14/08/2026
Big outboards - 20-30hp upwards - are expensive pieces of equipment and have a vital role to play on the transom of your boat.
Whilst many outboards are simply fired up and power the boat along at a regular 3-6 mph (Broads speed limit) others such as rescue boats/RIBs may only spend one or two days a week (weekends) in use then 90% of their time at 5/6 mph and the rest ‘flat out’ to attend a rescue! To complicate matters further every day could be with a different ‘driver’!
‘Big’ outboards are not uncommon on the Broads, but they often have a rather different role to the smaller outboards and subsequently have to be treated appropriately.
A few simple ‘tips’ are agreed by all the major manufacturers including Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Mercury to ensure your engine performs as it should and delivers stress free cruising.
Maintaining the recommended service schedule is top of everyone pile, manufacturers and specialists alike, combined with a few simple maintenance tips such as checking for any damage, flushing through if used in saltwater, spotting any wear and tear, checking fluid levels and keeping an eye on the all-important cooling system ‘tell-tale’.
So, what is the ‘tell-tale”?
The tell-tale on an outboard is a small, visible stream of water that squirts out of a small port on the side or back of the engine. It acts as a safety check to show that the water pump is working and cooling the engine properly.
This is a vital engine component that all users can and should check for themselves.
Check your tell-tale stream regularly and save a potentially expensive engine repair.
It seems to be a well known fact that the less an outboard is used, the more problems it may encounter.
Outboards love to be used!
If your ‘tell-tale’ stream is weak, intermittent or non-existent, or your outboard needs a service - call Cox’s!
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