Min hp for strong currents

centerline · Nov 1, 2015

a 4 hp would probably push your boat to hull speed in calm water, which is about as fast as its ever going to go with any amount of reasonable power pushing it... but you want a bit of extra power because its not always just the current you are pushing against... there is wind and waves that will slow you down more than the current will, so if you get 6-8 hp to push it, you will be good and will be about right.

Gene Neill · Nov 1, 2015

I'd say 6 HP would be your minimum. You can't be screwing around where you're at, from the sound of it.

allen-deckard · Nov 1, 2015

I agree 3hp will push hull speed even before full throttle at about 3/4th throttle I know because I had a 3hp.

The current by itself wont overpower ya. issues arise with headwinds and waves that's what ya gotta push against.

Anyway I have a 9.9 mainly cause I wanted electric start, power tilt, alternator, external fuel. My 3hp didn't have external fuel and I didn't care for refueling on the water. But for size I could have gotten away with where I am now I think a 6hp would have been good.

Rick Webb · Nov 1, 2015

6HP is plenty though you may want to look at an 8HP motor which is usually the smallest motor available with two cylinders vs the single cylinder on most 6 and lower horsepower motors. There would be absolutely no reason to go above 8HP.

An 8HP motor is going to be significantly heavier and more expensive than a 6HP motor will be but if you are going to spend a substantial amount of time motoring it may be worth the weight and money.

atrometer · Nov 1, 2015

Catalina suggests a 4 - 6 HP. I have a 5 HP(4 cycle, long shaft) and I feel it's enough. Hull speed at about 1/3 throttle and I get 25 MPG with not a lot of added weight on the stern..

Jacktar · Nov 1, 2015

I have the tohatsu 6hp sail pro, alternator and long shaft, under 1800 bucks and runs like a bandit. The bonus is the gear shift is on the front of the motor which avoids the scarring of yur man boob leaning over the transom to change gears.

MaryEllaRose · Nov 1, 2015

You may want to re-think electric start. I've heard enough horror stories about people falling over board while pulling on the rope of a recalcitrant outboard motor in rough weather to make me a believer. I opted for the 9.9 hp Tohatsu simply for that matter. It's the same size and weight of the 8 hp and was only about $200 more. By all means get the extra long shaft. Mine's mounted so that the tiller just clears the transom when the motor is fully lowered and I've had the prop come out of the water while maneuvering in trough of a wave. Also, in an emergency you've got power at the push of a button. The only complaint I have about it is the fuel line is kind of soft and pinches off quite easily. (Don't ask me how I know this.) I don't have a knot meter that works but at anything more than 1/2 to 3/4 throttle, the boat just doesn't go any faster. I even powered my way off a sand bar after running aground. I opted to buy a new motor for the reliability factor.

Tom G

centerline · Nov 1, 2015

MaryEllaRose said:
I've heard enough horror stories about people falling over board while pulling on the rope of a recalcitrant outboard motor in rough weather to make me a believer.

Tom G

Holy Smokes... REALLY!!!.... are there really enough instances of this for it to be documented somewhere, or is it just stories... has a coalition formed to outlaw pull cords on outboard motors yet? but if it does happen a lot, then it sounds like Darwinism at work attempting to do what it does best to those lacking common sense.

Gene Neill · Nov 2, 2015

The motor should have a warning sticker telling you not to stand on top of it while pulling the cord!!

MaryEllaRose · Nov 4, 2015

centerline said:
Holy Smokes... REALLY!!!.... are there really enough instances of this for it to be documented somewhere, or is it just stories... has a coalition formed to outlaw pull cords on outboard motors yet? but if it does happen a lot, then it sounds like Darwinism at work attempting to do what it does best to those lacking common sense.

I just don't see the humor in falling overboard in rough weather. Sorry, but I just can't help wondering just which branch of the evolutionary tree you're swinging from..

justsomeguy · Nov 4, 2015

MaryEllaRose said:
I just don't see the humor in falling overboard in rough weather. Sorry, but I just can't help wondering just which branch of the evolutionary tree you're swinging from..

I don't see any humor in centerline's post.
A little sarcasm, yes, but nothing requiring questioning his place on the evolutionary ladder.

Jacktar · Nov 4, 2015

Jeez folks lighten up, it is a boating forum not a blog for politically correct or easily insulted. If you want to get cranky with someone do it to your boat crew. They at least know where the gangplank is stored to use during mutinies. Cranky captains need to anticipate this and assure there is a dinghy available to be abandoned into. See how I carried this theme to the nut fringe edge?

