NATCHEZ — After many years using them to navigate lakes all over the world, two-stroke outboards are about to become a thing of the past.

The more advanced four-stroke engines have been on the market since the start of the 21st century, and with better fuel efficiency — and safer emissions — two-stroke outboards will likely be completely retired from production in a few years.

Bryan’s Marine employee Nathan Gauthier said he’s been watching the development of the four-stroke outboard since when it first came out.

“I started working at Bryan’s Marine in 1999, and I believe they came out shortly after the year 2000,” Gauthier said. “That was the first edition of the four-stroke. Mercury and Yamaha went in together on the first round (of production), then they branched off and made their own engine ignition systems.”

Herman Merritt, a Natchez resident, owns a boat with a four-stroke outboard, and said he knew about their advantages prior to making the purchase on the boat he currently owns.

“I was familiar with the fact that they had been making them for a few years,” Merritt said. “I boat the boat (with the four-stroke-outboard) in ’07, but the motor was an ’06 model.”

Merritt also said the advantages of a four-stroke outboard are numerous.

“With a two-stroke, you had to mix the gas and the oil. If I’m going to stop and get six gallons of gas (for a two-stroke), I had to put about a pint of oil in there with it.

“On a four-stroke, it’s like an automobile. You don’t have to mix your gas and oil in the four-stroke — you put the oil in the motor itself. It has an oil filter, so you get the oil and filter changed on it like you would a car or truck.”

Gauthier said he’s amazed at the technology, having worked with it at Bryan’s Marine for so long.

“The technology is unreal,” he said. “The average fisherman that started fishing in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and the life of their engine went out, they wanted to upgrade, and heard about this new thing that was Electronic Fuel Injection and no mix oil.”

Environmental safety is a big reason Gauthier thinks the government is pushing the four-stroke outboard more.

“The gas evaporates, instead of there being emissions in the water,” Gauthier said. “The federal government will eventually weave them out in the next few years.”

Fuel efficiency is also a big plus for four-stroke outboards, Merritt said.

“My guess is that I probably save 35 to 40 percent on gas alone. You would also save on oil, because you only have to change it once or twice a year.”

Interested buyers can contact Bryan’s Marine at 318-336-9009 for more information. They are also encouraged to inquire with Eddie’s Marine and Tackle, at 318-336-5133, and Miss-Lou Marine, at 318-336-2628.