I had a 7.5 HP and a 3.5 HP outboard(s) on my old 24ft sloop in Puget
Sound and I never had a problem. If it needed work I'd just pull it
off and take it to the shop. Sometimes I would motor for hour's. I
liked it. I got good at docking and having one hand on the engine
throttle and the other on the tiller. After I had motored out of the
marina I would turn off the engine and while laying on my stomach off
the transom and pull the motor bracket to the up position so that the
long shaft lower unit was out of the water for less drag.

But this could be a difficult reach on a 30' boat with more freeboard
as a bigger boat may be higher off the water. Depend's on the boat.

engsol wrote in message . ..
If this has been beat to death before, my apology.

I'm looking for a boat to enjoy upon retirement this May. Being poor,
I'll have to settle for an older boat, 30-32 feet. I've seen a number of boats
in my price range on my list, but have rejected the ones with an OB. But
then I got to wondering...should I do so?

The advantage of an OB is cost, doesn't take up interior room, at least
semi-reliable these days. But then I wonder about enough power in a
seaway. The area I plan to sail (San Juan Islands) is quite sheltered....
wind chop, but seldom any significant swells. A safe haven is rarely more
than 4 - 5 hours away.

So what am I missing, or haven't thought of, as regards to OB power?

Thanks,
Norm