Which brand?

SPrice · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:40 am Post subject: Which brand?

Hello C-Brats,
Im looking at a 25' cruiser and thinking of re-powering with twin 90's.
When I travel to the Carribean, Bahamas, Central America, Mexico etc, all I see are Yamaha's. I was in Costa Rica last month and talked to fishermen and they were very satisfied with Yamaha's. Obviously the service network is geared toward Yamaha's.

I probably will not be motoring the 25' C-Dory cruiser to these destinations but I will stay in the Pacific Northwest and SE Alaska.

My needs are to have a fuel efficient motor, less costly maintenance and repairs and part availabilty.

2 stroke or 4 stroke?

I appreciate any and all input.

Happy New Year.

Scott

dotnmarty · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:00 pm Post subject:

Fuel injected four stroke. Take a ride up to EQ Marine and talk to Les. You'll get the facts. Let us know how it works out.

berryst · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:03 pm Post subject:

In Barrow Alaska the motors receive very harsh treatment. They almost all use Yamaha I,m told
That is what I would choose.
Chris

Dreamer · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:40 pm Post subject:

Yamaha's are the weapon of choice all along the E. coast of Vancouver Island, where we typically cruise. When asked, the owners cite a network of dealers and repair facilities as the reason. Makes sense to me.

NORO LIM · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:23 pm Post subject:

SPrice · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:57 pm Post subject: Which one?

Thank you for your input everyone.

Happy New Year.

Grumpy · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 2:22 pm Post subject:

Much as I love my Hondas, I can testify first hand to the problems associated with getting any work done on them as a transient once you are North of that dotted line on the water. Apart from the issues involved in getting Honda US and Honda Eh! to agree on warranty issues there are not that many dealerships and one of those is high on my list of scoundrels. Thumbs Down

M

hambone · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 2:31 pm Post subject:

starcrafttom · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 2:53 pm Post subject:

I had a 1000 hours plus on my honda 90 carb when i sold the boat and I expect to get even more from my honda 225. That said I would not get a honda FI 90 honda. I would go with the yamaha. I have been told from three different sources that work with or for guide lodges and guide boats that the honda Fi 90s are not lasting much more then 700 to 900 hours. Now given thats a lot of hours and its a great running motor. Also guides really work and abuse their motors, but the problems all seem to be the same and are occurring around the same hour time on the motors. Now thats just second hand word on the water but when every guide my three friends know have changed to yamaha in the last two years then that says something to me. The carb 90 was the go to motor for these guys but the Fi 90 is not holding up. just my 2cents

Matt Gurnsey · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:49 pm Post subject:

I would look at Suzuki for weight savings as far as four strokes. The Evinrude E-Tec 2 strokes have been great motors, and agian, light weight. The Yamaha 90 will have bigger alternator output than the Suzuki, may not be quite as much as the Evinrude.

Agree that who your local dealer is should be part of the equation- Not just anybody can work on today's engines, and you want a working relationship with your local dealer.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:54 pm Post subject:

Aurelia · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:53 pm Post subject:

Put a couple of the new Yamaha 70s on there! I would love to hear how good it works. Really!

Larry H · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:54 pm Post subject:

I got the same information about the Honda 90 FI motor as starcrafttom.

A water taxi operator in the Broughton Island area of BC reported that the motors are failing at about 750 hours.

The part that fails is the cam drive chain which then destroys the powerhead.

Reportedly, the commercial operators in that area are sticking with the carb Honda 90 or going to Yamaha.

20dauntless · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:08 pm Post subject:

Larry, had this water taxi operator personally experienced a failure or had he just heard of them?

Is the "cam drive chain" something that is supposed to be replaced or serviced periodically? I just looked in my owners manual, and found no mention of such a part.

Larry H · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:46 pm Post subject:

20Dauntless,

The person who spoke to me did not personally have a failure, but he reported that other commercial operators in his area, that he knows, have had failures. My source still runs the carbureted Honda 90's on his boats.

As I understand it, the new Honda 90FI is based on the Honda Fit engine, which has a chain driven cam. It is this cam drive that fails. My quess is that its because a horizontal engine was turned upright to create the outboard.

I am not a Honda expert, but I would like to hear more about exactly which parts are the problem.

Image from Honda Parts catalog.