Honda Outboard - Information from NETWORK YACHT CHANDLERS

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Honda Outboards, Spares, Parts & Accessories Honda Outboard Engines have proven their performance and reliabiliy over 35 years. Honda spares are readily available from a large network of dealers. Honda offer a 6 year warranty on all new engines. Honda genuine spare parts are also readily available from Honda dealers. Providing the best products, ensuring minimum impact to the environment, and the most comprehensive and worldwide after sales and back-up system. Your enjoyment is paramount to us and by choosing Honda products, we know that we are helping you into safe and reliable hands. CLICK HERE TO BUY A HONDA OUTBOARD NOW	All About Honda... The introduction of the first Honda 4-stroke outboard engine in America was way back over 40 years ago. Even then, Honda outboards were well ahead of their time. Today they lead the way in outboard engineering innovation with precision engineered engines built to remarkable standards. It is no suprise then that Honda has become the largest engine manufacturer in the world, with a passion for perfection spread throughout the company. When we chose an engine here at Network Chandlers we had no doubt that Honda outboards would lead the way. Honda also supports cutting edge research that is continually yielding more firsts in robotics, hydrogen fuel cells, racing technology and new types of lightweight jet engines. Is it any wonder that Honda outboards are so technologically advanced? But dont ake our word for it, ask the National Marine Manufacturer's Association who has awarded Honda Marine "Best in Customer Satisfaction" awards for four years in a row. Now Honda Outboard Motors come as standard with a 6 year warranty. When choosing a power source for your boat, Honda outboard engines deliver the power, fuel efficiency and reliability that will enhance your boating experience for many years to come. To get a special discounted quote for any HONDA OUTBOARD ENGINE, please contact our sales team by clicking HERE, or by telephone on 01492 572777
Choosing the right Horsepower Choosing the right horsepower engine for your boat is crucial to ensuring a safe and balanced boating package. In most cases there is a choice of engine size for a particular hull with a minimum and a maximum rating within the safety guidelines. These recommendations should be strictly observed. Whilst horsepower is a direct measure of the power of the engine, be aware of the power-to-weight ratios of the engines, something which makes the Honda engines the leaders in their class. By increasing the horsepower of the engine, you will also alter the weight that is sitting on the aft of your transom which can severely affect the handling of your boat. Also be aware that Honda rates their engines horsepower at the propeller shaft of the gearbox, a much truer reflection of their actual performance than the older way of measuring the horsepower at the engine itself. There are very real dangers in choosing the wrong horsepower engine. Excess power can mean excess weight: hulls have been known to break up, or refuse to turn one way. At full power they have been known to flip over backwards or ride on their chime and capsize. Hulls of similar length, but of different design and purpose, may well be fitted with different sized engines. The power recommendation for one 5.5m boat may be between 90 and 200 hp; on another craft between 75 and 115. One may be designed for speed, the other for cruising. The first thing to check is the maximum horsepower rating of your boat that should be clearly stated on the VIN or HIN plate on the boat which is usually somewhere toward the aft of the vessel - often with the CE marking plate and load capacity details. This will give you the limit of horsepower for your craft which should not be exceeded for obvious safety reasons. Depending on the type of craft (sports/planing/cruising/fishing/inflatable/sailing), your choice will usually be close to, but normally under, this figure. For example, a 6 metre Sportsboat with a maximum horsepower rating of 110hp, may well be suited to a 90hp engine, whereas a small dory craft with a maximum hp rating of 25hp, may well be adequately powered by a 10hp engine, depnding on its use. General guidelines are as follows: 2.3hp - Tenders Only 5hp - Larger inflatables and rigid hulled craft < 3.5m 8hp & 10hp - Planing sportsboats <4m, cruising/fishing craft < 4.3m, sailing craft < 7m 15hp & 20hp - Planing Sportsbaots/RIBs <4.3m, Cruising/Fishing craft <4.5m 25hp & 30hp - Planing Sportsboats/RIBs <5m, Cruising/Fishing craft <4.5m 40hp & 50hp - Planing Sportsboats/RIBs < 5.5m, Cruising/Fishing craft < 5.5m 75hp & 90hp - Planing Sportsboats/RIBs <6.5m, Cruising/Fishing craft < 6.5m 115hp % Above - for craft 7metres in length and over, we advise that specialist technical advice is sought as many factors will affect your choice of engine. Call us for assistance. If you are not sure of what you may require, bearing in mind the implications of rigging & controls, shaft length etc., please feel free to phone or e-mail us and we can advise you of your options. We are happy to offer a commission and installation service at greatly reduced costs. Contact us to learn more.	Choosing the correct Shaft Length Selecting the correct shaft length is critical to the correct matching of boat and engine for safety and efficiency. Honda engines come in a range of different shaft lengths to enable the boater to select the correct engine for their particular craft. Choosing the wrong shaft length will severely affect the performance of the boat. For example, if a long shaft is fitted to a short transom the propeller will be too deep in the water. The engine will probably operate but its efficiency would suffer and excessive fuel would be used trying to drag the lower unit through the water. Conversely, if a short shaft engine were fitted to a transom requiring a long shaft the propeller would be too high, and cut through air and water, possibly causing damage to the engine. Cavitation may occur when making turns. Measure the distance from the top of the transom mounting to the lowest point of the hull at the transom. This distance should generally match the distance between the highest point on the bmounting bracket and the cavitation plate of the engine. (see diagram)
