newish or old

[drivinggod09]

hi ive just purchased a zodiac pro 7 my first RIB , im wondering if i should by a newer engine or an older one il only use it for just off the north wales coast on calm days and river use Bill Higham marine sells a good selection i was going to buy one for 2k but noticed he has 90s evinrudes on there at just over 1k all with 3 months warranty . On my sib ive got a 6hp evinrude for 74 thats never missed a beat. i dont think il use power trim and tilt at the min maybe when i get more experianced and into it more and im not really going out of my way to specify a 4 stoke so what do you rekon spend 2k on an engine or would a slighty older one be just as good was thinking of getting an a frame and depth guage with the saved money
cheers rob

[Channel Ribs]

I am going to be shot down for saying this, but I would buy the newest engine I could for the budget I had. Even if that means going for a slightly less horse power option than I might be tempted by.

Nearly all of the outboard manufacturers have had giant leaps in technology over the last few years, driven by tighter emission regs and a growing demand for efficiency. Take advantage of those improvements if you possibly can.

*ducks behind parapet*

[fishface14]

yeah, but with all the new technology been put into newer engines theres also a lot more to go wrong with it, i would rather go for an old(ish) reliable 2 stroke and spend the saved money on the A frame an depth gauge. just my opinion, i'm sure most peoples will be different lol

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by drivinggod09

hi ive just purchased a zodiac pro 7 my first RIB , im wondering if i should by a newer engine or an older one il only use it for just off the north wales coast on calm days and river use Bill Higham marine sells a good selection i was going to buy one for 2k but noticed he has 90s evinrudes on there at just over 1k all with 3 months warranty . On my sib ive got a 6hp evinrude for 74 thats never missed a beat. i dont think il use power trim and tilt at the min maybe when i get more experianced and into it more and im not really going out of my way to specify a 4 stoke so what do you rekon spend 2k on an engine or would a slighty older one be just as good was thinking of getting an a frame and depth guage with the saved money
cheers rob

An A-frame and depth gauge won't get you back to shore if the engine decides to play up. Older engines are fine, if you know the history, have serviced it yourself, etc. A decent 2-stroke for £2k is as good as any. I used to have a 1995 manual tilt/trim/start Yamaha 40hp that was absolutely mint, and had it on the exactly the same boat. It was bomb-proof and never let me down. My logic was to stay clear of electrics, because it was something else to worry about. However I ran a 12v supply off it to power a stern light, compass light, etc. My advice is not to save money on the engine. You can add accessories such an A-frame when you can afford it.

[9D280]

I'll echo the consisnsus here. Older = less thiongs to go wrong, but also statistically more likely to go wrong due to wear / abuse, unless you are buying an engine of known history.

I got a 1993 Suz 25 with my SR4. It ran fine 'till an electronic sensor packed in. Limped home at tickover. £150 for a new sensor.

I then got the humber with a Yam 55 (1978) which ran fine until the thermostat packed in. It was only then that I discovered the earth strap between leg & head had long broken. NEt result - solid leg / clamps etc with no corrosion, but the head had all but dissolved. (Stripped the thread in the holes for the 'stat cover screws using nowt but a helicoil - still in the insertion tool! at that point I sold it for spares.)

The currnet Merc (mid 70s) ran fine until the spark advance stop screw let go. Total destruction. I decided that I had 2 options. Both about the same price. 1) buy another "runner" along with the risk, or 2) total rebuild. One total rebuild (rebored, new pistons, all rubber components replaced, new gaskets etc) later, I now have an engine of known history andequivalent to the last level of engineering change it was sold as. (i.e all the problems Clamshells were famous for should now be removed)


I know people having had to send new stuff back under warranty, so it's really all down to your personal risk assessement & confidence. Eitrhwer way, an aux is always useful!

[bosun]

Something ex RNLI from Bill Higham
40/50 mariner
70 evinrude
old technology,simple,done little work.???
lots of HP for the money.

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by bosun

Something ex RNLI from Bill Higham
40/50 mariner
70 evinrude
old technology,simple,done little work.???
lots of HP for the money.

Can those two things go together in one post?

[bosun]

Two hours a week maybe a few more at a busy station in the summer.
I'd call that 'little work'.
As oppose to a charter rib or commercial fishermans engine that does 50 hours a week?
One of the local lobster men near here was telling me that he couldn't understand why his two year old engine was giving problems until the outboard tech guys plugged it in and told him that it had done 4000 hours!
It still looked nice and shiny though.

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by bosun

One of the local lobster men near here was telling me that he couldn't understand why his two year old engine was giving problems until the outboard tech guys plugged it in and told him that it had done 4000 hours!
It still looked nice and shiny though.

Cool, what was it?

[bosun]

Think it was a mariner not entirely sure though,I'll ask him.
He's got a suzuki now though.

[gotchiguy]

So what would all you crew members reckon would be the average number of hours on Atlantic engines when they are disposed of?

[Channel Ribs]

[hobnob]

I'd buy an auxiliary before an A-frame; irrespective of the main engine choice. An A-frame won't get you home.

As for the main engine choice, a low-tech 2-stroke would be my first choice. There are only a few critical parts compared to a 4-stroke.