Be careful with the dry starts since even though the engine is air cooled the exhaust is water cooled and the seals are water lubricated. A number have burned out their exhaust and shaft seals by dry starting them. You spin it 180 to reverse like most other 2 to 3 hp motors. When you do that on the Honda the kickup gets locked out so the motor won't pop up out of the water in an emergency. Again this outboard is not designed to run dry as the exhaust/lower seals are water cooled. Best!
@@fishingwithvance COVID put a damper on my use (too many who'd normally assist with launching unfortunately took risks coming down with COVID multiple times and still haven't fully recovered) so I've also have not been out as much as I'd liked despite our year round boating/fishing season here. I'm considering getting something a bit more stable than a kayak like a light micro skiff that an elderly person could more safely launch by themselves. Being able to get out with something that sips fuel when I'm not feeling up to working the sails was the thought when I purchased the little Honda. I subscribe to the Amherst Lighthouse philosophy... "A bad day fishing is better than a good day mowing the lawn." Had too many good days mowing the lawn lately. ;> Best!
The flat anti-cavitation plate (just above the propeller) should be about an inch below the keel depth of the boat. Any deeper and the boat may becomeunblanced as the engine tries to put the stern down and the bow up. (Any shallower, and the prop will not be in clean water, and may even break the water surface).
Thanks for the review. I just bought this based on your’s and other’s reviews. I took it out today for the first time and it fired right up. However, I noticed the engine vibrates more than every outboard I have ever owned. Like my throttle hand was tingling after 5 minutes at half power. Does yours have a vibration? I’m just trying to figure out if it’s just my unit or that’s haw it runs. Thanks!
Thanks for watching and the question. I have not noticed the amount of vibration you describe. It does vibrate no question about it but nothing I noticed. The Pelican doesn't help matters with the flex issue when running an outboard like that. I do like how it starts every time. Good Luck. Fish on!
Thank you! I think I have a lemon. However, I’m thankful for the 5 year warranty . When I find out the problem I’ll circle back for the benefit of your viewers.
Thanks very much for watching and for taking the time comment. I plan to use it much more this season so if you have any additional questions, I would be happy to help. Fish on!
Really appreciate your insight. I bought a 10’ last fall and have been worried about getting stuck out with just the trolling motor. Adding this for Primary movement especially on a River (I’m near the Potomac) or bigger lake would give me piece of mind. Just an old guy fishing alone. Thanks
Sorry for slow response. I like the motor. It works well. Runs me around the lake at about 5mph. I'm a bigger guy so not too bad. I love that it only weighs 30lbs. It seems to move at the same speed at half throttle as full speed. Never ran it on a river so can't speak to that. It runs about 4 or 5 hours of fishing no problem. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching.
Nice! I would spend an extra $500 to get the BF5, since it has reverse gear and twice the horse power, and if you decide to upgrade to a 12ft-14ft aluminum jon boat in the future, the BF5 can still move you up and down the river.
Not familiar with the BF5. I need something light so I can get it on and off my boat. Bad back drives that decision. I dont like the no reverse thing though. Thanks for watching. Fish on!
I have the same motor and same year. Runs great. I do have two major issues with this outboard. The method you use to check oil level doesn’t work when the motor is on your boat! Out in daylight it is impossible to get a reading from the oil level site. If you plan on keeping your boat and motor at a marina slip then avoid this model Honda. I periodically take my motor off and set it up on my motor Mount in my garage in order to check oil level. Every third time I use it. Not ideal. A simple dip stick would eliminate this issue. My second issue is the owners manual states that you need to have the motor absolutely level or you will get an incorrect reading from their oil site thing. Problem is my boat transom is plumb to the water or in other words at a 90 degree angle from the water. The motor does not have a trim setting that gets it to level. Needs on more notch Honda engineers! Besides these glaring issues, this is a good little engine, even if it is made in China
Just thought I'd let you know that the motor will start if it is set just above idle but before the clutch kicks in. That way when you start it it won't try to take off. Experiment with how far above idle to go, you'll see what I mean @@fishingwithvance
So far so good on this little guy but I haven't really tested it yet in the river. Next year, I have to put on my big boy pants and get out there. Thanks for watching T. Fish on!
