Honda Horror Story: Please read and advise.

[terraplane]

Nick,

I have a 22 C dory on order from Cutter. I live on the Bay, just across from Middle River, on theChester River. Cutter has been helpful, but the most help has come from this group at C. Brats. Incredible help, and generous to a fault..and you get the humor for free!

I opted for the 90 Honda, both on Cutter's advice, the C.Brat site, and also local people here on the Eastern Shore.

I take delivery in early April. Can't wait.

tom/ terraplane

[Sea Angel]

Nick,
You won't go wrong with the HONDA. I, too, ordered a CD fm Cutter with their recommendation. I also checked out what all the commercial guys are running down here in SE VA and NE NC, and all seem to be running the HONDAs. The advice , AND humor, here confirmed my impression and gave me the confidence to order twin 90s for my CD25.

Time permitting, while I am still working & not retired yet, I would not think twice of taking Sea Angel up the Ches. Bay and know it would be a reliable run.

Congrats on the new toy. Now the real toy buys begin... VHF? RADAR? GPS?, etc.... Looks like the Right Coast will rise again.... Did I really say that???

Welome to the family...
73s

[KenMcC]

Been following these discussions pretty much since the 3 websites began.

Honda stands up as one of the best, if not THE best.

C-Dory stands up as one of the best, if not THE best.

The (extremely few) folks that have had problems have either gotten them fixed very quickly through responsive dealerships, or have moved on to new ground (or waters).

Those who have gotten involved in legal action have merely prolonged their agony, and have not only lost money on their boat or motor, but lost the additional money in lawyers fees.

The advice you have gotten so far is quite sound. Move on to something else, because you won't feel good about your next Honda. Confidence, especially while at sea, is half the battle.

Good luck.

Ken

[Chuck S]

Nick --

I finally found Sill's Motor Sales in the phone book and know exactly where they are. They're not listed as a marine engine dealer on the Honda Marine website, but I'm gonna drive by and check.

Amelia Anne almost came from Cutter Marine, but Door County Boat Works was almost $2000 less expensive for the exact same boat. For that $2000 I was betting on both C-Dory's and Honda's quality control, reliability, and reputation as it's 560 miles up to Sister Bay WI. I bought the boat sight unseen -- I've still not seen any other C-Dory but ours other than in photos -- based on the message traffic here and C-DOGS.

DCBW buys their boats completely factory equipped, including engines. The only option missing from the boat was the electric wipers and I added them myself after the first weekend on Lake Erie where the windshield was constantly getting spray.

I've been flying single engine aircraft without incident for years so I'd personally opt for the Honda 90 on the 22 Cruiser.

The little swim step on the transom is not only a safety device -- giving anyone falling overboard a way to self-rescue -- but it's also allowed us to swim and tube off the boat conveniently. Twins prevents the swim step. Syncronizing twin engines is a royal PITA. Keeping the two alternators isolated is necessary as well.

Since Cutter is a full service marine dealer go with trim tabs right up front if they're not standard on the 22 Cruiser. The 22 won't be as roll sensitive as the lil 16s but the dory hull needs plenty of bow-down to keep from pounding in any chop. Only so much you can do with motor trim.

I asked C-Dory to make a hand rail to go across the aft edge of the cabin roof so folks in the cockpit had something to hold on to when in the cockpit in rolling conditions. Not sure this is necessary on the 22.

I installed an anchor line hawse pipe up by the bow roller. Very "yachtie" on the 16 but more importantly provides a place to store the anchor line all the time.

Short 3dB VHF antenna mounts nicely on the visor. Long whip isn't any more effective on boats this size.

Internal antenna GPS works fine on these boats and that's one less cable to run.

Looking forward to meeting you!

-- Chuck

[flagold]

You'll be glad to have that high-top option, even if you're 3'6 . . . Keeps the heat higher in the summer, gives the illusion of a lot more room on rainy days.

With such a bad taste for Honda, Ken's advice might be the most sound -- simply go with another mfg for awhile (I'm assuming you're not the type that takes a motor in everytime it coughs). All the engines are good now in my opinion (I've owned almost all of the brands). We can dicker on alternator amperage, weight, and a few other minor issues, but the core engines are all up to snuff and do what they are supposed to do.

