I had an ancient 2 stroke 3.5 HP outboard that came with my MMB scull boat. It gave me some years of reliable service, but was always loud, and smoky, and it has not started in several years. I could take it to get serviced, but the reality is that I don't use the boat that often, so it's only going to get used a time or two per year, and in that kind of use this motor has never been reliable. It served best when I could keep my boat on a mooring and I had the free time to hunt 2-3 days per week, but I lost access to the mooring location and my weekday morning hunts are a thing of the past.
I'm thinking of selling the old 2 stroke to someone who wants a project motor and getting something newer and more reliable.
This boat is a 1950's era sculling boat, glass over wood strip, heavy, round-bottomed and made to row, not to go fast with a motor. The old outboard would push it at about 4 knots at half throttle and at WOT I could maybe get up to 5. This boat is never going to plane, or go anywhere fast. But I do want to have power because while I can row the boat at 3.5-4 mph, I can neither sustain that for an hour nor scout for ducks while doing so. And I can't scull nearly that fast.
I could repower with a newer and heavier 2.5-4 hp gas 4 stroke. Other options would be a decent trolling motor, or even a propane outboard. Interested in thoughts/comparisons for my use, which will be infrequent (reliable starting after a long sit will be normal), mostly in colder weather, in both salt and freshwater, and generally will not involve running the motor more than hour or two per outing.
I like the idea of not having to refill a tiny integral fuel tank. I really like the thought of a quiet electric motor, if it would be reliable for a few hours of use. I have no experience with propane outboards and don't see them much.
Thoughts?
I'm thinking of selling the old 2 stroke to someone who wants a project motor and getting something newer and more reliable.
This boat is a 1950's era sculling boat, glass over wood strip, heavy, round-bottomed and made to row, not to go fast with a motor. The old outboard would push it at about 4 knots at half throttle and at WOT I could maybe get up to 5. This boat is never going to plane, or go anywhere fast. But I do want to have power because while I can row the boat at 3.5-4 mph, I can neither sustain that for an hour nor scout for ducks while doing so. And I can't scull nearly that fast.
I could repower with a newer and heavier 2.5-4 hp gas 4 stroke. Other options would be a decent trolling motor, or even a propane outboard. Interested in thoughts/comparisons for my use, which will be infrequent (reliable starting after a long sit will be normal), mostly in colder weather, in both salt and freshwater, and generally will not involve running the motor more than hour or two per outing.
I like the idea of not having to refill a tiny integral fuel tank. I really like the thought of a quiet electric motor, if it would be reliable for a few hours of use. I have no experience with propane outboards and don't see them much.
Thoughts?
