Flatback canoe motor questions - Boating & Fishing Information and Reports Forum

BenL · #1 (**permalink**) 09-10-2008, 10:26 AM

I have had a Grumman, pretty long, flatback canoe for some time now and it has been sitting under my porch. I want to get a motor for it as I think it is rated for a 5-6-HP motor. Reason being, is there are many days when I will go out on a Saturday, and on Sunday, I'd like to go out but as I have a 1.4 mile 5-mph trudge just to get to the mouth/ocean, then a rinse after using the boat, if I put a motor on the canoe, I can get the canoe up on plane and buzz the pond and even go out in the ocean on the many calm days we have and even screw around at night fishing and not worrying about grounding the canoe in the sand. Many moons ago, in college (I went to college?), we had a canoe and we put a 6-HP motor on it and would fly and was a blast! I'm even thinking of getting some fancy outriggers for it to make it more seaworthy, what think?

Fortunately I have some scratch so I can buy a new motor but I am not sure which motor to get. I have 2 Mercury's in the stable now and lean toward a new 5-6-HP. I have seen the same HP Tohatsu's for hundreds less and am not averse to going with one if they are good. If it were you, what new 5-6-HP motor would you go with and why?

ncnat · #2 (**permalink**) 09-10-2008, 11:34 AM

Be carefull, some of those cheaper motors can not be run in saltwater.

BenL · #3 (**permalink**) 09-10-2008, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncnat

Be carefull, some of those cheaper motors can not be run in saltwater.

Yes, I'll definitely only be considering a Mercury, Tohatsu or Honda, all saltwater-ready motors for dingy's and such. Not the motors found in Cabela's/Bass Pro Shops with Briggs and Stratton motors that are not made for saltwater.

Rumrunner · #4 (**permalink**) 09-12-2008, 03:40 PM

I would consider the tohatsu or nissan (same motors). The small merc's are made by tohatsu, anyway (four strokes up to 25-30 hp). This is according to my local merc dealer. I haven't had the pleasure of working on one of them yet so check 'em out. I AM factory certified in tohatsu/nissan and can tell you they are salt-water ready and bullet-proof. (I work for my self now and have no connection to tohatsu america) The honda's are ALWAYS a good choice if you don't mind the money.