Matt

[Redƒox]

dogon dory wrote:

But then again... there is the Red Fox...

And there is indeed And he says ... Bah Humbug!! Overrated (as is almost everything) I don't know about some saying "they never had a problem with there "Honda products" This household has several Honda product through the years (and still do) and have problems with it all!! (most minor, but it bears reporting)

Not to say that has "turned me away from this manufacturer" I know almost all companies have made some products that fall short, and could have been better engineered.
Our worst Honda experience was from our 90 Accord...

It pooped two transmissions in the first few years of ownership. Now Honda replaced them under warranty (of course) but it left mom stranded in traffic with no warning at all---twice! I have always worried about it going through another, since its warranty has expired. Other "problems have been, minor oil seepage, and one of the components in it's "Programmed Fuel Injection" going south. That’s it, and that's not bad (we think anyway) cuz the car is still as solid as it was when it was new! an excellent product indeed, but not "problem free" by no means
The last bad experience has been with the little "5-hp Honda fourstroke kicker" It's recoil design---is a piece of garbage!! it should have never made it to market. Busted two of the (plastic) recoils-gears in only a years time... and I have not gotten over it to date Other than that, it is noisy, and does not like to stay idling when placed deep in the water on a transom bracket.
Now, not to be "badmouthing" anything here, it's just my experience sort of adds to the original post and reflects some reality! (done in a kind spirit, and I could go on, but I'll stop)

PS: “AK Commercial fisherman” all I can say is – the worse abuse is out in the villages up here. (bush Alaska) Reports I have heard are they prefer Yamaha cuz there easier to work on than the other fourstrokes they have. Think about it…


OUT...

[DaveS]

[flagold]

I have a 90 Merc 4 stroke, no swim-step, and use the cavitation plate as my step into the motor well (also have the ladder on the side) on occasion.

I kind of understand the safety issue I suppose, but all it takes is one large fin appearing and people suddenly find a way to get back in the boat, ladder or no ladder. I've seen it happen.

[Byrdman]

Going to run with RedFox on this one... 1) Both my C-Dory's have or had Hondas and did great....but, have bought one used and the other as a "Dealer Demo"... (thanks for braking her in a bit Dusty) and had Honda's on her. Here was my decision process: I plan to travel the intracoastal water ways/river systems of America....the Great Circle or Great Loop some call it. Yep, now Yamaha is in the 4 stroke business...and yep, looking at the "projected" routes... they seem to have a few more dealers spotted about the USA. All motors will need work/maintenance. If I were buying brand new...I would have to ponder over the Yamaha... but...have not had problems out of my 90 Hondas either... 50 honda simply did not have a big enough "pee hole" to spit out shallow water "stuff" we pick up in mud and sand for my pleasure...and warranted a bit more of an eye... the 90 pee's like a cow on a hot rock...and so far with a lot of slow shallow water trolling....ZERO problems. Just my thoughts. Good luck!
Byrdman

[416rigby]

Here in Kodiak we have a dealer who sells both Honda and Yamaha, and another dealer who sells Johnsons. By my own observation, the overwhelming choice of both commercial fishermen and recreational guys like me is Yamaha. The margin is too big to even try to put a number on. We currently have Johnson 2 strokes on our "non C-Dory" a 90 and an 8 kicker, and we're upgrading to a new 8hp 4 stroke this spring, and it's going to be a Yamaha. We troll for salmon a heck of a lot, and want the quiet and no smoke/smell from a 4 stroke. I hear that both Yamaha and Honda are good engines, but the Yamaha is quieter and needs a bit less maintenance. Food for thought.
Rick

[flagold]

Those Johnson 2-stroke 90's (& 88"s) were hard to beat. I ran one commercially and it required nothing but gear oil and spark plug changes and it ran practically everyday hauling divers. On its last trip, it started running on 3 cyls 10 miles from shore where I made a 180 back to home port and by the time I put it on the trailer, it was down to 1 cyl but still running with enough power to load up. 13 years of continuous trouble free (hard) operation before it blew. To me, it was an amazing bulletproof little engine.