Outboard size Options

[stein146]

I am considering a Honda 2 hp outboard, does anyone have any experience or thoughts on the subject. I currently have a 3.5 Tahatsu but it is to heavy for some of my users to put on and take off (I dry sail and my marina makes me remove it after every use so the fork lift does not come in contact with it). I found that with the 3.5, i never ran it past 1/2 throttle anyway.

[Guest_Guest_*]

The Honda 2HP four cycle (Vic Snyder calls this the "treehugger" model) has been reported by others as being sufficient to power the boat in all conditions other than a strong headwind. But if there is a strong headwind, you should be sailing. I have the 3.5 Tohatsu, and it is over-kill unless you are towing another boat.

Vic uses something that he put together from the following items he picked out of the trash:

A blender, a small model airplane (the type that can fly under its own power), the innards from an old Atari table top "Pong" game, and a gas-fired Kubota line trimmer (you know, a "weed whacker").

Vic figures he gets better than 1.5 HP out of this contraption, and it seems to push the boat along nicely. So I am sure the Honda 2 will be fine.

[Guest_dmcbrier_*]

I have the Honda 2HP four cycle. It is a great engine for the j-22. You have two option, remove the engine when you are sailing (standard fixed mount) or get a mount that will lift the engine out of the water.

If you are just racing the j22 the standard fixed mount is perfect. The engine is easy to put away. If you are day sailing the boat get the engine lift mount.

Hope this helps.

[robertgharrison]

I have been using a Honda 2 HP on my 22 for about 2 1/2 years. I sail on an inland lake. The motor has plenty of power. There are a few things to consider:

1) It does not have conventional neutral or reverse gears. For neutral, you have to throttle way down to disengage the centrifugal clutch. If the motor is cold, it will tend to stall when you throttle down this low. I motored off my trailer once, and this made it very challenging.

For reverse, you have rotate the engine 180 degrees, and flip the tiller/handle. I sail in and out of a slip, and if there is a following wind, this makes it more of a challenge.

I think the real problem is lack of a true neutral gear. There are some slightly larger motors that have true neutral but no reverse.

2) Make sure you use fuel stabilizer!

3) There is an On-Off lever on the side of the engine. Make sure you move it to Off before you tilt or store the engine. If you forget, fuel and oil slops around inside the engine and causes a mess.

Have you looked into the Torqueedo? It's a pretty slick electric outboard.

[Guest_Jan Huus_*]

Anybody have any experience with the Torqeedo? It does look interesting.

[Guest_Scott882_*]

Anybody have any experience with the Torqeedo? It does look interesting.

After a theft of a 3.5 hp Nissan, my Tohatsu 3.5hp has given me some challenges. RPM was held too low with the smallest prop, a 4.5. So I cut it down to get max torque around 3300 rpm. Any attempt to go higher and it bogs. The long shaft wasn't really needed, and now the retractable transom is a bite too close to the waterline. Love the neutral. The tank is the same size as the 2hp, small in general, and lasts as long as the two stroke or less. I need the extra 1hp to get to the race area, as fast as the 30-40ft competitors.