Daveinet · Nov 4, 2015

I can see electric start being very worth while. Most of the time when you get yourself into one of those situations, you are reacting too late, which causes a lot of scrambling. If the motor decides to be ornery that day, you can get into trouble really fast. As most of these small engines are not fuel injected, it is very easy to flood the engine. Typically happens when you just shut the engine off, but the water temps are cold. You don't know how much the engine has cooled, and it doesn't want to start right away. Do you pull the choke or not? What does it really need? Time you play around, you are drifting ever closer to having a serious issue. At some point, you get very tired of pulling the rope, because you guessed wrong on how much choke. The advantage in that situation is that the electric start will crank the engine fast enough to clear the excess fuel out much quicker than trying to pull it by hand.
Simple plays both ways. Simple operation, or simple to get it started in those questionable situations.

In reality, if you want really simple, I'd be very inclined to look at one of the bigger Torqeedo's, such as a Cruise 2T. Very dependable, lightweight. You can't get anything more simple than a switch.

Leeward Rail · Nov 4, 2015

Daveinet said:
If the motor decides to be ornery that day, you can get into trouble really fast. As most of these small engines are not fuel injected, it is very easy to flood the engine.

+1
That's my experience. Even well maintained ones can sometimes not start on the first few pulls.
Choke or not ? hmmm... yank yank...

Any engine, electric, diesel, gas, propane... can be problematic at the wrong moment.
That's just another reason why I sail as much as possible, as opposed to replying on a motor.
We practice picking up mooring balls, MOB recovery... It keeps the skills up for when we need it.
I see motor and sail as backup for each other.

Redundancy is a good thing. It's nice to have 2 methods of starting an outboard.

mm2347 · Nov 4, 2015

Another consideration is weight. Ive used a 9.9 hp Honda on my 222 for about 4 years. Great motor w/ hull speed at about 1/3 throttle, charging system and used little fuel. But heavy. About 110 lbs and then mounted about a foot behind the stearn on the starboard side even heavier. The boat sat wrong and the motor a chore to lift onto the boat. This year I went w/ a 2stroke, 2cyl, 6 hp Suzuki and has a charging system. Weighs in at about 60 lbs. Hull speed is at a little less than 1/2 throttle but the motor has a "buzzy" feel to it. Not bad but there. It uses a little more fuel than the Honda and the exhaust smokes for about the first few mins then clears up. The weight and size difference is very noticeable.
In looking for outboards I found that most of the newer 4 strokes of 4 to 6 hp were the same single cyl motor with only a carb. difference. Many of the independent tests showed performance on the water close or the same. The newer 4 strokes of the 8 to 10 hp and went w/ 2 cyl. were in most cases were the same motor w/ often only a carb. change but not much change in performance on the water. What to use? My compromise was a dirty exhaust for weight. Overall I burn about 6 gal of fuel a season.

allen-deckard · Nov 5, 2015

I want to emphasize 2 things the catalina 22 can be pushed up to hull speed with a 3HP at 3/4 throttle and hull speed in 25+ knot head winds at full throttle. Motor weights in at 40 lbs and costs about 800 new (if on sale) I know all this for a fact cause I used one for little over 4 years.

With that said the reasons I got rid of my 3hp and went big (this is for me and nobody else)
1. The 3 hp has no external fuel tank the internal is only 1/3rd gallon can run for little over an hour but fueling it in ANYTHING but glass water is scary as shit hanging over the back of the boat.
2. No alternator sucks at times have to have plenty of solar or ability to charge at dock.
3. I personally like electric start. Everyones different I like it because I have a serious issues with pull starting the motor again just one of my things.
4. I like my electric tilt. Didn't know I would like it as much as I did when I got it but damn I love it. Guess if I never had it I wouldn't miss it but I really would now.
5. I got the big foot version of my motor way bigger lower end and the prop is half again the size of the normal one it's made for pushing a heavy boat since our boat weights in way beyond what a john boat weights it's great for maneuvering. Needed? No but I like it and it's worth it to me so its what I have.

Yah it's WAY heavier. Since it weighs in at around 120 that's 80 lbs heavier than about the lightest unit you can get.
What performance have I noticed? None if I was counting who knows maybe a split second in the mile but I don't care. Had to shuffle some weight around in the boat to balance things out though.

With that said it's 80lbs. Most of the time it's just me. Rest of the time it's me and my wife. so without a kid we dumped 80lbs there.
If 80 lbs is that big of a deal then I could say I can sail faster than most of ya cause I'm extremely skinny and my wife is only 4ft 11in so even with both us we weigh way less than most.

NOW the motor is a lot of power than needed AND it is a lot of power for the motor brackets (which I've beefed up).

So what does all that mean above? It means get what ya want. (just don't go over the 9hp). There is only one motor smaller than the 3hp that I know of and that's 2.5 so anywhere in that range is going to be fine depending on what features you want.

Telling someone EXACTLY what motor to get would be like telling someone exactly what tow vehicle to get to pull a Catalina 22 your going to get a million responses all different.

What your original question was though is what is the min hp for strong currents. With that said I'd say anything that will push the boat at hull speed with 1/4of the throttle left and I can tell you without doubt that the 3hp will do that.

If you had asked what motor you RECOMMEND then lots of answers but with the question you asked 3hp will do it.

Min hp for strong currents

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