Alan S
I have a mercury marine inflatable also with inflatable floor and keel, but have owned many other inflatables throughout my life. Main characteristics that you should be aware of are the facts that not only do inflatables not row well, they dont row at all. With the slightest head breeze, you will get pretty much nowhere. The other thing is HP rating. Avon recommends 4-10HP range with 4HP being the minimum whuch means barely adequate. At first you think you will use the dink as a tender, but in actually, IF you have a decent motor, you will find yourself playing in the dink quite a bit. When we are anchored out, we use the dink to spend a day or 2 exploring and even use it around our area quite a bit. Dinks are fun, lots of fun, not just an item of practicality.Generally speaking, I would remain in the recommended mid-range HP area like in the 6 -8 HP. Most of the time you will probably not be able to plane with a 4. Not just lousey fuel economy, but not fun either just hogging down. Once you buy the O/B, its too late to change your mind.Also keep in mind, that you are not on a lake, you will probably be in the L.I. Sound and the Atlantic.The selection od an inflatable is the best choice, but thats another story.IMHOTony B