Choosing a Starting System There are two different methods, recoil and electric. Some smaller engines are only available with recoil starters, purely because the weight and complexity of the system would not be feasible. Likewise, the torque necessary to start a very large engine would similarly prohibit a manual recoil start. Fortunately, the manual recoil start on modern Honda outboards bears little resemblance to the traditional picture of pull-starting and engine with teeth gritted and fingers crossed. Due to advances in engine management and choke systems, Honda outboards are as easy to start as they are fun to own. The two modes are briefly explained below. Recoil Start Recoil start is a manual process, this works by the user pulling a starter cord that is attached to the engine that leads to a start in the engine cycles. The advantage of a recoil start is that it reduces the weight of components, is lower in acquisition cost and removes the need to carry a battery on board for engine starting. Recoil start is normally found on smaller horsepower engines where less effort is required. Honda Four Strokes are very easy to start this way, our new BF8 and 10 have been uniquely designed to start first time with only a one-handed pull on the cord, taking the effort out of this starting system. Electric start. As it sounds, the engine is connected to a battery and starts on the turn of a key on a control box- just as you would have on a car. This is a standard feature on all our engines greater than 30 horsepower. Electric start is also an option on the rest of the range as low as 8 horsepower. Our smaller horsepower models feature tiller handled electric start that works from a button on the tiller arm rather than through a remote control box. Electric start models require a battery to make them operate. The battery is not included in the package, but can be supplied if your boat does not already have one. CLICK HERE TO BUY A HONDA NOW	Engine Installation The installation of your engine is critical to its ability to perform its function on your boat. At best, an improperly installed engine will have limited performance, and higher fuel consumption. A worst case scenario could result in the engine disappearing off the back of the boat altogether! Ensure that the horsepower of the engine is within recommendations and that the length of the shaft is correct for your boat (see above).Once these factors are confirmed, the installation can commence. General Install the outboard at the stern on the centre line of the transom (See diagram). Ensure that the boat is well balanced. As a general rule the outboard should be installed so the anti-cavitation plate is parallel to the bottom of the boat. The water level must be at least 100mm (3.9 inches) above the anti-cavitation plate with the motor not running, otherwise the water pump may not receive sufficient cooling water, and the engine will overheat. If the height is too low, the idle port could go underwater, causing engine damage or hard starting.
Motor Attachment While operating the boat, check the tightness of the clamp screws occasionally. Re-check after first 15 minutes running during each use. Tie a strong rope through the hole on the stern bracket and secure the other end of the rope to the boat. This will prevent accidental loss of your engine. 1. Attach the stern bracket to the transom and tighten the clamp screws. 2. If the outboard requires bolts follow the diagram above. Apply a silicon sealant to the outboard motor mounting holes. 3. Set the outboard on the boat and secure with the bolts, washers and lock nuts.	Propellers - working them out... The propeller delivers the thrust to push the hull of the boat through the water. The size, shape and number of blades on the propeller will have to be selected to suit the size of engine and the shape and weight of the hull if the boat is to reach the design speed. Choosing the right propeller will give:- * A comfortable ride * High performance * Higher speeds * Economic fuel consumption * Optimum engine rpm * Better acceleration If the wrong propeller is fitted you get:- * A bumpy ride * Lazy performance * Inferior speeds * Problems plaining * Higher fuel consumption * Poor engine rpm * Restrained acceleration Generally, on smaller horsepower outboards the standard propeller that is supplied with the engine is suitable for most applications . If a different propeller is needed Honda have a range of propellers available - e-mail or phone us if you need assistance. On larger horsepower engines the propeller will need to be matched directly with your boat and application. Our largest engines are supplied with a choice of aluminium propellers. In case of unforeseen circumstances it makes sound marine sense to carry a spare propeller at all times. Points to take into consideration when choosing alternative propellers include: * Type of boating you do (fishing, water-skiing, cruising, inland navigation…) * The size and weight of your boat * Your Honda engine horsepower * The performance you expect to achieve Pitch and Diameter Getting the correct pitch and diameter of your prop will depend on the boat and engine combination. * - Pitch- Imagine a corkscrew turning and driving itself into the cork of a bottle. Each full rotation will drive it down the distance that it takes the tip of a section of the blade to complete a rotation of 360 degrees. Take any propeller and stand it on a flat surface. Walk it, by hand through 360 degrees following the path of one blade tip and measure the distance it walks along the flat surface. That is the pitch. This information will be stamped on the propeller along with the diameter. In theory, one revolution of the propeller will move the boat through the water the distance of the pitch. However, in reality the blade is moving through water which acts as a lubricant and allows the blade to slip. * - Diameter- The diameter of the propeller chosen for an outboard engine will fall within a fairly small band. Depending on the size of the engine the propeller drive shaft will be a specified distance from the anti-cavitation plate. So a propeller can be selected with a slightly different diameter for the same amount of pitch, depending on application. A slightly larger diameter will increase the thrust from a propeller of similar pitch. The blades will be larger and therefore have more contact with the water. Both diameter and pitch must be taken into account when selecting a propeller. Setting up the propeller Put the boat in the water with its normal load and, assuming the engine is run in, take it up to maximum speed. The tachometer reading should be at or near to the Honda maximum recommended rpm. If the engine is revving above this level a propeller with an increased pitch or diameter is needed. As a general rule, a difference of 1 inch of pitch can alter the engine speed by as much as 300 rpm. A propeller with a larger pitch will reduce the top rpm, wheras the lower a pitch will increase the rpm. Continuous excessive revs can cause serious damage to an engine. Serious damage can also be caused when a propeller of too large a pitch is used, especially when the engine is under load. CLICK HERE TO BUY A HONDA NOW

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Honda Outboard Engines

Honda Outboard - Information