Vance , I'm thinking two trolling motors and two batteries. Only because I don't want to get stuck if something goes wrong. I have a 29 battery and a minn kota 40. I'm thinking another 40 minncota and a 35 Amp hour battery. So my question to you is gas or two trolling motor and batteries. Thanks.
I have been running the two trolling motor option on longer trips or if I have two guys in the boat. I only used one battery though. The two trollers worked great as long as we didn't run them at the same time. However, I only had one battery so I would think two would be work just fine. I think it probably depends on type of body of water. I want to start fishing rivers so I thought I would need more power. The 55 lb minn kota did just fine for me in most lakes. Thanks for watching Clint. Fish on!
Thanks very much for watching and the feedback. I agree a tripod would be much better for garage vids. Have to get over being on camera. I'll get there. Thanks again for watching. Fish on!
For reverse, don't you just rotate the motor 180 degrees? And the motor would be much quieter if it were in the water since it 'exhausts' under the water.
You are correct about the "reverse" option. Not optimal but it works. I don't notice it being much less noisy in the water. Not a big deal but it is noisy. Thanks for watching and Fish on!
I like it very much. Haven't used it as much as I thought I would be that is on me. It has started every single time I have tried to start it. Fish on!
Yes it needs to be in some water which I verified with the local mechanic when I asked why he put it in the tank to verify its operation before my taking delivery. While there is no water pump to cool the engine, the exhaust is water cooled and the seals will burn out if you run them dry as others have already found out the hard way. Best!
Great review. It seems like a perfect motor for the PBR10. 30lbs is nice, $900 is a really good price. If they had a resolve for the negatives you mentioned, it might have cost you $3,000 to $5,000. I would imagine you would still use your minn kota to bring the boat into a dock. You don't need a big gas can to have to lug around on the boat since the tank itself is so small. I think it's a great motor. Hopefully you'll have more of a chance next season to use it more. Thanks for the review. If you don't get a chance to put out anymore content before Christmas, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! I plan to fish more next year (mostly from the bank) but in 2024 I'll be getting a boat of somekind and I am sure I'll be rewatching a lot of mod vids. Fish on!!!
We pretty much used the trolling motor like you said DT for getting in. I'm not use to the Honda yet but next year, I'm gonna use it much much more. Gotta expand my fishing adventures to new places and go after some new fish. I'll be ready for that DT starter kit once you are ready in 2024. People sure like that sticker you gave me a few years back so thanks again for that. Merry Christmas to you as well Duane to you and your family. I'm going to really try to keep putting out content on a more regular basis to see if I can get some traction on the channel. Thanks again and Fish on!
@@fishingwithvance infamous Honda oil leak plus dying when I would open it up. I'm sure it's something I can play with, but with the price you pay for them, there shouldn't be those issues
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Be careful with the dry starts since even though the engine is air cooled the exhaust is water cooled and the seals are water lubricated. A number have burned out their exhaust and shaft seals by dry starting them.
You spin it 180 to reverse like most other 2 to 3 hp motors. When you do that on the Honda the kickup gets locked out so the motor won't pop up out of the water in an emergency.
Again this outboard is not designed to run dry as the exhaust/lower seals are water cooled.
Best!
Thanks for the info Neil. So far I like the motor very much. Haven't used it as much as I hoped but season is early. Fish on!
@@fishingwithvance COVID put a damper on my use (too many who'd normally assist with launching unfortunately took risks coming down with COVID multiple times and still haven't fully recovered) so I've also have not been out as much as I'd liked despite our year round boating/fishing season here. I'm considering getting something a bit more stable than a kayak like a light micro skiff that an elderly person could more safely launch by themselves.
Being able to get out with something that sips fuel when I'm not feeling up to working the sails was the thought when I purchased the little Honda.
I subscribe to the Amherst Lighthouse philosophy... "A bad day fishing is better than a good day mowing the lawn." Had too many good days mowing the lawn lately. ;>
Best!
FYI, Just need to push the red button to stop the engine. No need to remove the landyard clip each time. Good video. 😊
Sweet. Learned something. Thanks. Fish on!
I have one on a inflatable. I just tip it up out of the water to start it so it don't take off.
That's a great tip Drummer. I will definitely try that this season. Thanks for watching and for the input. Have a great season.
Cool review. Helped me a lot with my decision to buy my first boat! :)
Thanks very much. Enjoy your new boat. Have fun and Fish on!
