Portside Marine - Powering Your Marine Adventures

Which Honda Outboard is Right for Your Boat?

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 08:14:25 GMT

Whether you're launching at Mindarie on a Saturday morning, chasing dhufish out of Hillarys, or just exploring the Swan River on a tinny, your outboard motor is the heartbeat of your time on the water.

One of the questions we get asked all the time is: "Which Honda outboard is right for me?" The good news is there's a Honda for every type of boatie. Here's what we mean.

Portable outboards: small but capable

Not every boat needs a big engine. And honestly, some of the best days on the water in Perth happen when cruising in the smallest boats.

Honda's portable outboards (ranging from 2.3 hp up to 20 hp) are designed to be light enough to carry, simple enough to use, and tough enough to keep going trip after trip. They're brilliant for tinnies and small aluminium boats, dinghies and inflatables, and tender boats that need a motor you can lift on and off. We also believe they’re a perfect fit for anyone launching from a beach or a remote ramp where you're handling everything yourself.

What makes Honda's portable range special is its four-stroke technology in a compact package, which means quieter operation, reduced fuel consumption, and no two-stroke oil mix. They just run cleanly and reliably, without any fuss.

If you've been dealing with an old two-stroke that's hard to start, smoky, and thirsty on fuel, switching to a Honda portable is a bit of a revelation. Same job, done much better.

Honda’s portable outboards are popular with tinny owners, kayak fishos with a motor bracket, people exploring rivers and inlets, or anyone who needs a motor they can practically carry to the boat themselves.

Mid-range outboards: the all-rounders most Perth boaties need

If there’s one category that caters to the widest range of Perth boaters, it’s Honda’s mid-range lineup . Spanning from 30 hp all the way up to 100 hp, these motors suit the way most of us actually use our boats.

Maybe you've got a 5 to 6 metre alloy or fibreglass boat. You take it out on the weekends, do a bit of fishing, maybe some crabbing in the estuary, or cruise up to Mandurah with the family. You don't need a monster engine, but you absolutely want something reliable that starts the first time, every time.

What makes the mid-range stand out: cutting-edge technology, everyday benefits

Honda’s mid-range outboards pack in a surprising amount of technology for motors in this class. Here’s what that means on the water:

BLAST™ Technology (Boosted Low Speed Torque) delivers an unrivalled hole-shot, so your boat gets up on the plane quickly and cleanly, without that sluggish, over-revving start that wears engines out.
ECOmo fuel management automatically adjusts fuel delivery based on load and speed, which means outstanding fuel economy at cruising speeds – less money spent at the bowser, more trips for the same budget.
Multi-port Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) on the BF40 through to BF100 delivers precise fuel amounts to each cylinder across the entire rev range, giving you smooth, consistent power rather than a lumpy, unpredictable response.
VTEC technology on the BF90 and BF100 gives you more top-end power when you need it; the same Honda VTEC system that made their road cars famous, now working hard for you on the water.
NMEA2000 connectivity means your engine talks to your chartplotter and instruments seamlessly; a more modern, integrated boating experience.

The BF75, BF80, BF90 and BF100 are based on the same engine platform that powered the best-selling Honda Jazz, a heritage that speaks to smooth performance and long-term reliability. The BF60 adds a Power Thrust model (BFP60) with a larger gear case and a bigger propeller, which is particularly useful for heavy boat and load applications.

Honda’s mid-range outboards are so easy to maintain. Their build quality means you’re not dreading every service, and they have a long-life record.

We believe this range of outboards is best suited for weekend warriors, family boaties, fishos on mid-sized boats, and anyone who wants a dependable motor without overengineering it.

“Less fuel used means more trips for the same money. Less noise means you can actually talk to the people on your boat.”

High-horsepower outboards: when you want to go further, faster

It’s a calm morning, you're running out past Rottnest, and you want to be at your favourite spot before anyone else gets there. That's where Honda's high horsepower outboards come into their own.

Ranging from 115 hp all the way up to a V8 350 hp, these motors are built for bigger boats and bigger adventures: offshore fishing rigs, large fibreglass cruisers, and boats that spend serious time in open water.

What separates the high horsepower range from the rest isn’t just the numbers. These engines come loaded with features that make a difference on longer, more demanding runs:

Cruise control: set your speed and let the engine hold it. On a two-hour run to a reef, not constantly trimming the throttle makes a surprising difference to how you arrive; that is, less fatigued, more focused.
Automatic tilt: at the touch of a button, the engine raises and lowers itself. Critical for shallow ramps, mooring in tight spots, or trailering without wrestling a heavy engine by hand.
Fully digital displays: the high hp range integrates with modern digital gauge systems, giving you a clean, contemporary helm with all your engine data: RPM, fuel consumption, trim angle, and more, all in one place.
VTEC technology delivers more top-end power when you need it; the engine works harder precisely when conditions demand it, without running hard all the time.
Honda’s Lean Burn and precise fuel injection adjust delivery based on load and speed, so you’re not burning through fuel unnecessarily at cruising speeds. The BF350 even runs on regular unleaded which adds up over a season.

They're also remarkably quiet for the power they produce. If you've ever been on a boat where conversation is impossible over engine noise, you'll appreciate how smooth a Honda runs.

Honda's reputation for reliability means you spend less time worrying and more time fishing. Their high-horsepower engines are built to last and would suit serious offshore fishos, cruising families with larger boats, or anyone who regularly heads out past the islands and needs power they can trust.

