Best outboard for BR17 - suggestions please

[Mrs Chippy]

Hi - looking for advice on what is a good outboard motor for a BR17. We are taking delivery of our new boat early next year (yay)  Any advice on size, make, model, 2 stroke/4 stroke, weight etc would be much appreciated. Our current boat has a Honda 2.3. 4 stroke that is very reliable and light, but would it be powerfrul enough to push along a BR17 if required? Thanks

[david]

Hi
      I have the Bayraider 20. My 2 horse Honda does just fine for me.

[Graham W]

The answer depends on where you are using your boat.  I see that tidal currents around  NZ are mostly moderate by global standards, with a 1-2m range and 1 knot flow (approximately).  On that basis, your 2.3 ought to be up to the job for the BR17 and its lightness is an advantage when sailing - you should avoid too much weight in the stern.

In the British Isles and NW France, tidal range can be enormous, with flows to match.  Trying to punch through a 6 knot current and short choppy sea might need something bigger.  Either that or better passage planning to avoid getting into that situation in the first place!

We're not allowed to buy new 2 strokes over here any more - they were judged not to meet emission standards.

[Peter Cockerton]

Hi - looking for advice on what is a good outboard motor for a BR17. We are taking delivery of our new boat early next year (yay)  Any advice on size, make, model, 2 stroke/4 stroke, weight etc would be much appreciated. Our current boat has a Honda 2.3. 4 stroke that is very reliable and light, but would it be powerfrul enough to push along a BR17 if required? Thanks

Mrs Chippy

Graham has made the point well on having sufficient power to push along the Bayraider 17 one other consideration which is very important to other members (please see the numerous postings on outboards already posted in the forum) is the reverse function. I use the honda 2.3 on my Bayraider 20 GRP and this outboard will rotate the 180 degrees required to have a reverse function, if you don't know if this will work on the Bayraider 17 it might be a good idea to find out before relying on existing unit and possible choice on a replacement.

Peter

You may want to consider the extra drag from your "pig stick" and pennant (he he ha ha) as well.

[Mrs Chippy]

Thanks for that. I will read up some of the previous posts on the forum as well. Our tides range from about 1.8 to 3 metres in the Hauraki Gulf, tidal flows are about 1-2 knots in the channels. It sounds like the 2.3 Honda is certainly worth a trial.
Enough about the pigstick already! I love it and my pennant. Cheers Mrs Chippy

[Jonathan Stuart]

I believe the Honda 2.3hp and Suzuki 2.5hp are the only 4 stroke outboards that will rotate in the BR20 outboard well to reverse without having reverse gear. I assume they will also rotate in a BR17 but that's worth checking. The Suzuki 2.5hp easily pushes a BR20 at 4.5 knots so, as already mentioned, whether you need more than this will depend on what tides, etc, you expect to push against.

[Mrs Chippy]

Thanks again - does anyone know if you can rotate a 2.3 Honda in a BR17? Who would I check with? I currently have a longshaft Honda 2.3 that I can convert to a short shaft for less than buying a new motor but would like to know if it is going to perform well first.

[Graham W]

I'm sure that Matt Newland or Andrew Denman will know the answer to that one.  Andrew knew all about how to shoehorn a Mariner 6 into my BR20.

[Matt Newland]

Hello,
Yes, you can fully rotate the smallest outboards (honda 2.3 or suzuki 2.5) in the BR17 outboard well.
Hope this helps.
Matt

[david]

Long shaft maybe an issue. I have the short shaft Honda 4 stroke. Not sure if a long shaft will pull up through the hull. You will need someone more knowledgeable than me on that one.

Regards,

David.

[Graham W]

David has a point - if the little Honda is anything like the little Suzuki, a long shaft will be too long to tilt up out of the water without the propeller fouling the back of the outboard well slot.

[Jonathan Stuart]

Outboard related questions have come up a number of times so I have written a web site article called "Choosing an Outboard Engine" that includes the advice I have found in various forum posts. This is available in the Library section. So far only BayRaiders are covered so if anyone can tell me their recommendations and advice for other boats then I will add that too.

[david]

Here is a photo with the outboard pulled up for sailing. Got to love the weather here in California. This was last weekend! A great, lazy day out on the water.

Regards,

David.

[retired2sail]

I keep a BR17 on the River Fal at St Just.  When I bought the boat 2 years ago, I decided to go for ample power and went for a 5hp so that I can motor comfortably up and down the estuary if I want to.  I went for a Suzuki based on a comparison in Practical Boat Owner.  I could have opted for a 4HP but it is virtually the same engine as the 5HP - same size, same weight.  It also has provision for an external fuel tank as standard which the 4hp does not.  It is possible to upfit the exernal fuel tank connection to the 4hp but the extra cost takes it to about the same price as the 5hp.  There are no issues fitting the Suzuki 5hp to the BR17.
I keep my boat on a swinging mooring and usually leave it ballasted for stability.  If I want to drain the ballast using the self-bailer, it takes about 15-20 mins motoring around at about half throttle.  Attached are photos of the installation.