2 stroke or 4

[swordfish25]

Need to up grade my motor. The question is 2 stroke or 4? I have a 14 ft almn. and need a 15 to 20 hp. Mecury would have been my choise, but they are tohatsu, which I know nothing about. Can you still get a 2 stroke, if so who makes it? Looking for a strong engine that is easy on gas. Any suggestions? Honds are out of my range.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: 2 stroke or 4

Just 4-stroke's. The current best 20 on the market would be the Tohatsu in terms of performance. The Honda has a longer warranty.

 

[pvanv]

Re: 2 stroke or 4

A 2-stroke will have to be a used unit. The new 4-strokes will be heavier (in general) but burn a lot less fuel, and be a bunch quieter. The Tohatsu/Nissan 20 is the best bang for the buck.

The 15's are nice, but since you can handle a 20, go the extra few bucks and get all the power available for the rating of your boat. Fuel economy will be about the same at cruising throttle, and you will appreciate the extra thrust.

There are many heated discussions about 2- vs 4-stroke on iboats and other forums, but in your size, a new unit will be a 4, due to the EPA.

 

[marquette]

Re: 2 stroke or 4

i agree about only being able to find a 4 stroke new unless you buy a package. check cabela's boat dept. yamaha still makes the 25hp & 50hp 2 stroke that if you buy a full package (boat,motor,trailer)that you can still get. i was told that there is a loophole in the EPA regs that allows packages but not individual sale of the motor.
i would check the weight between the 15/20/25 4 strokes. they vary a bunch from manufacturer to manufacturer. you might get a 25hp for about the same weight 15 depending on the manufacturer. in a 4 stroke since they idle so slow and smooth go for as much hp as is safe, legal and affordable.

 

[ziemann]

Re: 2 stroke or 4

If you look around, it is possible to find a dealer that is sitting on a non-current 2 stroke outboard that might meet your needs....but I wouldn't hold my breath.

I tend to agree with everyone else here- do some research on the Tohatsu/ Nissan/ Mercury outboards in that HP range. You will find that there are virtually no problems with those outboards. It is really rare to see someone with a problem in that horsepower range.

 

[swordfish25]

Re: 2 stroke or 4

Thanks for the reply. I did find a new 25 yahama 2 stroke but it weighs 30 lbs more than the 15. I just found out today that evenrude is making a 25 and 30 hp E/tec. They are due to be shipp any day. I don`t know the weight yet. Is is around $3000.