I initially used a 6hp Tohatsu SailPro (25” shaft) but based on input from John Harris where he thought this was oversized and too heavy for PocketShip (60 lbs) I eventually changed it for a 30 lbs Honda 2.3hp with a 20” shaft.
Although the air cooled Honda works well and I don’t find it to be very noisy, I actually preferred the Tohatsu for the following reasons:
Tohatsu has a reverse gear. The Honda needs to be spun 180 degrees to go astern. Not a big deal unless you need to stop or change direction quickly.
At 6hp there is never an issue of making headway even in a strong headwind. The Honda can get the boat to hull speed at about 1/2 throttle in low wind but it struggles in strong headwinds.
Tohatsu has a neutral gear. The Honda has a fixed gear and a centrifugal clutch where the prop engages above a certain rpm. This can be a problem when tied up at a dock and the engine is started with the choke on where the engine revs high and engages the prop. Because it is air cooled the engine can be started with the outboard tilted up out of the water ( you need to ignore any strange looks from on-lookers as the engine screams and the prop spins). Luckily the choke can be taken off almost as soon as the engine starts.
Finally, as a bonus, the Tohatsu has an auxiliary 5A alternator output for charging batteries etc.
I have the motor mount shown in the attached photo (I don’t know why but 4 stroke motors require higher rated mounts, the one shown below is rated for a 2 stroke motor)
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