2HP Honda

[Flat Iron]

Anyone ever try to install a front mounted auxiliary fuel tank connecter on one of these little engines?

I'm thinking I might buy a 2hp Honda but I want to hook it up to a 3 gallon auxiliary fuel tank and use it on my Coleman 16' flat back Scanoe.

When we're RVing and not using the C-Dory but car topping the Scanoe I also want long range all day/days cruising/exploring capability. My electric Minnkota just doesn't cut it if it's alittle breezy or choppy and you can forget the all day long range cruising for several days while in a camp site.

I like this 2hp Honda because of its 28lb. lightweight. The only other engine with both top tank and front auxiliary that I khnow of is a 2003 or newer 4hp four stroke Merc. but at 48lbs. it's a little to heavy for my requirements.

I was thinking of adding a small 3/8ths or so hydraulic connecter up front on the Honda which takes up very little room and T the fuel line. Similar hydralic type connections were used on the old Eska and Force engines for their fuel tanks.

Will the little Honda at only 3cc be able to draw fuel from a auxiliary fuel tank lets say 3 or 4' away from the engine or will it lose fuel line pressure at slow puttin or idle speed, or is that an issue? I have no idea....what ya think...anyone ever try this before?

Dan and Jan on Flat Iron

[Captains Cat]

Dan and Jan, if it had a fuel pump, which I don't think it has, it would work fine. From the specs I see on the website, it looks like a gravity feed from the tank to the engine so I don't think it will. Maybe someone knows something else, or maybe you could slightly pressurize the tank and pump it in.... If you do that, you'd have to put in a check valve above the "T" and below the fuel tank so that the bigger tank didn't fill and overflow the engine integral tank. Let us know how it turns out.

Charlie

[Chivita]

Dan,

Can't answer your question on actually plumbing the engine for an external tank, but I can tell you that the Honda 2 horse is quite economical. It is air cooled and gets a bit warm, so I would be careful about adding a connection that might leak fuel unnoticed onto a hot surface. You may be better of to just carry a one gallon gas can with a decent pouring spout, might be easier to stow and is more worry free.

We load and unload ours over the side of Chivita all the time with no hassles. It will push our 7'6" slat bottomed Zodiac loaded with 2 adults, two pre-teens and a Shelty at hull speed no problem. We hooked up a safety line for the loading and un-loading part as we like the motor and prefer it does not go for a swim. The motor is also small enough to mount on the edge of the splash well and hang down into the cockpit without touching the floor, hanging like this it stays out of the way. It also has a plastic prop that bounces off the dang rocks that I seem to find while landing on the remote islands up here.

One bit of warning though, make sure you close the air valve on the top of the gas cap before tilting the motor up or you'll test the spilled fuel on hot surface issue!

Then you'll have to cuss a bit.

Although this cussing does help clear the area of inquisitive bears, spouses don't tend to appreciate it.

[Flat Iron]

Thanks for the reply guys, and I thought about carrying a spare fuel can and the hot engine gas spill issue before. I guess I just didn't want to deal with trying to fill this little 2hp Honda engine with gas while bouncing around out in a chop. It only runs 55min. on full throttle...doesn't seem like much time to me but maybe I'm wrong

That 4hp Merc has both types, top and front but I didn't see how they had it connected, seemed like a pretty slick setup to me. Use the top tank for ship to shore and close in stuff and the front connecter for any long range all day cruising and exploring. I was wrong on the Merc weight, it's 55lb. not 48lbs. which I think I saw on a Yamaha web site.

If it wasn't for that darn Merc. weight I'd buy it since my Coleman Scanoe is 5hp rated....but I think that's 2 stroke weight they're talkin about... not 4 stroke...big difference on a canoe type craft.

I still think it might be possible to convert one of these little Hondas...maybe not though. I'll sit back and let everyone kick this discussion around longer...I'm in no hurry, looking way ahead to next summer already.

Dan and Jan on Flat Iron

[Chivita]

Good point on the full throttle issue, our Zodiac hits hull speed at about half throttle and opening it up any further does us no good. Not sure how well that air cooled Honda would handle full throttle for a long period of time. Sounds like a water cooled would have more options and last longer for what you are doing. The air cooled 2 horse Honda does not have a very long warranty compared to a water cooled either, but dang is it ever light!

[Pat Anderson]

Well, I'll let Bess-C Lyle pipe up here if he wants to, but the 2 hp 2 stroke always-in-go-forward mode Merc toasted the Honda 2 hp 4 stroke in the Great Prideaux Haven Drunken Dinghy Race - Lyle swears I jumped the gun, but hey, I didn't see him getting any closer in my rear view mirror...and at under $500 it was a fair bit less expensive...but of course not quite the mystique of the little Honda.

[Sea Wolf]

Dan and Jan-

Let me give you another approach to solving the problem:

Keep the trolling motor and battery.

Add a Honda 1000iA2 1000 watt inverter generator to back up the battery:

*********************************
1.8 hp single cylinder, Over head valve, air cooled

120 volt 1000 watt max (8.3 amp.)
900 watt rated (7.5 amp.)

12 volt DC direct output, 96 watt (8 amp.)

(will power a battery charger off the 120 volt, 8 amp output to produce 40 amps at 12 volts)

Recoil start

0.6 gal fuel tank, runs 3.8 hours at rated load, 8.3 hours at 1/4 load

17.7 x 9.4 x 15 inches

29 lbs.

Noise level: 59 db@ rated load, 56 db @ 1/4 load (very quiet).

2 120 volt outlet plugs, 1 12 volt output plug

2 units can be plugged together for 2000 watts

electronic circuit breakers

2 year warranty

Can be placed anywhere in your Scanoe for best weight/cargo balance

full inverter, clean sine wave output, will also run small microwave, heater, computer, fans, refrigerators, grills, blow dryers, blender, tv, stereo, etc.

