Mariner 9.9 - New 10hp outboard choice. - Page 2

Fenlander · 22 July 2018, 21:36

The Cowling shape is a bit weird... the circumstance not the shape itself.

I thought Oh they've modified it recently.. but even Mariner themselves on the UK website show a different (original?) one.

https://www.barrus.co.uk/divisions/m...roke-8hp-99hp/

jeffstevens763@g · 23 July 2018, 09:29

strange that,i did notice earlier this year in wales i saw new mercury engines with quite a lot of plastic on the cowl thought it looked very neat

Fenlander · 06 August 2018, 12:35

Another great day out on the river in near 30deg. Just over 5.5hrs of the 10hrs running in period complete now so full throttle use (with occasional rest periods) allowable and the next trip will be to sea to see how it performs compared to the 8hp version we used on holiday.

And gosh does it just sip fuel... 1.5lit for 2hrs running. Ok so that's on the river but broadly the same throttle openings as we'd use on an estuary holiday.

I've just emailed Mariner UK as a few queries have come up... I'm sure the warranty for these engines should be 5yrs but I see my warranty registration shows 2yrs.... The dealer mentioned a service around 3mths just after running in but the supplied manual shows the first service at 1yr/100hrs... The manual advises disconnecting the fuel supply at the end of a day's use and letting it run dry. But the moment you do this the camshaft driven fuel pump ticks as if protesting at running dry. Probably a characteristic not fault but interested to hear what they say.

Fenlander · 06 August 2018, 12:56

Wow... great customer service from Mariner technical. An email reply in under an hour with technical guy's direct dial number.

He confirmed the warranty is extended to 5yrs if dealer serviced each year/100hrs... the 2yr warranty seemingly is the absolute minimum.

The 3mth/20hr service is advised but optional and the warranty remains even if you choose not to have it... I will though.

The ticking fuel pump isn't a fault but he offered a view that it might be as well with our usage to add an approved fuel stabiliser (Quicksilver Quickstor) and then not worry running it dry. This additive only works out about 6p/lit so I think I'll use it all the while.

jeffstevens763@g · 06 August 2018, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Wow... great customer service from Mariner technical. An email reply in under an hour with technical guy's direct dial number.

He confirmed the warranty is extended to 5yrs if dealer serviced each year/100hrs... the 2yr warranty seemingly is the absolute minimum.

The 3mth/20hr service is advised but optional and the warranty remains even if you choose not to have it... I will though.

The ticking fuel pump isn't a fault but he offered a view that it might be as well with our usage to add an approved fuel stabiliser (Quicksilver Quickstor) and then not worry running it dry. This additive only works out about 6p/lit so I think I'll use it all the while.

thats great david, re the pump ticking my yam use to do that, not noticed it on the suzuki but i fuel stabilise and still run dry force of habit only.
the color of my oil after 20 hours was pretty murky i would change for sure after run in.
are you going for self service on this engine too

Fenlander · 06 August 2018, 14:31

Yep I'll let him do the post-running in optional oil change Jeff and at least the first and second yearly's.... that will take the stamped service book & warranty up to the three year point.

This Mariner guy is in a town I travel to for other purposes most weeks and so far proved to be very down to earth/accurate with advice. Sadly my nearest Suzuki dealers when I bought the 20 didn't inspire that confidence and were a 2hr round trip to a place I had no other reason to visit.... which tipped me into self servicing that OB.

jeffstevens763@g · 06 August 2018, 15:10

yep servicing is a big point 4 hrs round trip for me not ideal especially when you get serviced and one spark plug isn't gapped properly potentially ruining my mull trip

Rarerooster · 06 August 2018, 19:14

Fenlander that is a nice looking outboard you have there. Off topic but I noticed the pictures of the old bridge at Godmanchester in the background. Do you use the slip there? I used to drop my Zodiac off the rowing club stage right next to it. It made for very easy launch and recovery.

It was great seeing the shots of the river Ouse. Ely to St Neots, and once or twice up to the Cam was my river cruising patch. Nice part of the world.

Fenlander · 06 August 2018, 20:09

I have used the slip off the car park near the rowing club but now we pay the very reasonable slip/parking fee at Hartford Marina. They have good toilet/wash facilities and of course the chandlery. Hartford Mill eatery next door too for when we get back.

Also you are in a boating community rather than being surrounded by some of the troublemaking young idiots that hang about in the area of the slip/row club stage sometimes... and look happy to nick anything if you turn your back.

Synchro_Ring · 06 August 2018, 20:21

Hi Fenlander, there is a slipway at St Neots by the rowing club which is free to launch, also there is parking withing a few meters on the slipway. It is safe there if you so wished to relax. Regards

Fenlander · 06 August 2018, 22:00

Thanks for the heads up on St. Neots... the coast is calling next though!

Highland Haggis · 11 August 2018, 06:41

Hi Fenlander do you have the link page for where you bought your taco meter please

Fenlander · 11 August 2018, 09:07

It was from these folks HH...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KKmoon-LC...sid=m570.l1313

Not the very cheapest but I'd already had one delivered from another Ebay seller Mowers & Co but they substituted a cheaper unit with no revs facility so by the time I ordered again I was short of time to get one on for the first running. The linked seller was chosen as the only one to reply quickly to my message "do you have UK stock and can you post immediately".

Bear in mind two points about my satisfaction with this model... once any need to check revs (running in or prop choice) is over I mount it away from salt spray under the hood... and I make it up a backing plate from a bit old cutting board so the ears with fixing holes are supported or they will break off. You can just see this mod in the image on post #3.

