We have a Honda 6 and as such it is nice engine, pretty smooth and good power.
We have had a problem (Hull #29) with the hole not being quite big enough, however I gather from Bill that this has now been cured.
I have had two other problems with owning the 235.
Firstly to keep the warrantry you have to have it serviced by them (which puts the nett cost up quite a bit).
Secondly the in place flushing arrangements are almost laughable. The instruction manual tells you to take the propeller off every time you flush (to fix the hose to the engine intake). If you don't flush it rapidly salts up. We were told this instruction was to cover Honda against idiots who put the engine in gear while flushing (the propellor would hit the intake attachment), so we do flush with the propeller on! However it would be very difficult to flush effectively while the engine was on the boat and the boat afloat. You would also need a very copious supply of water as the hose attachment is just a clip on rubber 'mouth' and leeks a lot.
A final problem I have with the engine is that it is rather heavy (dissuading you from taking it off every time you sail).
In retrospect I would prefer that I had got a lighter albeit noisier engine, with an easy flushing arrangement (such as the old Mercury 2 stoke 4hp).
Nevertheless, it has pretty well allways started first or second pull and is very quiet and smooth.
Jim Hamilton
James Hamilton