Look for small and quiet 4/ outboard please.

[T i m]

Hi All,

I posted this elsewhere but since feel it could be more appropriate
here (and just posted it as a reply to a post in 2004 (doh). 3rd time
lucky). ;-)

After boating from a kid with the family I now only have room to store
a 12' Porta Bote that so far I have only rowed around some localish
rivers and used a small electric outboard (bit too weedy round the bit
we happened to test it on) but might to get a little 4/ outboard, to
compliment the amazing Yamaha 2hp 2/ that I think I'll be buried with.
;-)

This is partly because I understand the 4/'s are considered less
polluting (some places not allowing the use of 2/'s?) and I'm hoping,
would also be a bit quieter? This is important because not only
because 'quieter' means 'more sociable' but because of my Tinnitus,
even reasonably low levels of nose, over a prolong period can make my
Tinnitus 'flare up' for a few days. ;-(

So, the maximum outboard weight for the 12' Porta Bote is 26kg and I
think that takes us up to the 4/5HP models? However, I think most of
our waterways (and Broads) have fairly low speed limits so maybe a
smaller outboard (2.3 - 3.5 HP) might be lighter and therefore, more
convenient (not to mention. cheaper). Plus, I don't think the Porta
Bote has a particularly efficient a hull design so I would probably be
wasting fuel by trying to go much faster than say 5 knots (with the
two of us and some day trip gear anyway).

So, with the above in mind, does anyone have (ideally) personal
experience of any particular make and model that you think might fit
the bill please?

Cheers, T i m

p.s. A mate who bought an old British Seagull outboard off us when his
was stolen suggested the small Honda (2.3 / 5hp) outboards are
particularly quiet. Would they be any quieter than the Suzuki /
Mercury / Tohatsu 3.5's do you think?