter instead of the Honda's centrifugal clutch. They claim same weight as the Honda. If you want more HP for only another 10 lbs or so then the Tohatsu/Mercury 3.5HP is the only option at present I am aware of. If I wanted something more hp than my Honda 2.3 hp, I'd get the Tohatsu 3.5 hp. As Dave says all the 4HP from Suzuki, Yamaha, Tohatsu/Merc are 6HP carcasses tuned down to deliver less HP. Stupid, but that's how all outboard HP ranges are now, bigger motors as well. Those 4/5/6 hp units all weigh ~60 lbs. Honda has a 5 hp, which also weighs in at ~60 lbs (twice the Honda 2.3 and 20 lbs more than the Tohatsu/Merc 3.5). My M17 came with a Tohatsu SailPro 6 hp which was absurd overkill. In gear at idle it was too much speed for maneuvering in tight quarters. So IMO it's down to the Honda 2.3, Suzuki 2.5, or the Tohatsu 3.5. cheers, John On 3/24/24 03:22, Dave Scobie wrote:
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
On Sat, Mar 23, 2024, 09:50 Peter Metherall <pmetherall@gmail.com> wrote:
Dave - Thanks for the info. Is there an outboard manufacturer you recommend? I'm thinking Yamaha or Honda. Pete
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 3:44 PM Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote:
Pete:
A 2007 M17 should have a Garhauer OB-125 bracket and this will work fine with a 4-6 HP outboard 20" 'long shaft'. No larger than a 4hp motor is needed but there are no true 4hp motors available (all are 6hp blocks that a de-tuned to be a 5 or 4 HP output).
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024, 15:26 Peter Metherall <pmetherall@gmail.com> wrote:
Dave - Thanks for getting back to me! The Boat is a 2007. I haven't closed on the boat yet so I will have to contact the owner and get the make of the motor mount and get back to you. Thanks again.
Pete
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com
Love my Honda 2.3.....less is more on a M15 -----Original Message----- From: John Schinnerer via montgomery_boats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 3:46 PM To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Cc: John Schinnerer <john@eco-living.net> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard Some of us M17 owners here are quite satisfied with our Honda 2.3HP outboards. Others consider that not enough and arguments, user reports, etc. are in various past threads... :-) In terms of new or recent years' used motors: Suzuki has a 2.5 hp as alternative to the Honda. It's water cooled so quieter at low RPMs but then a bit more more maintenance. Also has F-N shifter instead of the Honda's centrifugal clutch. They claim same weight as the Honda. If you want more HP for only another 10 lbs or so then the Tohatsu/Mercury 3.5HP is the only option at present I am aware of. If I wanted something more hp than my Honda 2.3 hp, I'd get the Tohatsu 3.5 hp. As Dave says all the 4HP from Suzuki, Yamaha, Tohatsu/Merc are 6HP carcasses tuned down to deliver less HP. Stupid, but that's how all outboard HP ranges are now, bigger motors as well. Those 4/5/6 hp units all weigh ~60 lbs. Honda has a 5 hp, which also weighs in at ~60 lbs (twice the Honda 2.3 and 20 lbs more than the Tohatsu/Merc 3.5). My M17 came with a Tohatsu SailPro 6 hp which was absurd overkill. In gear at idle it was too much speed for maneuvering in tight quarters. So IMO it's down to the Honda 2.3, Suzuki 2.5, or the Tohatsu 3.5. cheers, John On 3/24/24 03:22, Dave Scobie wrote:
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
On Sat, Mar 23, 2024, 09:50 Peter Metherall <pmetherall@gmail.com> wrote:
Dave - Thanks for the info. Is there an outboard manufacturer you recommend? I'm thinking Yamaha or Honda. Pete
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 3:44 PM Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote:
Pete:
A 2007 M17 should have a Garhauer OB-125 bracket and this will work fine with a 4-6 HP outboard 20" 'long shaft'. No larger than a 4hp motor is needed but there are no true 4hp motors available (all are 6hp blocks that a de-tuned to be a 5 or 4 HP output).
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024, 15:26 Peter Metherall <pmetherall@gmail.com> wrote:
Dave - Thanks for getting back to me! The Boat is a 2007. I haven't closed on the boat yet so I will have to contact the owner and get the make of the motor mount and get back to you. Thanks again.
