Nissan, Honda, Yamaha or Mercury?
- Thread starter ftp2leta
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I'd think smaller than a 9.9
Hunter usually recommends a maximum HP. Considerations are torque and weight on the transom. A 9.9 is probably going to weigh around 90 lbs, a 6.0 somewhat less.
I'd either call Hunter for advice or go with something around 5.0. Tacking a 9.9 on the stern of a displacement hull designed for a 5.0 HP OB just means you'll weigh more in the stern and be pushing more water, not necessarly going faster.
Hunter usually recommends a maximum HP. Considerations are torque and weight on the transom. A 9.9 is probably going to weigh around 90 lbs, a 6.0 somewhat less.
I'd either call Hunter for advice or go with something around 5.0. Tacking a 9.9 on the stern of a displacement hull designed for a 5.0 HP OB just means you'll weigh more in the stern and be pushing more water, not necessarly going faster.
I've owned Mercury as well as Nissan outboards on previous sailboats: 20' O'Day (4hp Mercury), 23' Hunter (5hp Mercury), and a 16' Compaq (3.5 Nissan). Tohatsu marine makes the Mercury and Nissan outboards. They are good engines. A 5hp Nissan will push a 20' sailboat to hull speed and any power beyond that is wasted anyhow. Burn non-oxygenated gasoline to keep from gumming up your carb or jets and you won't ever have any problems with that 5hp Nissan. A two stroke will be a lot easier on your transom and your back as you will want to take it off the transom when trailering. Mixing the oil isn't hard and be sure and throw in a shot of sea foam per gallon for luck.
I'll add another vote for 5hp 4-stroke. My Tohatsu 5 hp pushes the Catalina 22 at 5 knots with around 1/3 throttle. Even a stong head wind rarely needs more than 1/2 throttle. Also, the 4strokes are very stingy on gas and fairly quiet. Unfortunately, if you are worried about fighting the St. Laurent current, the real answer is a bigger boat, not a bigger engine. Once the displacement hull reaches "hull speed", added power will not significantly increase the speed. But it will help fighting wind and to some extent, waves.
Well I'm sorry but I have to go with my 25 year old Yamaha 8hp two stroke.
It mixes oil at a rate of 100 to 1 and gets about an hour per gallon running at 5knts. and does not smoke.
It starts on the second pull (because I can't get to the choke to turn it off before it quits) and always on the first pull when warm.
I put motorcycle air cleaner foam in the intake and now it is as quiet as a 4 stroke.
It idles smoth and has more power than most 4 strokes, after all it does fire twice as often.
It DOES NOT need oil changes or valve adjustment or timming belt replacements.
It WILL NOT leak oil if not placed on it's side properly or flood the cylinders with oil.
It is about the same weight as a 4 stroke that has half the power.
It has a 6 amp charging circuit.
Marine 2 strokes are not motorcycle 2 strokes.
It mixes oil at a rate of 100 to 1 and gets about an hour per gallon running at 5knts. and does not smoke.
It starts on the second pull (because I can't get to the choke to turn it off before it quits) and always on the first pull when warm.
I put motorcycle air cleaner foam in the intake and now it is as quiet as a 4 stroke.
It idles smoth and has more power than most 4 strokes, after all it does fire twice as often.
It DOES NOT need oil changes or valve adjustment or timming belt replacements.
It WILL NOT leak oil if not placed on it's side properly or flood the cylinders with oil.
It is about the same weight as a 4 stroke that has half the power.
It has a 6 amp charging circuit.
Marine 2 strokes are not motorcycle 2 strokes.
i have a 5 hp honda on my oday 20. it has more than enough power and i rarely run it at more than the start setting on the throttle.
Yamaha for me as far as reliability and ease of starting. If you deal with gas with any ethanol %, I'd even consider going 2 stroke. Had an 8hp, 2 stroke, 2 cyl. Yamaha for 8yrs. on a 23.5 that ran like a clock and NEVER took more than 2 pulls, almost always started with one.
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