WILL ALSO WORK ON YOUR C-DORY to charge batteries, operate the appliances above or anything else up to 900 watts, continuous.

Use also on your motorhome / camper and at home during power outages and emergencies for your freezer, refrigerator, or tv.)

This unit or the 2000 watt model is used my a great many motorhome folks because it is so much more quiet than their built-in units.

Very sought after, high resale value used (about $500).

Biggest problem is keeping it from developing wings and disappearing-- chain it down when you're not looking at it.

Cost: List about $900, available on the Internet new for $625 (what does your dealer want for the Honda 2 hp outboard?)

Don't know how many amps your trolling motor pulls at full speed ahead or at normal speed, but I have a 44 lb thrust engine mounted unit on the back of my Yamaha 90 that pulls 36 amps flat out. Will push the 3000 lb CD-22 at 1.5- 2 mph trolling speed at about 1/2 full speed ahead setting, approx 20 amps.

Figure 0.8 amp per pound of thrust. Find out how many lbs of thrust you have at max. and how much of that you usually use.

For example:

17 lb thrust motor usually used at 1/2 speed = 17 x 1/2 x .08 = 6.8 amps (average drain)

Generator will keep up with this on 12 volt output alone.

When you need full power, the battery will supply the full amperage, then be recharged when the trolling motor is using less power.

If you need more than the average 8 amp 12 volt output to stay even with your batteries, add a charger and work off the 120 volt output.

You'll still have to carry gas, but refilling will be possible at greater intervals and perhaps with the tank ahead of you rather than behind.

You'd need the optional battery charging cables also for about $25, or can make your own.

Plus you get a great generator for your C-Dory, camping, and home use.

Added bonus: you can play your electric guitar at 150db into the night around the campfire while sipping Jack Daniels and telling the admonishing your camping neighbors to shut up and go to bed!

What's not to like? Send cash, check or money order to.....................

I got the idea to do this from an experience with my son back in 1983 when we rented a square ended canoe on Maligne Lake in Jasper National part in Alberta. Had a 24 volt motor set up, but gradually got weaker during the day until about 4 pm.

They wouldn't allow any gasoline outboards on the lake, but would rent you the electric powered unit during the day and charge it with a portable generator during the late afternoon and evening.

Why not just put your own generator on board and charge as you go? Not a gas outboard, and no discharge into the water, which is what they were concerned about.

Later thought of buying an older used retractable keel sailboat with a small cabin, galley, and camping interior and stripping off the sailing hardware and using it as a trolling platform for trout fishing.

Easily driven hull form. Cheap investment (under $2000). Add battery pack, generator, and solar panels. Maybe electric downriggers, and some electrical convenience appliances.

Hmmmmm.......Environmentally friendly and can be used on lakes that don't allow internal combustion engines. Fun family boat for camping on the water, swimming, exploring, etc.

I have one of these Honda 100iA2 units and use it on my C-Dory just like proposed above (minus the solar panel) along with the main engine. Adds a whole new dimension to the C-Dory boating experience and fits out of the way under 1/2 of the dinette table when not in use, and up on the cooler at the rear of the cockpit when running, with the exhaust facing outward and down into the engine well. It's strapped down by 2 bungee cords. Not much more trouble than having another beer cooler aboard and just as much fun!

Just a thought! Joe.

[C-Hawk]

Dan,
We have a Honda 2 horse.
It works great just tooling around the harbor, or getting to shore when anchored out.
The fuel is gravity fed down from the tank.
I am looking for a good used 4 horse, due to the fact that the 2 horse left us sitting in one place in some of the currents while in the San Juans.

[Pat Anderson]

Roger - you missed the obvious solution - turn around and go the other way!

[C-Hawk]

Oh darn!! You mean I missed a great opportunity to cruise and sight see some more??!!

[teflonmom]

If pouring from a can is your problem just use a primer bulb from a remote tank set up. It would only take a few pumps to fill the Honda from any fuel container and you probably would not spill one drop.

[Sea Wolf]

Fred-

Good point about using a squeeze bulb and two sections of hose to refill the tank. This is how I refill my generator from the main tanks so I don't have to carry separate gas for it (somewhat dangerous and definitely inconvenient). Just drop the pick-up tube end down the intake of one of the main gas tanks and pump away until the small tank is filled. Joe.

[Fishin_Steve]

The Honda generator is 1000 watts max. It's not gonna give you 40 amps at 120v as that's about 5000 watts. But it would still give you enough to power your electric motor and give you a battery back up also!

[Sea Wolf]

Steve- Sorry if the statement was confusing!

As stated:

"(will power a 40 amp battery charger off the 120 volt output at 40 amps output)

Should read:

"will power a battery charger off the 120 volt output to produce 40 amps at 12 volts"

The Honda 1000 puts out 996 watts or 8.3 amps at 120 volts, max. It's rated at 900 watts or 7.5 amps. The 120 volt 7.5 amp output will drive a three stage 12 volt battery charger that will charge at 40 amps.

120 volts x 7.5 amps = 900 watts

and

12 volts x 40 amps = 480 watts

so the 40 amp battery charger uses only about 1/2 the available output of the generator, not considering the energy conversion and heat losses.

I'd guess it takes realistically about 700 watts to really produce the 480 watt or 40 amp output. Sorry for the confusion! Joe.

[New Hampshire Guy]

The Suzuki makes a 2.5hp that is water cooled but does not solve the remote tank issue, since it is self contained as well.
But watercooled, about the same weight, more HP, has actual shifting gears instead of the centripital clutch, 3 yr warranty Hmmmm.
For me I'd just struggle with the Honda.