opinions wanted re: outboard motor

[Brian]

I'm looking to get a kicker for my zodiac...(rowing lost it's thrill after the first round trip to the mooring.) The tender is rated at a maximum of 4hp. I did a little window shoping on the net and have found some good prices on new Nissan 3.5 2 strokes, but then I got to thinking...Why not upgrade the original 5hp Nissan that came with the 87 H23 to something a little bigger (perhaps 8hp w/ 12v charger) and use the 5hp for the tender. The only concern with this is that the long shaft and weight might not be 100% compatible with the little tender. I'm beginning to think that the only way to find out is to try it out but I wanted to hear some other opinions as well, its also a little cold to be zipping along the bays here in NY for a test run. So what do think?Brian h23 kickin' back

 

[Rich Stidger]

My 2 cents and an offer

Brian,We have a Zodiac 280 Fastroller and it is rated for 5-6 hp. We use a 3.5hp Nissan and are very happy with it. The advantages of a smaller motor is that it can be easily handled in rough conditions with one hand and it doesn't require an auxillary tank. At 27# either my wife or I can handle it. The 3.5 hp is plenty to get where we are going, but not get on plane. High speeds in anchorages are frowned upon anyway. And, higher speeds in rough water would just mean more water coming aboard.In short, I think it is perfect. However, a buddy has a 3 hp Yamaha that is exceptionally quiet and smooth running and also looks like a good choice. I suspect it is heavier though.I have a friend in my power squadron who has a 3.5 hp Nissan with about 2 hours on it for sale. He is asking $200. It is the unit without neutral. Pity, I think neutral is convienent, but for $200....... I paid almost $700 for mine.Good luck in your search.Rich

 

[Brian]

rich, drop me an email...

Drop me an email regarding the kicker...I'm pretty sure its frowned upon to be running classifieds over the forum so lets take this discussion to the inbox. my email is listed in the owners directory...thanks for the responsebrian conneely h23 kickin' back

 

[John Powell]

Motor steering?

I had an H-23.5 before my present boat. It had a Mercury 8hp motor. What I really liked about this motor (and I think their 6hp has the same controls) is that forward and reverse were on the handle, not on the motor itself. It sure made it easy to dock since I didn't have to look around for this control mounted on the side of the motor. Might be worth thinking about.John