50 tiller steer Yamaha review

[Noelm]

I have had a 50 HP tiller steer Yamaha 4 stroke for a while now and just thought I might convey my impressions of it, the choice I narrowed it down to was Honda and Yamaha, based on a few different criteria I got the Yamaha, though the Honda 7 year warranty was hard to pass up. First up, it is fitted to a 4.2M tinny, with full floor and front casting deck, so, not a big boat by any means, but not a car topper either, first the bad.... the tiller is centred, meaning there is no proper side to sit, I thought this would be OK, but in practice it's a shit of a thing, going straight ahead, and turning one way is OK, but turning requiring the tiller to be pulled towards you, means shifting around and being pushed in the guts by the handle! The motor appears to have adequate power, it is max rec for the hull, and I can tell you, anything smaller would be a dog! Especially at take off. The motor is not all that smooth at idle either and the gear lever rubs on your wrist when motor along at cruise. Now the good, the power trim is very fast operating, the trim buttons are in a handy spot, the electronic troll speed could be handy if you are a big time troller, the motor starts very easily (as expected) and uses bugger all fuel, and being 4 stroke, is very quiet, would I buy another one? Maybe, but only if I could take the Honda for a test first.....to make sure it didn't have the things I don't like with the Yamaha.

[robothefisho]

Thanks for the informative post. Will come in handy for many no doubt. Was surprised to hear they have gone with a central tiller now.

[Noelm]

The tiller is sort of offset, so it ends up in the middle, the motor is bordering on gutless for a 50.

[Dan5]

I have one but an older model 2007 it's on a 4.35 Trailcraft open as my Barra boat......it will get30kts if you ring it out but cruises compfortable at 22ts and is very smooth at idle compared to a 50/60 3cyl I don't mind the big tiller I just lift it up as I turn toward my self .......maybe some practice could help?.......I have done long 200k plus runs up and down the Daly with mine and had no issues........I also owned the 60hp version and did around 350hrs with it problem free...

If it's bordering on gutless maybe someone could help you out with some prop advice and show you how to trim a motor getting onto the plane.....I find it abit strange that on a 4.2 it's "bordering gutless'.....I used to get aound in an old Quintrex 6mtr Ocean River of Alex juilius's that had the old carby 50 yammy on it and yes it was underpowered but still managed to get on the plane with 3 people on board and cruise at 17-18 kts.


Theres plenty of people up here running the 50/60 on 4.8 mtr hulls that fish 3 up regularly...they are not ski boats but seem to get along just fine.

[spud477]

I put a 60 on my 429 not to bad now but biggest improvement was putting a Merc spitfire 4 blade on it twice a fast out of the hole than the same pitch 3 blade top end only a touch slower mid range still the same I'm pretty sure they sell a hub kit to suit a yammy

[Darren Mc]

If it's got the factory std alloy prop on it that could be a big part of the problem. I've still got the factory alloy prop on my f70 only because i can't afford a SS at the moment. I nieed to drop to a 13p and have plenty of cupping.
The standard alloy one's are very ordinary and pretty much worthless when it comes to getting the best from your outboard. Good for a spare backup IMO.

[Darren Mc]

The tiller handle,if the same as mine on the f70 is a fairly long tiller so the seating position does affect how much turn to port you will comfortably get.
Haven't compared the yammie big tiller size to any other brands. Are they about the same or are they longer?

[Noelm]

Don't know about the tiller length, I just know I don't like it, I can live with it of course, it's not exactly every 20 seconds you want to go full lock, mind you. Checking crab pots you do go back and forth a bit, I have lifted the motor one hole, and getting full RPM, so prop size is OK, but getting on the plane requires full throttle, the bow rises up so you can't see at all (even with trim fully in) and then it builds up speed and flattens out OK, but a slow plane is driving blind.......

[Dan5]

Is the hull rated to have the weight of the 50?..........is your fuel all down the back/........How much do you weigh?......There's got to be a reasonable explanation for the bow lift what is the transom like?......90deg?....have some negative rake?....would transom wedges help?.........what hull is it/.....some of the SeaJay's had this problem with all motors.....EG 415 Territory was a shocker for bowlift so is the 4.2 dory....there has to be a solution to this.

