Best 4 or 5 hp outboard for a canoe

[old-wheezer]

Evinrude Lightwin! They run great and parts are easy to find. I’ve owned one for 40 years and still use it.

[jeff-register]

Want something classic & light? I have a nice 56 Johnson 3hp with built in tank. Very good paint too.
Jeff.50@cox.net..

[lucescoflathead]

I couldn’t stand it any longer, I got tired of looking at the 4 HP Evinrude so I bought it on the way home from work. It’s a 1982 E4BRHCNR that looks into be in great shape.Thanks for all the suggestions.

[fleetwin]

Well, I guess my answer would depend on whether or not your canoe is capable of planning off safely. If not, then the conventional JW/Lightwin is the obvious answer. OMC never really made a newer larger engine with the integral tank, and that "saddle tank" model is a joke I’m afraid. Those old Johnson 5hps from the late 40s/early 50s might be the answer if the canoe is safe at planning speeds. If you are interested in a newer engine, Tom C posted a youtube video of a newer Merc single 5hp that seemed to do everything well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TReiHrQr1mY
Looks like it could be used with integral or separate tank.

[mike-stroz]

I myself am partial to Lightwins. Mine came from a barn in upstate NY and started right up after 30 years in storage. Not the most powerful motor, but really smooth and nice running. It pushes my 14′ aluminum rowboat pretty well, so it should easily move a canoe!

[jeff-register]

Fleetwin?
I own a 56 Johnson 3hp. Really nice stock paint too. Would this be the fishing motor he is looking for? Or is this the wrong motor for the app?
Jeff

[20mercman]

quote JasonH:

My choice would be a Mercury Mark 5. Integral tank, neutral clutch, 41lbs, and a very healthy 5hp. My feeling is these motors are always overlooked. I won a slow race with mine and know of others that have won how slow will it go competitions. They are super smooth running and lots of power.

I agree with Jason, as these are indeed very nice running motors! I would also toss in a vote for the lightwin’s which are also very nice motors, but they are not really in the same power class as the Mk-5. We have two Lightwin’s, and a JW, love them,… great put put motors. How fast do you want to go?, as the Mk-5 will fly on a canoe, and not much heavier than the Lightwin at all. We have run twin Lightwins at times, and the Mk-5 would outrun the pair easily. The weedless drive is very nice if you plan to head into the back water areas. The Fleetwin would have to be one of the Neutral clutch motors as the full gear shift would be too big and heavy for a canoe unless it is a very big canoe.

Steve

[1946zephyr]

Truthfully, a canoe does not need much to move it. A person really shouldn’t put more than 3 horses on it. Not really a craft built to be motorized. 5 horse would really be pushing the envelope.

[archangel]

I don’t know them well enough to recommend them, but I am a little surprised that there wasn’t a vote for a British Seagull. The Forty Minus is only 26 lbs. and the Forty Plus comes in at 28. Pretty light little units. Again, my familiarity is slim-to-none and I suspect that there are good reasons no one jumped in with a recommendation for them.

[Author]

Posts