I'm pleased your service regime works for you Llafurio!
Draining the carb is very good, but can be fiddly/tricky. I do wish they'd make it easier, and fit something like a central heating radiator air vent cock.
My practices re the Honda 2.3 are based on advice received from a " certain Honda 2.3 specialist based in W Midlands " who I have spoken to and dealt with several times. Excellent, but can be difficult to pin down sometimes. See...
https://forums.ybw.com/threads/honda-2-3-outboard.568523/Generally, I try to avoid spending too much money with Main Dealers, and tbh, I have to. (I recall the Honda outboard dealers were £70/hour, bloke in a shed in a field...) be they cars or boats/engines. The majority of my experience has proven that what they really want to do is sell, rather than service, and especially rather than fix/mend!
5 years of MD servicing on a small Honda motor (to preserve "warranty") costs approx 75% of a new motor. And that's with me delivering/collecting my motor from their premises.
I've had bad experiences with both Honda and VW (eg £100s of diagnostics fees on a GTi, no fix!) Car main dealers and very much prefer strong independents.