Also have you tried pulling the air intake restrictor out?......makes a good bit of difference in power delivery down low.....it was the first thing I did with mine.

[Noelm]

Yes, boat is new, and easily rated for the weight, fuel has been moved to the front, made little if any difference, transom angle is not a problem, I am no light weight, around 110KG, but I usually have a passenger up the front, boating alone I reckon it would near launch vertical! No, I haven't pulled any restrictor out.

[The Black Unicorn]

FWIW I have the 60 on a 5m Brooker tiller. Running the 111/8. X 13g alloy prop. Gets about 5700rpm wringing it's neck. Cruises 20kn at about 4100 ish. Seems to come on the plane easy enough with me 120+ and a mate at 110kg both sitting down the back. It's a fairly light boat for its size. I don't have any issue with the tiller. I just lift it up when doing slow tight turns pulling it toward me.

[Dan5]

What hull is it Noel?........Try the restrictor removal like I said it put's a fair bit of noticeable sting in it's tail down low in the rev range..........pretty sure they have a 30mm hole which turns into a 65mm hole when removed.

[Darren Mc]

Is that hole that size for a reason? Could it do any damage running it with that restrictor removed?
Probably would void your warranty if you remove it wouldn't it?

[Darren Mc]

More lift would be gained from a prop with more rake and cupping wouldn't it?

[Tangles]

Noelm, ive ordered a 50 Honda on a 4.3 Stessco SF Catcher, goes on this week, ill let you know how it goes.. Few years ago used to have a 50 4 stroke Yammie on a Sea Jay 4.55 and it went ok and probably one of Yammies better motors like the 150.. but over yammies after the issues i had with the Yammie 70 on the another boat

keen to see how the Honda goes on the tinny,

[Dan5]

Is that hole that size for a reason? Could it do any damage running it with that restrictor removed?
Probably would void your warranty if you remove it wouldn't it?

Yeah it's there for a reason.

[robothefisho]

Sounds like an ideal candidate for a Permatrim. They have sorted all the boats I have ever put them on which suffered from bow rise/poor slow planing.

[Dan5]

Had mine out today...435 Trailcraft 4mm bottom 3mm sides 3mm self draining deck 16mm ply cast deck with 75ltr fuel tank 1x33kg AGM battery 1x55lb motorguide trolling motor 1xNz70 crank battery small alloy console 2x30ltr esky's fishing gear for 2 net,gaff 20ltr drum full of safety gear spare prop 1x90kg bloke 1x95kg bloke and bit's pieces.....stock 12g alloy prop........28.8kts trimmed and flat out and cruised around at 23-24kts.......no issues planning.

Also tried out my new Garmin 95sv.....wow for $1400 pretty impressive.

[scottar]

Sounds like an ideal candidate for a Permatrim. They have sorted all the boats I have ever put them on which suffered from bow rise/poor slow planing.

After my experiences with tinnies, this is exactly where I would be heading. If you are gun shy about drilling the AV plate you could try wedges but I have always just fitted a foil.

[Seahorse]

I dont have a problem with the turning in my 420 renegade. I did in the seajay.
I put a sports 300 on mine and just jumps up on plane.
I only did that because it helped with keeping nose down at very low speed.
i was just wondering if some seat holes are are little more forward that others. I could see a problem if fixed aluminium seats. With the swivel seats i just move with the handle.

my top speed is 28 knts and cruises at 22 knots even in a chop.

Iam extremely happy with mine.

[Noelm]

I have the same boat, but a Stacer Outlaw, I didn't get seats in mine, the mounts are there, but I sit on the rear "bench" seems like everyone has some sort of issue with the tiller, but just work around it, as I said, it's not the end of the world, just an annoying bug! The bow rising badly when getting on the plane is my main concern, everything else is fine, it's a tinny when it's all said and done, I might raise the motor another hole today, the cav plate is still under water, I want to do it in steps, height right first.

[StevenM]

I put a sports 300 on mine and just jumps up on plane.
I only did that because it helped with keeping nose down at very low speed.


