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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Tohatsu 4 stroke outboards

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Steve Kostanich
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/19/2003 : 16:02:15

Anyone have any experience with the Tohatsu 4 stroke motor either 8hp or 9.8 hp? I just got a flyer from Boater's World, and they show a 9.8hp/25" shaft, electric start at 87 pounds. The 20" manual start is 83 pounds. These are pretty light as 4 strokes go, and the prices listed are $2124.95 and 1849.95 respectively, not bad either. BUT if they are basically junk and a continous headache, then they are worthless. What say you?

Steve Kostanich C-25 1119 Equinox sr/sk

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 16:22:04

Tohatsu and Nissan are basically the ob.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 16:53:02

This the brand new product that has been mentioned on this site. At last info the 9.8 will not ship for several more months. The big deal is the weight, Tohatsu/Nissan is a very respected engine. This will be a totally new product. In the computer biz we often wait for rev 2.0 or at least 1.1.1

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 17:34:46

The Tohatsu 9.8, 4 stroke, 25 inch shaft with electric start is what we are waiting on for our new boat. Our dealer has been using these on all the Catalina's he sells and has had no complaints. It is built by Nissan, as mentioned, but is a new light weight version. Expected delivery is late Jan. or earily Feb. Performance data will have to wait until then. One thing is for sure, on a 250 the xls is a must. I have my old sailmaster on the boat now (20" shaft) and a sharp turn, of any kind, will cause the motor to cavitate.

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 17:47:25

The cavitation in the sharp turn may not be from the prop coming out... In a sharp turn on the c250 the stern can turn so quickly that the prop now with the oncoming flow from the side instead of the front no longer has bite and cavitates.

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 23:58:19

Sounds reasonable, but it sure looks like the prop is saying I need water. In any case the xls should resolve this problem. I am getting anxious about getting the new motor and not so anxious about the time of the year it is scheduled to arrive. (IRS)

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2003 : 06:52:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by frog0911
 ...It is built by Nissan...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Historically, Nissan and Mercury 4-strokes have been built by Tohatsu (who also sold them under their own name). The main complaint had been weight--120# and up. Looks like the new models are really all-new, and will make them much more competitive. (I wonder when we'll hear about them from Mercury?)

I will add that Honda and Yamaha have been competing in this game for over 15 years now, and seem to have gradually arrived at roughly the same weights for their 8-9.9 4-strokes (both going up in weight). Either Tohatsu has a real breakthrough, or they have something that's gonna break! Maybe now we know why Honda has brought back the "Classic 8"...

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 11/20/2003 06:59:06

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2003 : 08:50:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">it sure looks like the prop is saying I need water<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Exactly... in the form of fresh water in front of the blades with some forward boat movement that will provide a bite into it.

Here is another example that almost everyone is familiar with. When backing down on an anchor... if the anchor sets well, the momentum of reverse motion will stretch the rode and when reverse momentum energy is exhausted, the stretched rode will pull the boat back forward while the prop is trying to bite in reverse... unable to bite, the prop cavitates.

The reverse cavitation is more noticable with a standard prop than a high thrust... and is really noticable on a motor that exhaust through the prop. Many of those motors have very little reverse thrust... this has been one of the questions that several of us have raised about the new Tohatsu motor... it hasn't been made clear yet if it has designed away from through the prop exhaust in reverse like Honda did.

Yamaha overcomes the need to redirect the exhaust by the sheer diameter of its blade which likely extends beyond the area of exhaust influence. Yamahas are very well thought of in regards to braking ability. The same is true for the new designed Honda. The old Honda 9.9 was not thought to provide adequate braking. Interestingly however, the Honda 8 Classic using the same prop diameter and pitch as the 9.9 provided very good braking because it did not use through the hub exhausting. The Nissan's have also been reported to have poor reverse thrust because of through the prop exhaust. I would want to know that this issue has been corrected before I would get excited about Tohatsu.

One last remark... Steve offered in his question that he was looking at two models, the xls electric start and the LS manual start. IMHO, if I were considering the LS, I would look very hard at the Honda 8 CLassic. The reasons are

<ul><li>its 4 lbs lighter </li><li>the shaft is 22.5 inches </li><li>its $200 cheaper </li><li> it has very good reverse thrust </li><li>it has great power</li><li>good fuel economy</li><li>a proven record of reliability</li><li>is very quiet</li></ul>

With all due respect to Don Peet who didn't have good fortune with this motors ease of starting, I have nothing but praise for the motor and its ease of starting which I characterized as being so easy that no electric start would ever be needed.

On the other hand, if I wanted an XLS, I would be very eager for something lighter than the Honda and Yamaha. I wouldn't care however if it had electric start. I got it for one reason... it was standard with the high thrust, high output alternator version. My 4 year old grandaughter likes to pull start the new Honda 8 and has no problem doing it.

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2003 : 15:38:32

We don't need any more doom and gloom with our new boat so hope this new motor is as advertised. We will just have to wait until the first of the year to find out. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise all will work out for the best.

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