Why Perth Boaters Are Switching to a Honda Outboard

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:15:22 GMT

That Morning Your Engine Wouldn’t Start

You know the feeling. You’re at the ramp, the boat’s loaded, your mates are waiting, and the engine won’t start. You pull the cord again. Nothing. You fiddle with the choke, check the fuel line, pull the spark plug, and try to remember the last time it was replaced. Behind you, someone’s already edging their trailer forward.

It’s not a dramatic breakdown. It’s just an old engine doing what old engines eventually do, making you work for it. And the worst part? It’s not even the first time.

This is the moment most Perth boaters start seriously thinking about repowering. Not because their engine has completely died, but because the relationship with it has quietly soured. The starting moments are less reliable. The fuel consumption seems worse. The noise at cruise has crept up. Offshore, in conditions that demand confidence, there’s a constant doubt that shouldn’t be there.

The real reason people upgrade their outboard engine: it’s rarely about the horsepower

Most people who come to Portside Marine to talk about repowering aren’t chasing more speed or a bigger number on the transom. They’re chasing peace of mind.

A significant number of boats on the water in Perth are still running older two-stroke or carburetted engines. Some of these motors have given years of service and earned their retirement. Others have become a source of constant low-level stress, the kind that builds up slowly until one bad day at the ramp makes you take a decision.

Older two-strokes require more ritual: choke settings, warm-up procedures, oil mixing, and fouled plugs. On a good day, it’s a minor inconvenience. On a day when the sea's already up and you're burning daylight, the last thing you need is to be on your knees at the transom.

Modern four-stroke Honda outboards work differently. Press the button. It starts. Every time. That’s not a marketing line, it’s the difference between fuel injection and a carburettor, between a well-engineered modern motor and one designed in a different era.

The Difference You Notice on the Water

When owners switch to a Honda, whether that’s a mid-range BF60 for a family runabout or a BF115 for a serious fishing boat, the things they mention first are consistent:

The quiet. Older engines, especially high-hour two-strokes, run with a constant, intrusive hum. Modern Honda four-strokes are remarkably smooth at cruising speed: quiet enough to have a proper conversation, to hear the water, to actually enjoy where you are.
The starts. Push-button, every time, cold or warm. No ritual, no coaxing, no crossed fingers. You simply go.
The throttle response. Honda’s BLAST™ technology (Boosted Low Speed Torque) delivers strong, clean hole-shot performance. The boat gets up on the plane quickly without the engine screaming to get there.
The fuel economy. ECOmo fuel management and Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) adjust delivery in real time to what the engine actually needs. At cruising speeds, the difference compared to an old two-stroke or carby motor can be significant: more range for the same tank, more trips for the same budget.
The confidence offshore. Knowing your engine will respond when you ask it to (in chop, in a push against the tide, when you need to get home) changes how you feel about being out on the open waters.

Repowering Doesn’t Mean the Biggest Engine on the Market

This is worth saying clearly: repowering with Honda doesn’t mean a BF350. Every boat has a maximum horsepower rating, and every boater has a budget. What Honda offers is a complete range: from 2.3 hp portable motors up to a V8 350 hp, so there’s a right Honda outboard for almost any boat.

Honda ranges at a glance

Portable (2.3 hp – 20 hp)
Four-stroke reliability in a motor light enough to carry. Brilliant for tinnies, dinghies, inflatables, and tender boats. Clean-starting, fuel-efficient, and completely fuss-free. A world apart from the old two-strokes many boaters in this category are still running.
Mid-Range (30 hp – 100 hp)
The sweet spot for most Perth boaties. This is where the majority of recreational boats (the 5 to 6 metre alloy and fibreglass runabouts, the family boats, the estuary fishos) live. Honda’s mid-range is packed with technology: BLAST™ for strong hole-shot performance, ECOmo for fuel efficiency, and VTEC on the BF90 and BF100 for genuine top-end power when you want it. These motors are lightweight for their power output, start on the first attempt, and are built forlong-term reliability.
High Horsepower (115 hp – 350 hp)
For larger vessels, offshore rigs, and boats that spend serious time in open water. Beyond the power, the high horsepower range adds features that matter on longer runs: cruise control to hold your speed without constant throttle management, automatic tilt at the touch of a button, and fully digital gauge integration for a modern, clean helm. These engines are built for boats where reliability is essential.

Salt, heat, and the cost of getting it wrong

WA is hard on marine equipment. Salt exposure, summer heat, and boats sitting between weekends all accelerate wear on anything that isn’t built for it.

Honda’s engineering addresses this directly: built-in anodes, corrosion-resistant materials, and design choices that reduce salt traps and make servicing straightforward. Pair that with consistent maintenance habits (flush after saltwater, keep fuel fresh, stick to service intervals), and you have a motor built to last.

Compare that to an older motor that’s been battling salt and heat for years without the same materials or protection. The degradation is in stages until it isn’t. A failure offshore, or even a morning at the ramp that costs you the whole day, becomes more than inconvenience.

The engine hasn’t stopped working, it’s just stopped feeling right. That’s usually the moment people realise it’s time to switch.

The thing that stops a lot of boaters from repowering isn’t making a decision; it’s the logistics. What do you do with the old engine? How do you get it off the boat? Who’s going to give you a fair price without the hassle of selling privately? Your old motor has value. We'll help you put it toward a new one.