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- Thread starter surfstud31
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Ok gang I put a deposit down today for a brand new Yamaha 6hp four stroke short shaft outboard engine. Cost new is $1600 which I thought was a pretty good price. I pick it up tomorrow. It has the internal gas tank which is cool. I decided the 6hp is just easier to deal with and should be plenty of power for my Zodiac.
I have to title the engine in SC which is another reason that buying it from a dealer here makes things easier. Looks like I’m going to have to register the boat as well because it has a motor greater than 4hp. Not a big deal - I just mail in the documents with the appropriate fees.
So in the end I was able to get a brand new 8’ 10” Zodiac Cadet with a brand new Yamaha 6hp for a grand total of $3000 before taxes, etc. Not a bad deal IMHO.
I have to title the engine in SC which is another reason that buying it from a dealer here makes things easier. Looks like I’m going to have to register the boat as well because it has a motor greater than 4hp. Not a big deal - I just mail in the documents with the appropriate fees.
So in the end I was able to get a brand new 8’ 10” Zodiac Cadet with a brand new Yamaha 6hp for a grand total of $3000 before taxes, etc. Not a bad deal IMHO.
If you haven't bought the outboard yet, you could buy one of these, and turn it into one of these by buying
one of these.
Might save some money.
I've done that. The results were ok. Top end power did seem to increase. Idle performance became more rough & less reliable (even after tuning the idle mixture). If you look at the parts books for the 4hp & the 6hp, you will see that a few other parts are different, not just the carb.If you haven't bought the outboard yet, you could buy one of these, and turn it into one of these by buying
one of these.
Might save some money.
If you keep the original carb & just change the jets, you get slightly better performance, and a decent idle. You do not get quite as much top end as if you changed the whole carb, because the 6hp carb has a slightly larger diameter horn on the intake side. The flanges on the secondary side of all those carbs are the same.
Any of these carb changes will make the engine fail current emissions standards, but with proper adjustment, the exhaust should not be noxious.
At ~100 bucks it seems like a good investment to carry a spare carb, considering today's ethanol stability issues. Easier and quicker than cleaning a carb in the field. This fuel is cloudy because it has absorbed water from condensation from the vented air in the tank (it breathes as the tank heats and cools). It could put a kink in your plans if your dinghy stopped running. If it was left to settle in a clear jar, it would separate and show the layers of fuel/water. Water would settle to the bottom.
Edit: I change the fuel monthly, regardless of using stabilizer (old fuel goes in my car's tank). The fuel in the picture had stabilizer added at purchase time, as always. But that only helps a little.
Edit: I change the fuel monthly, regardless of using stabilizer (old fuel goes in my car's tank). The fuel in the picture had stabilizer added at purchase time, as always. But that only helps a little.
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My 2 hp Honda sips fuel.. So I buy engineered fuel. It's around $20.00 a gallon at Lowe's, but when you factor in what ethanol does.... a GREAT deal !!!
Where does one go to have their outboard checked for compliance?
I'm not aware of anyone who goes to have their engine checked. I stated that only because some tree-hugger types take exception to that sort of thing. I have offered to help someone get their outboard running better by adjusting their idle mix, only to find that they would prefer to deal with a poor running motor, rather than add more carbon to the air. Not everyone thinks that way, but some people do. I present the information only because I think that some people might want to know.
Since you are in AZ, it reminds me of a situation that I ran into when living there. I bought a Harley from a guy that lived up in the mountains. When I registered it in Phoenix, it failed the emission test. I then found that in AZ, the emission tests were only required in the Phoenix & Tucson areas. The rest of the state was exempt. A few carb adjustments got my bike to pass, but it did not run as well.
I'm sure you will be very happy with your 6hp four stroke. Plenty of power, and no need to mix oil with gas. Much quieter, too, when cruising around the anchorage. I'd suggest using ethanol free gas exclusively, and avoid those yearly carb rebuilds.
In my experience, the blow up floors are faster to set up, but the solid floor inflatable keel boats will allow you to carry things like large crusty anchors with less concern of doing damage to the floor. Depending on your particular intended use, the better choice may vary.