Thank you, great video. Just curious... what is the marine battery you have used for?
For my tolling motor and Lowrance. Thanks for watching.
Warming it up before backing it into water might keep it from engaging the clutch at high idle??
Not sure. I'll try that. Thanks for watching.
Hi, I don't see the water mark on the shaft. how deep is too deep for the shaft?
Not sure about what is too deep. I got the shorter version.
The flat anti-cavitation plate (just above the propeller) should be about an inch below the keel depth of the boat. Any deeper and the boat may becomeunblanced as the engine tries to put the stern down and the bow up. (Any shallower, and the prop will not be in clean water, and may even break the water surface).
Thanks Trevor. Good information.
Thanks for the review. I just bought this based on your’s and other’s reviews. I took it out today for the first time and it fired right up. However, I noticed the engine vibrates more than every outboard I have ever owned. Like my throttle hand was tingling after 5 minutes at half power. Does yours have a vibration? I’m just trying to figure out if it’s just my unit or that’s haw it runs. Thanks!
Thanks for watching and the question. I have not noticed the amount of vibration you describe. It does vibrate no question about it but nothing I noticed. The Pelican doesn't help matters with the flex issue when running an outboard like that. I do like how it starts every time. Good Luck. Fish on!
Thank you! I think I have a lemon. However, I’m thankful for the 5 year warranty . When I find out the problem I’ll circle back for the benefit of your viewers.
Good luck. Hope it all gets worked out.
Good concise review. Answered my questions.
Thanks very much for watching and for taking the time comment. I plan to use it much more this season so if you have any additional questions, I would be happy to help. Fish on!
Did Honda use the GX 160 Engine to put this together .
I'm sorry I don't know that.
Really appreciate your insight. I bought a 10’ last fall and have been worried about getting stuck out with just the trolling motor. Adding this for Primary movement especially on a River (I’m near the Potomac) or bigger lake would give me piece of mind. Just an old guy fishing alone. Thanks
Sorry for slow response. I like the motor. It works well. Runs me around the lake at about 5mph. I'm a bigger guy so not too bad. I love that it only weighs 30lbs. It seems to move at the same speed at half throttle as full speed. Never ran it on a river so can't speak to that. It runs about 4 or 5 hours of fishing no problem. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching.
There is no reverse gear, but the engine can rotate 360 degrees. The reason why the handle is tilted back is for reverse.
Yes, you can move the handle to go in reverse. Thanks for commenting.
Nice! I would spend an extra $500 to get the BF5, since it has reverse gear and twice the horse power, and if you decide to upgrade to a 12ft-14ft aluminum jon boat in the future, the BF5 can still move you up and down the river.
Not familiar with the BF5. I need something light so I can get it on and off my boat. Bad back drives that decision. I dont like the no reverse thing though. Thanks for watching. Fish on!
The BF5 weighs in at 60LBS.
That's a long way from 29.5 lbs for the Honda 2.3 HP
Have you heard of anyone upgrading the carburetor to get more horsepower?
I have not heard that. Interesting though. Thanks for watching.
I have the same motor and same year. Runs great. I do have two major issues with this outboard. The method you use to check oil level doesn’t work when the motor is on your boat! Out in daylight it is impossible to get a reading from the oil level site. If you plan on keeping your boat and motor at a marina slip then avoid this model Honda. I periodically take my motor off and set it up on my motor Mount in my garage in order to check oil level. Every third time I use it. Not ideal. A simple dip stick would eliminate this issue. My second issue is the owners manual states that you need to have the motor absolutely level or you will get an incorrect reading from their oil site thing. Problem is my boat transom is plumb to the water or in other words at a 90 degree angle from the water. The motor does not have a trim setting that gets it to level. Needs on more notch Honda engineers! Besides these glaring issues, this is a good little engine, even if it is made in China
All great points SF. Checking and seeing the oil level is a challenge. Agreed on that. Thanks for watching.
Just thought I'd let you know that the motor will start if it is set just above idle but before the clutch kicks in. That way when you start it it won't try to take off. Experiment with how far above idle to go, you'll see what I mean @@fishingwithvance
Thanks very much for the input. I will look at that this upcoming season. Thanks again for watching.@@SailingFanatic
That is a really nice motor. I need something like that. Perfect size.
