A wheel stand is essential for storage, flushing and general maintenance.
The smallest outboards are truly portable, with the little air-cooled 2-horse Honda, a four-stroke like their whole line, scaling just 27 pounds. Yamaha’s 2.5 hp four-stroke, which is water-cooled, weighs 37 pounds. Mercury’s 2.5 hp two-stroke, also water cooled, scales 28 pounds. Johnson builds both 3- and 5-hp two-strokes on a one-cylinder, water-cooled 4.47 cubic-inch block, and these little motors weigh just 30 pounds. The 5-hp gets the nod for the most power per pound among the small motors currently on the market. Johnson’s four-stroke four-horse, built by Suzuki, scales 55 pounds. Suzuki builds both 4- and 6-hp four-strokes on an 8.4-cid block. The motors weigh 55 pounds. Motors in this range typically list for between $800 and $2,100.
Two-stroke motors in the 8- to 10-hp class typically weigh between 55 and 80 pounds and are priced at $1,800 to $2,400. Four-strokes in this class weigh 85 to 100 pounds, and are priced at $2,000 to $2,500 list. And for 15 to 25-hp motors, the two-strokes weigh from 80 to 100 pounds, and the four-strokes 100 to 140 pounds. Price on two-strokes ranges from $2,300 to $2,800, while the four-strokes go for $2,600 to $3,300.
Note that it’s easy to overpower a small boat, even if the boat may be rated for the power. I put a four-stroke 25-h.p. Yamaha on a 16-foot Lund and the transom squatted so much that the boat porpoised wildly unless I had a second angler sitting up front. The much lighter 15-hp two-stroke I replaced it with gave me plenty of speed and no porpoising problems.
If you’re running a canoe with a side-mount motor, a 2- or 3-hp outboard is going to be plenty. Square-back canoes can take more power, but they rarely need more than 10 hp and six or eight hp may be great. Ditto for small inflatables. Jonboats 12 feet and up, with broader, flatter bottoms, run well with 10 and 15-hp motors—check the transom plate for the recommended limits. Just remember, in portables, you want the least motor you can get by with, because you’re going to be carrying it regularly.
Whatever portable you choose, remember that outboards do not float. Transferring them from the dock to the transom is a moment of truth; it requires your full attention so that you do not hear a very expensive splash. Best bet is to follow standard operating procedure for putting any gear aboard a small boat. First, set the motor down on the dock, then step aboard the boat, get yourself positioned at the transom, and then lift the motor aboard and fit it into place on the transom. Don’t try stepping aboard with the outboard; sooner or later you’ll be sorry.
Light-weight, two-stroke kickers won't break your back when it comes time to clamp on or remove at the dock or ramp.
Tighten the clamps down fully, and then add a safety chain from the clamp to a fixture on the floor of the boat. The chain prevents vibration from loosening the clamp, and also prevents the motor from falling into the water should it work loose.
Don’t forget to open the air bleed on the gas cap; otherwise, the motor will run a short distance and die. And don’t forget to re-tighten that bleed when you’re done for the day; otherwise, the fuel will leak out in your car.
Also, be sure to raise the motor fully upright for a few seconds after you take it off the transom. This allows the salt water to fully drain out of the pump and housing. Otherwise, it may pool in the internal passages and encourage corrosion.
With four-strokes, most makers advise that the powerhead must be kept higher than the lower unit at all times to prevent oil from leaking or getting into the powerhead. Keep that in mind when you put the motor into your trunk. It’s a good idea to get a rubberized trunk liner for carrying your outboard, in any case—there’s always a bit of grease or other gunk that manages to mess things up otherwise.
When you get your motor home, store it clamped upright to a sawhorse or other firm stand. Run the motor briefly in a bucket of fresh water to flush out the salt. If you’re not going to use it again for a while, it’s a good idea to run the motor at idle until the fuel tank or carb bowl runs dry; that way, old fuel won’t dry inside the carb and gum things up. Or, you can use a fuel storage additive to keep things clean.
Finally, it’s a good idea to carry a sparkplug wrench and a spare sparkplug of the appropriate size with you anytime you travel by portable outboard. Many of the smaller motors are one-cylinder jobs, and if the spark in that cylinder fails, you aren’t going anywhere. Even in a two-cylinder, one bad plug can ruin your day.
