Honda and Stabi-Craft

Safe passagemakers

Honda Marine claim a fuel saving of 20 per cent with its new mid-range BF90 V-TEC outboard the company recently displayed behind a Stabi-Craft 659 Super Cab, supplied by M.Y. Marine of Dromana, Victoria.

The Honda BF90 is an electronic fuel injected 1.5lt 16-valve four-stroke with a three-star OEDA rating that has replaced the former 90hp carburetted model.

Other key features of the new inline four-cylinder outboard, based on the power plant in the Honda Jazz motor vehicle, is the utilisation of the company's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) and Boosted Low Speed Torque (BLAST).

The latter, as its name suggests, produces torque down low in the rev range with advanced ignition timing that gives a boat massive holeshot power, said Honda.

The engine also has a two-way cooling system developed by Honda's R&D team that keeps the cylinder head slightly cooler than the block resulting in more torque and durability.

To maximise efficiency, the Honda BF90 has a micro-processor controlling the Lean Burn Feedback system that adjusts the air/fuel mixture according to speed and load.

The 'unsinkable' kiwi-built Stabi-Craft - known for their rigid hull and positive buoyancy - are growing in popularity with coast guards and other emergency service groups, and many with Honda outboards. The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association, in particular, is the largest single volunteer marine rescue and marine education organisation in the Southern Hemisphere, and recently switched its entire outboard-powered boat fleet over to Honda powerplants.

M.Y. Marine, distributors for Stabi-Craft and Honda, ran twin Honda outboards on three of its Stabi-Craft Supercabs at the launch of the new BF90 outboard.

A pair of BF90s were behind the 6.7m 659, while twin 150s powered the 7.8m 759 and the 8.95m 859 carried twin 225s.