So far so good on this little guy but I haven't really tested it yet in the river. Next year, I have to put on my big boy pants and get out there. Thanks for watching T. Fish on!
Thank you for the information very good video
Thanks very much. Appreciate it.
Vance , I'm thinking two trolling motors and two batteries. Only because I don't want to get stuck if something goes wrong. I have a 29 battery and a minn kota 40. I'm thinking another 40 minncota and a 35 Amp hour battery. So my question to you is gas or two trolling motor and batteries. Thanks.
I have been running the two trolling motor option on longer trips or if I have two guys in the boat. I only used one battery though. The two trollers worked great as long as we didn't run them at the same time. However, I only had one battery so I would think two would be work just fine. I think it probably depends on type of body of water. I want to start fishing rivers so I thought I would need more power. The 55 lb minn kota did just fine for me in most lakes. Thanks for watching Clint. Fish on!
Great review. I appreciate all the comments,. I might suggest you get a tripod to video yourself. Thank you sir.
Thanks very much for watching and the feedback. I agree a tripod would be much better for garage vids. Have to get over being on camera. I'll get there. Thanks again for watching. Fish on!
For reverse, don't you just rotate the motor 180 degrees? And the motor would be much quieter if it were in the water since it 'exhausts' under the water.
You are correct about the "reverse" option. Not optimal but it works. I don't notice it being much less noisy in the water. Not a big deal but it is noisy. Thanks for watching and Fish on!
You can swivel it 180 degrees and swing back the throttle arm for reverse.
Agreed. I have found that to be a challenge when trying to bring the boat back to the dock. Thanks for watching. Fish on!
Thanks for an excellent helpful review.
Thanks for watching and for the comment.
I will be picking one up
I like it very much. Haven't used it as much as I thought I would be that is on me. It has started every single time I have tried to start it. Fish on!
Thanks brother 👊🏼
No problem 👍
Got one used once for 500$ ! Unfortunately the previous owner passed .
Haven't used mine enough this season. Really wanna make an effort to use it this month. So far it has worked great. Good luck with yours.
Checkout the Honda Motor review. Fish on
Fish on!
Don't you have major starting issues like most do with this engine?
Not at all. Just fished it all day today. No issues at all.
@@fishingwithvance You are lucky, mine is so unreliable. Brand new as well.
It doesn’t need to be in water?
No it doesn't. It's air cooled. I wouldn't run it a long time that way but it is alright.
Yes it needs to be in some water which I verified with the local mechanic when I asked why he put it in the tank to verify its operation before my taking delivery. While there is no water pump to cool the engine, the exhaust is water cooled and the seals will burn out if you run them dry as others have already found out the hard way.
Best!
Great review. It seems like a perfect motor for the PBR10. 30lbs is nice, $900 is a really good price. If they had a resolve for the negatives you mentioned, it might have cost you $3,000 to $5,000. I would imagine you would still use your minn kota to bring the boat into a dock. You don't need a big gas can to have to lug around on the boat since the tank itself is so small. I think it's a great motor. Hopefully you'll have more of a chance next season to use it more. Thanks for the review. If you don't get a chance to put out anymore content before Christmas, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! I plan to fish more next year (mostly from the bank) but in 2024 I'll be getting a boat of somekind and I am sure I'll be rewatching a lot of mod vids. Fish on!!!
We pretty much used the trolling motor like you said DT for getting in. I'm not use to the Honda yet but next year, I'm gonna use it much much more. Gotta expand my fishing adventures to new places and go after some new fish. I'll be ready for that DT starter kit once you are ready in 2024. People sure like that sticker you gave me a few years back so thanks again for that. Merry Christmas to you as well Duane to you and your family. I'm going to really try to keep putting out content on a more regular basis to see if I can get some traction on the channel. Thanks again and Fish on!
To stop the motor, no need to disconnect the cord, just push RED BUTTON in......
Thanks Ed. I learned that from another viewer but thanks for the comment and for watching. Fish on!
Worked great first year. Piece of crap
Sorry to hear that Joe. What went wrong? I have only had mine out maybe 5 times or so total so no issues yet.
@@fishingwithvance infamous Honda oil leak plus dying when I would open it up. I'm sure it's something I can play with, but with the price you pay for them, there shouldn't be those issues
Agreed on that@@joehacker9988