Unless you are really really strong and fit I'd go for one of the
light 2+hp 2-strokes. I just bought a Mercuriy 2.5 - I think about
14kg. The Suzuki2.2 is even lighter at 11kg - quite amazing - you
could almost buy 2! I've been hauling a Yamaha Malta up and down stone
steps to my dinghy. It's not that it's heavy so much but with the
extra weight it's real hard to control it - you hit stones, steps and
scratch, dent things, feet slip etc.. But the small engines are
clearly a compromise on performance..

(Simon Langford) wrote in message . com...
Regarding outboards, we've had a Mariner 2HP in the past but I found
it a little weedy. I was looking at a Mercury 6HP 4-stroke. But...
- are 4-strokes a bit of a liability regarding oil leaks?
- what is the effect of using a more powerful engine than the boat is
rated for? I think Walker Bays are rated up to 4HP - what would a 6HP
do to it?