Iam extremely happy with mine.

on the SeaJay or the Quinny?

[Kero]

Permatrim made a massive difference to my boat 4.38 with a 50 Merc.
It jumps out of the hole and will also plane at lower speeds.
I am never driving blind with a raised bow.

[Seahuff]

Heard good reports about the Permatrim as well, (getting on the plane quicker at lower revs).

[Tim_N]

I've had a F50 on a Fisher 450, big and heavy.
The first thing I did was ring Steve from Solas and order a SS prop, 11"P and ordered a Permatrim.
Wow! Brand new boat.
The Permatrim or Sports 300 will do nothing more than give stern lift so ease of planning iinfinately better and low speed planning is a new experience.
I ended up doing 2200 engine hours with this set up and it never missed a beat.
I bought a Merc 60 Bigfoot after that, added a Permatrim, and it was a pig, so avoid the bigger gearbox. All they do is add extra drag and actually work worse. They should only be sold into the houseboat market.
So Noel, a Permatrim is a must, and the right prop will give you more than adequate hole shot.
Tim

[Noelm]

I'll get there, just doing the very basics first, the motor was mounted way too low.

[scottar]

Certainly try lifting the motor Noel - costs nothing to try, but what happened with my Savage when I had it was the keel extrusion used to rob water from the prop when turning at speed. Dropping the motor back down was a necessity for tubing and kneeboarding. Exactly the same with my current pressed tinnie so not unusual to have to run motors a bit deeper on pressed tinnies with a keel extrusion from experience

[Kondo 1]

Permatrims are great, I had an F50 on a 455 seajay a few years ago, put on a permatrim and it helped a fair bit as did Bennett Sport Tabs.... But ended up getting the boat re-rated and put on an F70 which is what it should have had from the start. The 50 just didn't cut it, like Noelm said, it points to the sky and just struggles to get over the hump.

I think you are right - the F50 is no powerhouse, reliable yes, and will run forever but i think there are smarter motors out there that give you better low rev grunt.

Still, i reckon sub 50/60 is a 2 stroke domain, unfortunately they will be no longer soonish (aside from DI), I just replaced the old 3 cyl Manual start with a brand new 3cyl Oil Injected 50 Yamaha on the old knock around tinny for Moreton. I didn't consider any other motor. I reckon above 50/60 fuel economy becomes a concern but under i reckon the punch and lightweight/ease of servicing wins out.Just unfortunate the pricing gap has narrowed between 2 & 4 stroke in the last few years....

Consider the Bennett Sport tabs if you get desperate, they did make a considerable difference on my seajay and are fairly economical/easy to fit. I think in the end, they SeaJay was a reasonably heavy boat and the prop size and low down grunt on the F50 just didn't cut it.

[Noelm]

I just realized that I didn't mention the absurd place the dipstick is fitted, it is right on the bottom of the motor, below the cowl join, and is sealed by a couple a silly ridges in the end, so, in use, if the dipstick is not forced right in, and you get a bit of water wash around the lower section, straight into the sump it goes, no idea why it was not made higher up on the motor.

[Noelm]

The problem as it stands, fitting a foil is going to be a bad idea, with the cav plate well under water, means the foil will also be under water, which is not such a big hit!

[scottar]

Lesser of two evils. One of the advantages of the permatrim is being made of alloy - thinner material - less drag. On my current tinnie I used a Solas foil which is made of heavy stainless - thinner again. Didn't create a drop in WOT boat speeds like I have experienced with at least one of the thicker plastic products. Like I said though, by all means give lifting a try - costs next to nothing - just use your jockey wheel and a block of timber. Only out of pockets is a tube of sealant.

[Dan5]

I just realized that I didn't mention the absurd place the dipstick is fitted, it is right on the bottom of the motor, below the cowl join, and is sealed by a couple a silly ridges in the end, so, in use, if the dipstick is not forced right in, and you get a bit of water wash around the lower section, straight into the sump it goes, no idea why it was not made higher up on the motor.


