New Guy-first outboard?

[brian]

You did say the motor could stay on the boat so that will increase the range of motors available. I like the late 60’s Johnson 6hp. We used them at the resort and they held up well and could push a good size aluminum boat fast enough for most fishermen. A West Bend 7.5 would be an option as the parts can be found and they are not hard to start. I have a 5/7.5/12hp selectable Sears Elgin that I was able to get running fairly easy. It is not a heavy motor.

[1946zephyr]

quote FrankR:

3hp Evinrude or Johnson from the mid to late ’50’s or early ’60’s Or a 5.5hp. The motors that defined reliability and great running. And there are plenty of them available.

I send this myself. Great motors and easy to bring back to life, if you find one that’s been stored for many years. 🙂

[fleetwin]

Like others have said, no one engine will fulfill every need. From everything you have mentioned, I feel the OMC 6hps from the later 60s-later 70s are you best all around bet. Light, easy to start, rugged/reliable, super easy to service, plenty of parts available both new and used. These engines might not plane your future larger boat though, then I would upgrade to the OMC 9.9-15s from late 70s-mid 80s. They are rugged and reliable as well, but much heavier than the earlier 6hps. The early to mid 80s OMC 7.5-8hps do most everything well in a lighter package than the 9.9/15s, but admittedly not as reliable as the older OMC 6hps…

[green-thumbs]

A 6hp Evinrude I have starts easily…how easily? A flip of flywheel and it starts. Ease of starting
calls for fresh fuel, ignition hot and ready and a motor in good condition. I bought the motor that way…all I had to do was replace the starter pinion gear.
Johnson Evinrude 3hp with the universal magneto are common as fleas on a dog pound pooch.
Try before you buy.
Louis

[kerry]

10hp limit. Small lakes. Stays on the boat. Easy-or electric start. Johnson/Evinrude 9.9 from the 80’s fits the needs, especially with the trolling motor next to it. Going vintage, the 3hp JW/Lightwins mentioned would work. My uncle ran a mid 60’s folder on a heavy 14′ tinny and it pushed decent enough for him. He was retired and not in a hurry. Keep it well tuned and properly timed, and it starts very easy. Parts are still very plentiful, and their abundance is a testiment to their popularity. Either motor will work, just need to narrow your requirements.

If you have too many, AND not enough, you're a collector.

[jeff-register]

It has been said " Most fishermen the small motor is fast enough" On the water I hear them coming up upstream wide open for 30 minutes.
A small motor must be respected & not run at full tilt all the time. Beware what of what appears to be not 😯 worn out.

[safj]

quote Kerry:

10hp limit. Small lakes. Stays on the boat. Easy-or electric start. Johnson/Evinrude 9.9 from the 80’s fits the needs, especially with the trolling motor next to it. Going vintage, the 3hp JW/Lightwins mentioned would work. My uncle ran a mid 60’s folder on a heavy 14′ tinny and it pushed decent enough for him. He was retired and not in a hurry. Keep it well tuned and properly timed, and it starts very easy. Parts are still very plentiful, and their abundance is a testiment to their popularity. Either motor will work, just need to narrow your requirements.

Don’t know what a "folder" is. Doing a search I find mentions of it, but no real illustrations of one. I assume the drive "folds" in some way. If that is the case I am more of a rigidity is king thinker.

quote Jeff Register:

It has been said " Most fishermen the small motor is fast enough" On the water I hear them coming up upstream wide open for 30 minutes.
A small motor must be respected & not run at full tilt all the time. Beware what of what appears to be not 😯 worn out.

You mean not like the small tiller probably was, that was borrowed by a family member and hung back up on the wall without anything being said?

Thanks for all the input guys. I will be reading and studying each response. May not be responding regularly-just decided this week to put our second GSD down (first one went a few years back), neighbor is in intensive care (whom I just visited today), another good friend is getting hospice care now and I try and visit with him and do some things for him to make life easier, and I have my own Dr appointments and PT appointments. I will be reading each, just not responding regularly most likely. Again I do appreciate the input, and I WILL be be getting something (a motor) that comes out of all these suggestions, possibly more than one, and more likely three as mentioned up thread.

I like this at the bottom of Kerry’s post-"If you have too many, AND not enough, you are a collector!" My wife would say that is true of my-bench vises, drill presses, table saws, radial arm saws, workbenches, grinders and on and on. 🙂

[jerry-ahrens]

I too would go with the 9.9 Johnson or Evinrude motors that Don mentioned. They are very easy to pull over, idle very well and have plenty of power. Or if you want a lighter weight, the 6 hp motors are a great choice. I think the 9.9 would be a motor you would really like. My dad had a 1979 9.9 when I was growing up. Man what a great running motor… we would even chop a hole in the ice behind where the boat was moored in the slip, then start the 9.9 and use it as a dock deicer! It would idle down and troll very nicely as I recall. Those motors will also have a Shallow Water Drive function, that allows the motor to be partially tilted for operation in shallow or hazardous areas

[frankr]

In my not so humble opinion, the 1974-76 9.9/15hp motors are to be avoided. We had a terrible time trying to make them run when new.The factory couldn’t make them run either. They came out with several "fixes", none of which worked. OK, let the protests begin. I realize there are some out there running just fine. Just sayin…

BTW, they finally fixed the problem 1977-up, with electronic ignition.

[fleetwin]

quote FrankR:

In my not so humble opinion, the 1974-76 9.9/15hp motors are to be avoided. We had a terrible time trying to make them run when new.The factory couldn’t make them run either. They came out with several "fixes", none of which worked. OK, let the protests begin. I realize there are some out there running just fine. Just sayin…

BTW, they finally fixed the problem 1977-up, with electronic ignition.

Frank’s humble opinion is testimony to thousands of disappointed owners of these engines for sure. 74-76 9.9/15s should be avoided….

[Author]

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