Hi
I have recently taken over ownership of Evette 2 a seal Sinbad and love her to bits. The present Mariner 6- 2 stroke engine is well past its best and I would like advice from owners as I plan to replace it. I have found the present motor heavy and awkward to lift out the well-I am 63 years old with a poor back. I have also found it cannot push me through the water with wind and tide against me in a shallow choppy sea. Is that the nature of the boat cos it is light or the nature of my poor engine. Obviously size is an issue-the present mariner had its cavitation plate cut away to get it in the well. I am based at Bradwell marina. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hello,

If you don't have a 'sail drive' prop, I can recommend buying one. Mine was a significant improvement over the 'standard' prop that I had initially. 'Sail drive' propellers have a shallower pitch and blades of larger area than those fitted as standard, which are suited to faster speeds.

As you probably know, the sale of new two-stroke outboards was banned some years ago and the four-stroke replacements - though good - are heavier. Therefore, you probably can't replace your two-stroke engine with a lighter new engine with sufficient power, unfortunately. Perhaps the solution is to rig some sort of lifting mechanism?

Anthony Russell
235/02 Sea Wyche

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Thanks for that info-do I interpret that I will get more drive out of the same HP engine with a `saildrive`prop. Out of 77 reads is there only one reply-quite disappointing. Has no one with a Seal Sinbad replaced their engine-I find that hard to believe.

Tony Witcombe

Evette 2

Welcome to the PSSA forum, rogantony.
It's worth using the forum's very effective search facility [top right].
For example, just entering 'outboard engine' will produce a long list of past posts for you to review.
As with all search engines, it can pay to try a variety of search words and phrases related to your area of concern - try 'propellor' and 'outboard well', to name but two.
I'm sure that you'll find plenty of useful advice.
sincerely

Geoff Sheddick
Parker 27/146 "Stroller'

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hi i have a 6hp 4 stroke l/s tohatsu sail drive in mine pushes her along at 5kn no problem and does about 20nm for 10ltrs of petrol also charges the battery and not two heavy to lift out. seal sinbad no 354

Yes, you get better 'drive' from the same engine with a sail-drive prop. It effectively 'gears' the engine more appropriately for the type of boat - i.e. a displacement hull and quite heavy for the power of the engine. It isn't possible to reach the boat speed that the 'standard' prop is suited to.

The smaller pitch also allows a larger blade area. Both differences enable the engine to deliver greater force/acceleration within the limited speed range of the hull. When the boat is being slowed by steep seas, the sail-drive prop gets a better 'grip' and accelerates the boat back up to speed more quickly. It also makes the engine more responsive in low-speed manouevres.

Like Mick, I also have a Tohatsu 6hp 4-stroke with sail-drive prop. It weighs about 25kg. On my boat it uses far less fuel cruising at only 4 knots - about 0.6 litres per hour.

Anthony Russell
235/02 Sea Wyche

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many thanks for that info-very useful