I'm about to order a 5HP outboard to go with my new 10' Porta-bote. Anyone have
any real info on which 5HP 4 cycle outboard is best currently?

Thanks,

RB

I'm about to order a 5HP outboard to go with my new 10' Porta-bote. Anyone
have
any real info on which 5HP 4 cycle outboard is best currently?

Thanks,

RB

When you find out, please let me know. I will be needing something
similar by spring.

A few folks have emailed me to say that nearly all new outboards (major brands)
are pretty good. I was hoping for some info beyond that. Most people around
City Island suggest the new Nissan's, but without much techie stuff to back it
up.

RB

A few folks have emailed me to say that nearly all new outboards (major
brands)
are pretty good. I was hoping for some info beyond that. Most people
around
City Island suggest the new Nissan's, but without much techie stuff to
back it
up.

If you look close at the Nissan, Tohatsu, and Mercury, they are all the same
engine except for the paint. I am thinking there are one or two more that
should be in that list also. We bought the Nissan 2 stroke 3.5 a few years
ago as it was a bit lighter to handle off the stern rail and down into the
inflatable than the 4 stroke.. It was also the smallest with the
neutral/forward on it. It has been as good as our previous motor was a 10
year old 2.5 Nissan, that when it started, you had better be pointed in the
right direction as it was in gear all the time.


Leanne
s/v Fundy

"Leanne" wrote in message ...

If you look close at the Nissan, Tohatsu, and Mercury, they are all the same
engine except for the paint. I am thinking there are one or two more that
should be in that list also. We bought the Nissan 2 stroke 3.5 a few years
ago as it was a bit lighter to handle off the stern rail and down into the
inflatable than the 4 stroke.. It was also the smallest with the
neutral/forward on it. It has been as good as our previous motor was a 10
year old 2.5 Nissan, that when it started, you had better be pointed in the
right direction as it was in gear all the time.

It gets even better: the usual 2hp Nissan (or other name/same) is the
same motor as the 3.5 - if you can live without the neutral & are on
short money, yank the little aluminum restrictor plate out of its carb
& you have an instant 3.5 HP. My little 7-1/2' inflatable dinghy gets
up on plane with one & goes like a raped ape, maybe 18-20 mph (with a
2-bladed alum prop subbed & only me aboard). It always starts by the
3rd pull on last year's gas with no stabilizer. I've had it for 12
years. The slightly lower weight of the shiftless motor is a Godsend
for getting it off the sternrail & onto the dingy in unfriendly seas.

These are also very reliable little motors. Mine gets a lot of
neglect & is almost never laid up properly, though somehow I take care
of everything else I own. A weak point is their plastic fuel tank
tends to crack/leak below the filler fitting & costs $$ for what it
is.

There is, or was, an accessory alternator (lighting coil) available
that bolts right up to the flywheel - I have one that took somedoing
to find in the US.

Bobsprit wrote:
I'm about to order a 5HP outboard to go with my new 10' Porta-bote. Anyone have
any real info on which 5HP 4 cycle outboard is best currently?

Thanks,

RB

I bought a 5 hp "Johnson" two years ago at the Newport Boat Show.
Although I wanted to buy "American" it was not possible. Virtually all
the outboards in that size range are built by Nissan. Pull the cowls off
and the engines are all the same. You pretty much decide on the color
scheme that fits your mood, and the day's price.

FWIW the motor is great. Starts every time. I make sure to run the carb
dry after every weekend's use.

Jonathan

--
I am building a Dudley Dix, Argie 10, for my daughter. Check it out:
http://home.comcast.net/~jonsailr

Actually, I believe they are all built by Tohatsu. If you have a local
dealer, save money by buying one. If you have a good Nissan dealer, pay a
little more, but enjoy the more complete dealer & parts network. Good
motors.

surfnturf

I bought a 5 hp "Johnson" two years ago at the Newport Boat Show.
Although I wanted to buy "American" it was not possible. Virtually all
the outboards in that size range are built by Nissan. Pull the cowls off
and the engines are all the same. You pretty much decide on the color
scheme that fits your mood, and the day's price.

FWIW the motor is great. Starts every time. I make sure to run the carb
dry after every weekend's use.

Jonathan

--
I am building a Dudley Dix, Argie 10, for my daughter. Check it out:
http://home.comcast.net/~jonsailr

Bobsprit wrote:

I'm about to order a 5HP outboard to go with my new 10' Porta-bote. Anyone
have any real info on which 5HP 4 cycle outboard is best currently?

4 stroke will be unavoidable nowadays, but the overstrained back from
lugging a too heavy outboard is not. Why on earth do you think you need 5
hp for a floppy 10' boat? A 2.5 horse Honda will be a lot easier on your
back. The cost about GBP 400 / EUR 650.


--
vriendelijke groeten/kind regards,

Jelle

begin replace-outlook-please.exe

I have a 8' Portaboat and a friend of mine has a Honda 2 HP 4 stroke outboard.
We got together one weekend and found that the Portaboat would *almost* get
up on a plane with one passenger and that motor. Maybe with a tiller
extension and weight further forward, it would. For me, that is the motor
to get for our Portaboat. Light, simple, strong enough to go upwind/current
where I could not row. It is air-cooled (simple) and has a Centrifical
Clutch so you can slow to a stop without killing the motor. The tank is
integrated (both good and bad points about that) so for reverse, you spin
the motor around (and flip the tiller over the top). Slick.

I had a 5 HP Honda for 4 years. Never had a problem with it. I'd recommend
them from my personal experience, which is not something I would say about
the Yamaha 9.9 high thrust motors....

-=O=- Randy Devol F/C-31 #213, Joint Venture



On Tue, 21 Sep 2004, Jelle wrote:

Bobsprit wrote:

I'm about to order a 5HP outboard to go with my new 10' Porta-bote. Anyone
have any real info on which 5HP 4 cycle outboard is best currently?

4 stroke will be unavoidable nowadays, but the overstrained back from
lugging a too heavy outboard is not. Why on earth do you think you need 5
hp for a floppy 10' boat? A 2.5 horse Honda will be a lot easier on your
back. The cost about GBP 400 / EUR 650.


--
vriendelijke groeten/kind regards,

Jelle

begin replace-outlook-please.exe

I used one of these and liked it except that it's louder than the water
cooled ones and you have to be careful how you lie it down or the oil
runs out.

My personal favorite is a used 4 hp Johnson 2 stroke 2 cylinder, about
1987 vintage which I bought for $400. It's quite, starts easy, has an
integral tank, doesn't care how you lie it down and uses very little
fuel. It weighs 33#, and every pound makes a difference when you're
wobbling around on a dinghy trying to line up those brackets with the
transom.

I mitigate the oil smell and smoke by using Pennzoil 100% synthetic oil,
which is an improvement over the stock TCW-3 stuff and of course costs
twice as much, adding at least $5 to my boating expenses for the season.

Capt. Jeff

Thanks for all the comments, folks.
Looks like I'll be going with the Porta Bote 10 and the 5HP.

RB