Pete
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com
These boats were designed back when 2-stroke outboards only weighed 20-30lbs, and most of the modern 4-strokes weigh about 60lbs or more. If there's any way a 30lb or less outboard could work for you, the boat will perform better. I've had great luck with the early 90s Yamaha 2-strokes that use very little oil (100:1), and weigh only 19lbs (2hp) or 30lbs (3hp). Sincerely, Tyler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "Peter Metherall" <pmetherall@gmail.com>, "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 6:22:14 AM Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard Pete: Many options ... IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!) Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17. I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine. Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets. Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!! One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning. Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel! Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_). Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/ Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations. :: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
Roger that -----Original Message----- From: casioqv@usermail.com <casioqv@usermail.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2024 11:46 AM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard These boats were designed back when 2-stroke outboards only weighed 20-30lbs, and most of the modern 4-strokes weigh about 60lbs or more. If there's any way a 30lb or less outboard could work for you, the boat will perform better. I've had great luck with the early 90s Yamaha 2-strokes that use very little oil (100:1), and weigh only 19lbs (2hp) or 30lbs (3hp). Sincerely, Tyler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "Peter Metherall" <pmetherall@gmail.com>, "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 6:22:14 AM Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard Pete: Many options ... IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!) Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17. I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine. Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets. Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!! One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning. Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel! Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_). Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/ Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations. :: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
My 1984(?) 5hp 2 stroke Mariner (made by Yamaha) weighs 46 pounds. It is the same as the Yamaha 4hp. It weighs more than Tyler's 30lbs but this one has full FNR. I like it better than the similar vintage Evinrude 4hp Deluxe I keep as a spare. The Evinrude weighs a tad more. The Mariner was running a little rough last fall so rather than rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor I was able to find an entire brand new carb for it on Amazon for $58. On Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 1:46 PM <casioqv@usermail.com> wrote:
These boats were designed back when 2-stroke outboards only weighed 20-30lbs, and most of the modern 4-strokes weigh about 60lbs or more. If there's any way a 30lb or less outboard could work for you, the boat will perform better. I've had great luck with the early 90s Yamaha 2-strokes that use very little oil (100:1), and weigh only 19lbs (2hp) or 30lbs (3hp).
Sincerely, Tyler
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "Peter Metherall" <pmetherall@gmail.com>, "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 6:22:14 AM Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
-- Henry Rodriguez
Henry - Thanks for the reply. Very much appreciated!! Pete On Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 12:09 PM Henry Rodriguez <heinzir@gmail.com> wrote:
My 1984(?) 5hp 2 stroke Mariner (made by Yamaha) weighs 46 pounds. It is the same as the Yamaha 4hp. It weighs more than Tyler's 30lbs but this one has full FNR. I like it better than the similar vintage Evinrude 4hp Deluxe I keep as a spare. The Evinrude weighs a tad more. The Mariner was running a little rough last fall so rather than rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor I was able to find an entire brand new carb for it on Amazon for $58.
On Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 1:46 PM <casioqv@usermail.com> wrote:
These boats were designed back when 2-stroke outboards only weighed 20-30lbs, and most of the modern 4-strokes weigh about 60lbs or more. If there's any way a 30lb or less outboard could work for you, the boat will perform better. I've had great luck with the early 90s Yamaha 2-strokes that use very little oil (100:1), and weigh only 19lbs (2hp) or 30lbs (3hp).
Sincerely, Tyler
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "Peter Metherall" <pmetherall@gmail.com>, "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 6:22:14 AM Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
-- Henry Rodriguez
The Mariner (and Yamaha) actually were made by Tohatsu. I have the same 5hp badged as a Mercury. The 5hp is overkill and if you come across a 4hp, that actually would be better. Very good choice for the M17 if the 2 stroke business does not bother you. Relatively light and has a proper reverse gear. One of my other toys is a modified Vespa, so I'm a bit of a 2 stroke aficionado. -----Original Message----- From: Henry Rodriguez <heinzir@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2024 3:08 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard My 1984(?) 5hp 2 stroke Mariner (made by Yamaha) weighs 46 pounds. It is the same as the Yamaha 4hp. It weighs more than Tyler's 30lbs but this one has full FNR. I like it better than the similar vintage Evinrude 4hp Deluxe I keep as a spare. The Evinrude weighs a tad more. The Mariner was running a little rough last fall so rather than rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor I was able to find an entire brand new carb for it on Amazon for $58. On Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 1:46 PM <casioqv@usermail.com> wrote:
These boats were designed back when 2-stroke outboards only weighed 20-30lbs, and most of the modern 4-strokes weigh about 60lbs or more. If there's any way a 30lb or less outboard could work for you, the boat will perform better. I've had great luck with the early 90s Yamaha 2-strokes that use very little oil (100:1), and weigh only 19lbs (2hp) or 30lbs (3hp).
