Martyn Walker | Software Architect | Hiker And Hacker

Introduction
It’s an ugly thing but its cheap and its cheap to run, and run? Sure it runs, it runs and runs and runs, will sift through silt and throw up shingle, will ride HUGE waves with the audacity of an ignorant PIG.  It grunts, oh how it grunts, never subtle while your eco-friendly neighbours pullout their electronic waders and flappers to go silently gliding by this old Evinrude will fart and splutter and deservedly earn the scorn of all them yacht-types.  But Evinrude (Rude for short) runs and marches on mile after mile and after a long days fishing lets everyone know as it returns to harbour without complaint, its tank still near full, it putts past the flat battery brigade directly to the quay.

For sale on eBay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260650764423

How old is it?
Who knows?  Who cares?  Its old.  It is so old the style is back in fashion for a third time.  If I had to put a date on it I would say sometime after 1850, maybe even seven.

What is it?
4hp with two pots and lots of knobs.  No one is really sure what they all do (watch my indecision during the startup in the video) but once you have warmed up give each one a twist, lean the mixture a bit, twist one to the left and tother to the right, you will find the rhythm and eventually you’ll find the best fuel air mix and the two pistons will whine at their peak and your boat will bounce over the waves like it has four real stallions pulling it.

Good points

• It works

Bad points

• Its embarrassing to look at
• It has a funny name (I thought “Johnson” was a funny name for an engine but Evinrude?)
• It is not inspiring
• It might be fast for 4hp, I don’t know, but I think its slow
• Paint needs a lot of touch-up
• Part of the lid seating rubber (see picture 6).
• One of the clasp handles is missing (also can be seen in pictures) but a wrench of some kind will solve that.

What’s going on in that video?
About halfway through I give a closup of the coolant water exchaust.  On this machine there are three or four holes and it’s not easy to see in a mobile video so I take you in for a close-up.  As I only have a giant flower-pot to test in I cannot do much speed as Rude blows the thing over.  On a boat transom surrounded by water you will see the coolant clearer as you wind up the speed.