If you are so unhappy with the motor why don't you unbolt it and buy something else mate.....sounds like you didn't do any homework before purchase........I'm sure someone will snap it up on the second hand market and you can move on.

[Noelm]

No, not unhappy, just like to be honest with my impressions, rather than say it's the best motor ever made like most people do with theirs, even if it enables one person to have a look at what I personally don't like to make their own informed decision, then it's worth sharing the good and the bad, I did plenty of research before buying, that's how I narrowed it down to the two.

[robothefisho]

Have fitted a few permatrims to boats where the motor couldn't be lifted enough to allow the cav plate above water. The top end/cruise speed was effected less than a knot. So insignificant for the benefits gained. The difference in boat performance will be significant and i think described well as feeling more solid on the water.

[Dan5]

No, not unhappy, just like to be honest with my impressions, rather than say it's the best motor ever made like most people do with theirs, even if it enables one person to have a look at what I personally don't like to make their own informed decision, then it's worth sharing the good and the bad, I did plenty of research before buying, that's how I narrowed it down to the two.

Keep an eye on your a dipstick then

[Noelm]

Hey, you can belittle all you like, being honest about motors and boats is not too common on forums, so, let's look at things for a second before I sell my motor I am unhappy with, it is set too low, no fault with Yamaha, the tiller is in the centre, Yamaha might have thought it a great idea, in my particular instance, it's a pain, others may love it, I don't think the motor is all that powerful for a 50 which is the max recommended HP, the dipstick is simply plain silly where it is located (in my opinion) the motor starts instantly, runs like a dream, is whisper quiet, and is very good on fuel, hardly the traits of something I am unhappy with, but if you believe your Yamaha is fabulous, then so be it, I do too, but it simply has some things I don't rave about.

[FisHard]

Good on you Noel. The problem with this site, is if you offer an honest opinion, there's always someone that has a dig at you personally. My policy is call it as it is, good and bad.

[Dan5]

Hey, you can belittle all you like, being honest about motors and boats is not too common on forums, so, let's look at things for a second before I sell my motor I am unhappy with, it is set too low, no fault with Yamaha, the tiller is in the centre, Yamaha might have thought it a great idea, in my particular instance, it's a pain, others may love it, I don't think the motor is all that powerful for a 50 which is the max recommended HP, the dipstick is simply plain silly where it is located (in my opinion) the motor starts instantly, runs like a dream, is whisper quiet, and is very good on fuel, hardly the traits of something I am unhappy with, but if you believe your Yamaha is fabulous, then so be it, I do too, but it simply has some things I don't rave about.

Yeah fair call if you don't like a bit of tongue in cheek that's fine .....no intended belittlement just my humor....Personally this thread should have been titled "Poor fitment of motor"........but hey people are touchy so yeah.

Yep I think they are a good motor yep that's why I bought a second one....and best "in class" but hey what would I know...........Just spent a few thousand hours using them over the years for work purposes....smartass

[Noelm]

You see, that's exactly what I was getting at, you have one, and will defend it to the death, and, so be it, do you think where the dipstick is located is good? (I know, it's only a small thing, but to me, it is a potential issue) does the centre tiller hit you when you turn, or are you seated forward of the tiller? Do you think it is a very powerful 50? Whether is was voted best in class by some paid Journalist or not means little to me, not trying to be a smartass in any way shape or form, I have owned lots of outboards over the years, including some I put over 2,000 hours on, all we're good, some had "features" I didn't like, just like this one, over and out from me, back into my box.

[Darren Mc]

I'm not sure about your stacer but with my quinnie renegade if the water level got up as high as the dipstick on my f70 (in the same spot as the 50), it would be 4 or 5 inches over my transom. The biggest problem i have with it is it's in a shite of a position to check the oil. With the seal around the cowl and the tight fit of the rubber around the dipstick itself, apart from being submerged i really don't think water ingress will ever be a problem.

[The Black Unicorn]

Good on you Noel. The problem with this site, is if you offer an honest opinion, there's always someone that has a dig at you personally. My policy is call it as it is, good and bad.
Seafarer appreciation thread perhaps?

[FisHard]

If anyone asks, I love Seafarers. Long live King Fry!!