Sincerely, Tyler
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "Peter Metherall" <pmetherall@gmail.com>, "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 6:22:14 AM Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
-- Henry Rodriguez
Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated! I'm thinking 4hp 2-stroke. New, Direct injection. Have to make sure they are legal in Oregon. Thanks again. Pete On Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 12:44 PM <swwheatley@comcast.net> wrote:
The Mariner (and Yamaha) actually were made by Tohatsu. I have the same 5hp badged as a Mercury. The 5hp is overkill and if you come across a 4hp, that actually would be better. Very good choice for the M17 if the 2 stroke business does not bother you. Relatively light and has a proper reverse gear. One of my other toys is a modified Vespa, so I'm a bit of a 2 stroke aficionado.
-----Original Message----- From: Henry Rodriguez <heinzir@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2024 3:08 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard
My 1984(?) 5hp 2 stroke Mariner (made by Yamaha) weighs 46 pounds. It is the same as the Yamaha 4hp. It weighs more than Tyler's 30lbs but this one has full FNR. I like it better than the similar vintage Evinrude 4hp Deluxe I keep as a spare. The Evinrude weighs a tad more. The Mariner was running a little rough last fall so rather than rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor I was able to find an entire brand new carb for it on Amazon for $58.
On Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 1:46 PM <casioqv@usermail.com> wrote:
These boats were designed back when 2-stroke outboards only weighed 20-30lbs, and most of the modern 4-strokes weigh about 60lbs or more. If there's any way a 30lb or less outboard could work for you, the boat will perform better. I've had great luck with the early 90s Yamaha 2-strokes that use very little oil (100:1), and weigh only 19lbs (2hp) or 30lbs (3hp).
Sincerely, Tyler
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "Peter Metherall" <pmetherall@gmail.com>, "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 6:22:14 AM Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
-- Henry Rodriguez
I don’t think the 80s - 90s Yamaha and Mariner motors I am talking about are made by Tohatsu, since nearly every part has a tiny Yamaha logo… and OEM Yamaha is the only way to purchase many of the parts. Even the Mariner branded ones have a Yamaha logo cast into all of the metal parts. Sincerely, Tyler -----Original Message----- From: swwheatley <swwheatley@comcast.net> To: 'For <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Monday, 25 March 2024 12:44 PM PDT Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard The Mariner (and Yamaha) actually were made by Tohatsu. I have the same 5hp badged as a Mercury. The 5hp is overkill and if you come across a 4hp, that actually would be better. Very good choice for the M17 if the 2 stroke business does not bother you. Relatively light and has a proper reverse gear. One of my other toys is a modified Vespa, so I'm a bit of a 2 stroke aficionado. -----Original Message----- From: Henry Rodriguez <heinzir@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2024 3:08 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard My 1984(?) 5hp 2 stroke Mariner (made by Yamaha) weighs 46 pounds. It is the same as the Yamaha 4hp. It weighs more than Tyler's 30lbs but this one has full FNR. I like it better than the similar vintage Evinrude 4hp Deluxe I keep as a spare. The Evinrude weighs a tad more. The Mariner was running a little rough last fall so rather than rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor I was able to find an entire brand new carb for it on Amazon for $58. On Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 1:46 PM <casioqv@usermail.com> wrote:
These boats were designed back when 2-stroke outboards only weighed 20-30lbs, and most of the modern 4-strokes weigh about 60lbs or more. If there's any way a 30lb or less outboard could work for you, the boat will perform better. I've had great luck with the early 90s Yamaha 2-strokes that use very little oil (100:1), and weigh only 19lbs (2hp) or 30lbs (3hp).
