Your choice of a boat motor will depend on your own needs and preferences. Whether you are using your boat for fishing, long-time cruising, or water sport, there is a perfect boat motor that works right for you.
There are several varieties of boat motors in the market. These include electrical boat motors, two-stroke outboards, and four-stroke outboards. Manufacturers commonly pre-package boats with the motor but you can choose the right horsepower that you need. Your boat motor should be able to give enough push, but too much power can also be more costly as it would need more fuel and could even be unsafe.
Honda, which builds 4-stroke outboard engines, warns that choosing the wrong horsepower engine for your boat could cause real dangers. Excess power means excess weight, it says, and hulls could break up or refuse to turn one way. They could even flip over and capsize.
What is most important is to always match the engine to the recommendations set by the boat manufacturer. Usually, the maximum rated power is stamped on the manufacturer's plate on the hull. Going beyond the maximum horsepower could be dangerous.
More on outboard motors
Outboard motors enable boats to propel through the water at fast speed. They are self-contained propulsion systems attached to a boat. These motors can either be powered by electricity or gasoline.
The electric-powered outboards are typically smaller with lower horsepower that gives boats a quieter ride. These types of outboards are more ideal for smaller watercrafts and fishing boats since a noisier boat could scare away fish.
More power also means more noise and this is something you have to accept with gasoline-powered outboard motors. Starting as low as two to three horsepower for smaller boats, engine power could go up into the hundreds for larger fishing boats. Some boats opt to put multiple outboards to increase power.
Gasoline-powered outboard motors come in two- and four-stroke engines. Four-stroke engines give a cleaner and smoother ride. Two-stroke engines are generally more powerful but they also bring more noise and cause more pollution. Certain areas only allow four-stroke engines because they are cleaner and quieter, one reason why marine engine manufacturers such as Honda and Mercury Marine are leaning more towards the four-stroke outboards.
For speedboats, however, the two-stroke engine still works best because it gives high performance and speed.
Taking care of outboards
Although outboard motors are designed to be sturdy and tough, they still need proper care and maintenance. Boat owners should especially watch out for heat and carbon build-up in their outboard motors.
They should make sure that the engine's cooling system is working properly to fight heat. Most outboard motors tend to flush the same water that is used to cool the engine. Additives can be put in the gasoline tank to reduce the carbon build-ups in the engine. Periodic servicing by a reliable mechanic will also ensure you of a longer-lasting outboard motor.
For more information about boat motors, you may visit BoatMotors.com (http://www.boatmotors.com), an affiliate site of the iBoats.com network. The site contains an extensive online inventory of boat motors from different manu
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