What SIB please?

[rogerblack]

The Thames would be good to get to know your setup before heading offshore. You need to register if using the non-tidal section. You can buy a day, week or month 'visitor' registration at a manned lock, details here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ember-2019

For the tidal section of the Thames no registration is required, apart from the short stretch between Teddington Lock and the Port of London Authority’s boundary. Details here:

https://www.boatingonthethames.co.uk/

You can search on here if you need info on launch sites, or for specific areas just ask.

Hope this helps.

[Rossa]

Thanks, was going to get an annual registration as will probably use on and off for at least 6 months of the year

[Martin]

When I tried lifting a 15hp on my own I decided it may be a bit of an issue due to the weight so got a fantastic deal on a mariner f9.9.

Have you tried lifting the Mariner yet , @harrison will advise better but i'm sure he said the mariner was weighted without the tiller fitted and mariners weight was a dry weight..
You may find the Suzuki is actually lighter and that'll give you upto 20hp and 300+ cc's for the same weight.

Martin

[harrison]

Yeah, quite correct @Martin , I did have a minor rant about the weight of me new motor....and as you asked, I’m gonna bore ya all with the details.

First though, Rossa has purchased a Mariner 9.9 and, as far as I know, there is nothing to suggest this will be much different to the manufacturers stated 38kg weight. My observations are limited purely to the new Merc/Mariner 20 efi’s.

As we all probably know, the advertised figures are always the dry weights of the lightest model in the range....so no fluids, short shaft, manual start, tiller, and manual tilt/trim. Some manufacturers may cheekily not include the prop (allegedly).

So the manufacturers advertised weights for the latest crop of 20 efi’s are;
Tohatsu 43kg
Suzuki 44kg
Merc/Mariner 45kg
Personally not too bothered if they’re not exactly as stated, as long as they’re all relative.

Was a little taken a back with the weight when mine arrived, but thought hey, just getting old. Closer inspection showed it’s plated at 47.5kg. Bit strange methinks seeing it’s the lightest in the range and widely advertised by Merc/Mariner at 45kg.

Since found out Merc have a cunning plan. It appears they may have a lighter model in the range....short shaft, manual start, manual tilt/trim and, wait for it, remotes....so no tiller. Bearing in mind how big and heavy the new fancy tiller is, certainly worth omitting this from the equation. Cheeky or what.

Just for clarification, my motor with fluids and prop is around 49kg.

So anyone thinking of a new Merc/Mariner....you’ll need at least three Weetabix for breakfast.

[Andy]

Wow ! Not exactly portable !

[ChrisParish]

For some reason manufactures seem to think that if it can be lifted by a human being without the aid of an engine crane then it is “portable”. It’s portable in the same way a static caravan is a caravan - it has wheels and can be moved, but you aren’t going to be towing it to France.

My Suzuki is a bit lighter, and being a big guy I can lift it without any problem. However my dad and my brother can’t lift it into the car.

[Alan]

I have the 20 hp Mercury EFI and while as a 65 year old with a replaced hip and stroke about 7 years ago it takes all of my strength to put it on the stand or back of a van. My young strong 30 year old son -in-law has no problem but would not want to carry it over 20 meters. I use a traditional engine stand for maintenance such as winterization the a small cart shown for transport around the cottage and setting on the transom. All Shown below. It's not perfect but works for someone who had not thought the weight issue through completely before buying a new 20hp outboard.

[Deford]

That trolley looks interesting. Any more details? I have the same engine and same problem lifting.

[Alan]

The 20 hp Mercury short weight is at the upper side if it's capability. It works well on hard surfaces and moderately firm surfaces but like anything without balloon tires it will sink in soft sand. The interesting thing is that by assembling it for removal from the transom in a tilted position. When it is time to reinstall to the transom you can simply remove the handle and tip down and back onto the boat transom. It's much easier to tip than lift. That is one major advantages of a 2 piece system. Also, you may not have noticed that the handle has two small wheels out at the outside of the grips. These wheels allows it to be directly tipped into the back of a van and rolled inside on the carpet using the handle wheels and full size wheels. Simply picking up the bottom leg and push. I am afraid the cart may not be stable enough to start and run the motor with a water hose on land so I have the traditional outboard stand for working on the motor. I saw homemade versions of this cart online from Russia. I was designing simple plans for a build when I saw it could now be purchase. At 65 and working, the Money-Time -Energy equation was favoring purchase over build.