Sincerely, Tyler
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "Peter Metherall" <pmetherall@gmail.com>, "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 6:22:14 AM Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
-- Henry Rodriguez
My bad. I wasn't focused on the year. My "Mercury" is from the early 2000s. By that time, they were all Tohatsus. If the older motors were rebadged Yamahas, that probably is better than a rebadged Tohatsu. -----Original Message----- From: casioqv@usermail.com <casioqv@usermail.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2024 5:13 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Cc: 'For and about Montgomery Sailboats' <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard I don’t think the 80s - 90s Yamaha and Mariner motors I am talking about are made by Tohatsu, since nearly every part has a tiny Yamaha logo… and OEM Yamaha is the only way to purchase many of the parts. Even the Mariner branded ones have a Yamaha logo cast into all of the metal parts. Sincerely, Tyler -----Original Message----- From: swwheatley <swwheatley@comcast.net> To: 'For <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Monday, 25 March 2024 12:44 PM PDT Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard The Mariner (and Yamaha) actually were made by Tohatsu. I have the same 5hp badged as a Mercury. The 5hp is overkill and if you come across a 4hp, that actually would be better. Very good choice for the M17 if the 2 stroke business does not bother you. Relatively light and has a proper reverse gear. One of my other toys is a modified Vespa, so I'm a bit of a 2 stroke aficionado. -----Original Message----- From: Henry Rodriguez <heinzir@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2024 3:08 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard My 1984(?) 5hp 2 stroke Mariner (made by Yamaha) weighs 46 pounds. It is the same as the Yamaha 4hp. It weighs more than Tyler's 30lbs but this one has full FNR. I like it better than the similar vintage Evinrude 4hp Deluxe I keep as a spare. The Evinrude weighs a tad more. The Mariner was running a little rough last fall so rather than rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor I was able to find an entire brand new carb for it on Amazon for $58. On Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 1:46 PM <casioqv@usermail.com> wrote:
These boats were designed back when 2-stroke outboards only weighed 20-30lbs, and most of the modern 4-strokes weigh about 60lbs or more. If there's any way a 30lb or less outboard could work for you, the boat will perform better. I've had great luck with the early 90s Yamaha 2-strokes that use very little oil (100:1), and weigh only 19lbs (2hp) or 30lbs (3hp).
Sincerely, Tyler
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: "Peter Metherall" <pmetherall@gmail.com>, "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 6:22:14 AM Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 Outboard
Pete:
Many options ...
IMO Honda's 4-6hp motors are reliable but heavy. (To heavy!)
Don't have much experience with the newer Yamaha 4-6hp ... the old, like 15+ years ago, true 4hp motor was excellent and a great fit for the M17.
I had a Suzuki 4 (aka 4-6hp) on my M17 and it did fine.
Tohatsu are common but my experience is they are very sensitive to fuel and lots of issues with clogged carburetor jets.
Lots of opinions on outboards and many people hate or love specific motors. Discussions are a lot like discussing anchoring. Lots of opinions!!
One thing I would strongly consider is making sure you have a local outboard service business that will work on your motor type and has a good reputation. This may be more important than the specific motor because service is part of owning.
Number one recommendation is use only fresh fuel and anything older than a month needs to be transferred to the tow vehicle or lawn mower fleet. Fresh fuel!
Treat fuel with a mix of SeaFoam and Sta-Bil (yes _both_).
Don't run scared of ethanol. Nothing more than E10(some locations have E15 which will ruin an outboard!). I've run E10 and outboards for years, like 20, and never had an issue. The issue is always fresh fuel! See - https://m17-375.com/2019/04/04/outboard-motors-fuel-issues/
Run the motor at minimum once a month. Run it at home in a bucket. This is important! Lack of running causes more issues than fuel. Do at minimum a yearly oil change and be sure to service the lower end gearbox and water pump based on manufacturer service recommendations.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: former owner SV SWALLOW - sailboatswallow.wordpress.com/ :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com
-- Henry Rodriguez
participants (7)
-
casioqv＠usermail.com -
Dave Scobie -
Henry Rodriguez -
Jim Sadler -
John Schinnerer -
Peter Metherall -
swwheatley＠comcast.net