Highland Haggis · 11 August 2018, 19:20

Thank you for that info just ordered two just in case one goes wrong

C-NUMB · 12 August 2018, 07:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

The manual advises disconnecting the fuel supply at the end of a day's use and letting it run dry. But the moment you do this the camshaft driven fuel pump ticks as if protesting at running dry. Probably a characteristic not fault but interested to hear what they say.

It depends on the design but in many cases when disconnecting the fuel line, the pump has to work against vacuum. If You just replace it with an "empty" spare connector the problem is solved.

Nice report by the way! Is this a basically a Tohatsu with some minor design changes?

Fenlander · 12 August 2018, 10:04

I think you're right and next time its running I have a spare connector I could try.... probably doing no harm though it's just I'm OCD about an extra noise appearing. In any case I've bought a bottle of the Quicksilver "Quickstor" and will add this to all my fuel from now on.

Yep Tohatsu powerhead and leg are the same. Apart from paint and logos the main difference are the Mercury/Mariners having gear on twistgrip and a crafty "auto" tilt lock mechanism.

It doesn't surprise me Tohatsu have omitted these features as they are known for a workmanlike OB in these smaller sizes and these things just add complication.**

Doing a bit of digging it seems these motors are entirely built by Tohatsu in Japan... in fact it's not just that Tohatsu make them for Mercury/Mariner... Tohatsu Marine that make them is separate to Tohatsu itself and a joint company between Tohatsu and Mercury/Mariner owners Brunswick.

Had the nearby Tohatsu dealer been able to take my Suzuki in I'd probably have a Tohatsu now as I'm somewhat indifferent to these features and the Tohatsu was a little cheaper.

**The older Mercury 8hp I hired while on holiday had the throttle/gears a bit out of sync and the mechanism was sticky so half the time it would stick in fwd gear and neutral marked on the gearshift was still in fwd which gave a couple of awkward moments at the pontoon as we were propelled slowly but steadily along when we should have been stopped.

Also by chance the other day on the river a guy with a new to him used Mercury 15 4-stroke asked for help had similar in that the gears, throttle and no start in gear interlock... which all effectively operate from moving the twistgrip... were totally messed up and he couldn't pull it over half the time. I reckon his had been on remotes and hastily converted back to a tiller with no understanding how to set up the mechanism.

Fenlander · 03 September 2018, 21:19

Managed to get the Mariner to the coast on Sunday at last for close to the final stage running in. From 4-10hrs full throttle allowed but giving it breaks of slower running. By the end of the day we had it over 8.5hrs so just one more small outing and we'll be there.

Produced some useful stats with open sea to play on.

We covered 19.4Nm with far more on the plane than trolling. Max speed seen was 15kts which was higher than I expected (note this was with the 27stone load that held the 8hp version I tried of this engine to 10.5kts).

12kts was a comfortable cruise.

My tacho is under the hood but I took the hood off for one run to see we were showing 5,350rpm at 14kts. The manual gives a broad max revs range of 5-6,000rpm so I guess we are in the ball park. Despite the pitch being a modest 8.5" if anything I'd pitch down a little to allow the smaller motor (after a 20hp) an easier time mid range.

Fuel consumption was an excellent 4Nm per lit... about 30% better than the Suzuki DF20A but obviously at slower speeds. That will give us a safe round trip of 32Nm on the 12l tank using the rule of thirds which is fine for our typical days out.

I did have one issue thought and boy could I have kicked myself. I always say the slip is a great entertainment for watchers for so many reasons. Well on Sunday I was that entertainment.

Launched and Mrs F walked the transom wheels back to the car. Went to impress the onlookers with a first time start and quiet idle... but ended up with a red face after trying to start/restart with about 30-40 pulls over ten mins. The engine just didn't want to catch and when it did stalled as soon as I put it in gear.

Eventually found when... after the last time out I tidied the cables to the cheap tacho in re-winding around one plug lead... I'd not put that lead back on the plug so it was only firing on one. Should have felt a right idiot but the relief of a first time start and smooth idle once the lead was back on counteracted that.

Oh and the lower aspect of this smaller OB brings it in the firing line for spray from my Garmin transducer and I could see dried salt crystals on the powerhead near the plug leads so I shall have to lift the transducer leg a little to cut the spray at the risk I loose depth readings at speed or when it's rough.

Edit: Forgot to say also the "Aerotec splash" is worse than with the Suzuki so I will have to pack the transom up a little more but will report on that elsewhere.

Bigplumbs · 07 September 2018, 19:32

I think you have convinced me that my Tohatsy 9.8 2 stroke will be ok on a Honwave T38ie. If it isn't I will find you

Thanks for a great write up

Dennis

Fenlander · 07 September 2018, 20:53

Ha ha… the only thing you might find is as we are more even in weight you might need to send the Mrs forward with the fuel tank and all your loose change to get on the plane.

Bigplumbs · 08 September 2018, 05:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Ha ha… the only thing you might find is as we are more even in weight you might need to send the Mrs forward with the fuel tank and all your loose change to get on the plane.

I know what you mean.

With my current tender the unbranded 3.2 with Ali floor (which I think will be heavier than the T38i with both of us on and all our stuff for the main boat together with the tender fuel tank and 25 ltrs of petrol if she gets forward it gets on the plane ok. So here is hoping.

Best deal I can get is about £1049 but the tight gits at Honda only give you one seat. I will try and negotiate a second one in or make one I anit paying the inflated price they want for one £95.

Thanks for all the advice

Dennis