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Old 11-26-2009, 12:40 PM   #11
Marin
Scraping Paint
 
City: -
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
RE: New Dinghy motor questions!!!!!

Quote:
nomadwilly wrote:

And 4 stroke OBs are a fad.
Eric---

I'm not going to try to change your mind since you obviously believe what you believe.* But saying four-stroke ouboards are just a fad is sort of like saying jet engines are just a fad and soon we'll all come to our senses and go back to piston engines and propellers.

The issues are pollution and efficiency plus the elimination of the need to mix oil with the fuel.* That's what's pushed the move to four-stroke outboards in the first place, not some desire to be able to brag.* True, when the little four-stroke outboards first started appearing people who had them as sailboat engines and trolling motors made a big deal about that fact.* But today--- and I cannot speak for your neck of the woods--- from the conversations I've been in or have listened to, when someone says they have such-and-such an outboard, it's assumed by everyone in the conversation that it's a four-stroke.

The Yamaha dealer I use in Seattle for parts told me a few years ago that they don't* bother stocking two-stroke Yamahas anymore because hardly anyone even asks about them, let alone buys one.* The dealer will special order a two-stroke--- Yamaha still makes a full line of them---- but they don't want to tie up any money in stocking them.

I will agree with you that abandoning an older technology to chase something new just because it's new doesn't always make sense.* But most of the time, the newer technology offers benefits over the older technology.* The obstacle to its adaptation is not that the new technology is not worth pursuing, but because most people are inherently resistant to change.* If we followed your philosophy to the letter, we'd all be driving around behind a horse and cooking on a wood stove.* Or still using MS/DOS on our computers because ideas like Windows or Macs OS were of no benefit.

So based on what I see around me and what I hear, I would say that the two-stroke outboard is on the way out.* Some states like California are legislating it into history, but most people I know choose a four-stroke because they want the efficiency, less smoke and water pollution, and reduced noise.* The only reason I have heard anyone give these days for buying a two-stroke is the reduced weight for a given power rating.* They generally follow this by saying something like, "Yes, I know, it pollutes like hell and it's noisy and it smokes and I have to mix oil with the fuel.* I'd love to get a four-stroke but it's just too heavy."* (Or sometimes they say "just too expensive.")

It may be that people like tournament bass fishermen still prefer the big two-strokes because of their acceleration power, but I don't know anyone in that sport so I'm just speculating.* And Im not advocating that someone like Phil who has a two-stroke that works very well for him should run out and replace it with a four-stroke.* The trolling motor on our Arima is an old 1978 Evinrude 6hp two-stroke, although it needs to be replaced soon.* And I agree with his point about the advantage of using a type of motor that's popular in your area because parts and service will probably be easier to come by.* In this area, the two most popular brands are Yamaha and Honda, with Mercury a very distant third.* And almost everything I see in terms of what's on newer boats, large and small, is four-stroke.

It's been my experience that dinosaurs are pretty hardy creatures and can survive much longer than you would expect on regular water.* No need to use the expensive high-tech organic water.

*
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