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[Spawn Sack]

So I'm thinking of buying a new outboard. Having trouble deciding between Yamaha, Honda, Merc, Tohatsu. Yes I know there are other brands, Suzuki and others, but I like these 4 and that's what I'm sticking with.

I only want a 4, 5, or 6 hp. An 8 or 9.9 would be nice but the twin cylinders weight a lot more and I'm just not interested in taking the additional weight on/off my boat every time I use it.

Boat is an 11"6 john boat (Journey). I have used a 5hp on it before and it pushes it just fine. I typically fish smaller interior lakes so I don't need to zip along that fast. The transom is rated for a 15hp but like I said I just don't feel like lugging that much extra weight. The boat goes on a roof rack over my canopy so everything has to come out of the boat before the boat goes on the roof. 

Kind of leaning towards a Merc 5hp. I have used/borrowed the father in law's 5hp merc 4 stroke and quite like the motor. Starts up no probs, idles nice and smooth and trolls beautifully, revs up nicely and cruises along great at WOT.

You can get the same Merc motor in a 6hp, however, I have heard (not sure if true or not) that they idle a bit higher and do not troll quite as nice (or slow) as the same engine in the 5hp version.

Tohatsu is the same motor (built in same factory in Japan) and about the same price. If all things are equal I'd rather have a cowl that says "mercury" than "tohatsu." Just personal preference. If I were to happen on a sweet deal on used Tohatsu then I might buy it, but if going brand new I'd rather have the Merc. Also the 5 Merc has a built in fuel tank in the Cowl whereas with the Tohatsu the 5hp does not, but the 6hp does. I'd probably only use the bigger separate tank, but nice to have the built in as an option.

I love Hondas but you can only get a 4hp in the single cylinder (can get a 5hp or 6hp in the USA, but not interested in going that route). I wonder if you'd notice much of a difference in WOT between a 4hp and a 5hp???

Same with Yamaha, can only get a 4hp in the single cyclinder. And I love Yamahas too but I was looking at a 4hp in Cascade the other day and now they are made in SE Asia - not Japan! I think it was made in Thailand.

Honda still made in Japan, same with Tohatsu/Merc.

Leaning towards the 5hp Merc as I've borrowed the identical motor and used it on my boat and I loved it. Don't see a big reason to "risk it" with a 4hp Honda or Yamaha. Ya I'll probably not notice the 1hp less cruising at WOT but you never know. I don't know anyone with a 4hp Honda or Yamaha to test out unfortunately.

Also buddy made a good point: wherever you go there's always a Merc dealer somewhere. Can always get a common part if you have a mechanical issue on a fishing trip. Not as many dealers for Honda and Yamaha. So, serviceability is likely the best if you own a Merc.

Interested to hear what ya'll think!

[firstlight]

After reading that i think you have to go with the Merc 5 hp.

You also need to get an electric for trolling.Would be the best investment you could make if you troll a lot.
I sleep with my MinnKota.......

[Spawn Sack]

I do also have a Minn Kota 40lb thrust Maximizer. I love it and it's is a must have as some remote lakes we fish are electric motors only. Love it for trolling as it's wisper quiet and you can dial the trolling speed in to the exact speed you want. Sometimes a little more tough with the throttle on a gas motor.
However I find the electric sucks for bigger lakes when the wind picks up. Trolling into the wind on Babine Lake last week I had to keep the throttle at about 75% to troll at 1.6-2.0 mph. This drains the battery in a few hours. If the lake is calm or going with the wind no problem then the battery is good for 7+ hours.
Also dont feel comfortable going that far down a bigger lake in case a head wind kicks up. With a gas motor in the 5hp range and lots of gas not a problem.

YesI'm leaning towards a 5 hp Merc but I like to hear from someone about the 5hp vs the 6hp

Does the 5hp troll slower (lower idle speed)? Does it sound a bit more quiet/smooth? Can you really notice that extra 1hp at WOT?

One moment I think just stick with what you know and have used on your boat - the 5hp Merc. Then I start think well if 1hp is no big deal then maybe going 1hp less is no big deal, then the 4hp Honda or Yamaha are options.

[Rieber]

Try borrow the motors you want to try or try going to a shop and ask to try or rent a motor wit the intent to buy. Ask at the shop , you never know.

One thing I do know is that you need to try it yourself first hand. Everyone's boat loading is different and with these small boats and just a little too much weight at the back end, your motor won't have enough power to get you on plane.

With my 10' Spratley, I feel my 9.9 2-stroke isn't enough to get me up on plane quick enough. Even at WOT it takes a few seconds with me leaning as far forward as possible for that motor to dig me out of the hole and get going. Yes you can do all the weight distribution you want like moving a battery or fuel tank into the bow but you're then moving this same crap around when ever you need to get out of the boat and I just find it all a bit much.

Now that 11'6" Journey would handle and perform a lot better with my 9.9 on it instead of on my boat. That little bit of length is just enough to keep the bow down and be much quicker out of the hole at wot.

I'm a believer in using the largest legal HP size engine on small (and virtually all) fishing boats. The weight difference from the largest motor you can have to the smallest you feel you can get away with is really not that much but it's nice to have the hp there when you want it. The 9.9 keeps you legal on all the gasser lakes and will make your boat a happy ride. Plus you have the electric to have the best of both worlds when you want stealth and quiet. A 9.9 2-stroke can idle very nicely whenever needed in wind. Personally, I don't know why one would want a 5 instead of the 9.9 for a nearly 12' aluminum boat. You will likely be taking passengers from time to time so a 9.9 would much nicer than a 5 in those cases.

I've had 5's, 6's, 7.5, 8 several 9.9's and a few 15's on small aluminum boats and by far my favorite every time is the 9.9. The 9.9 2-stroke is 79# and that weight can be quite awkward whenever you have to swing it around,. That is the drawback for sure and it does seem to be the weight point where people often decide - it's too much to handle for their body. I know there are days where I wish that 9.9 stayed at home.

I had a Nissan 8hp 2-stroke and that weighed 59# - good weight, but I still wanted more power.

[poper]

I would consider a 9.9 Honda it will weight a bit more, but you will be happy when the wind picks up.

[Spawn Sack]

Thanks for the replies guys, esp Rieber, lotsa good info/advice there.

If weight were not a factor yeah I'd probably go 8 or 9.9. But last I looked at the specs those motors weight about 35-40lbs more than a single cylinder 4, 5, or 6hp. I'm sure I "could" handle the extra weight but it would be pushing it. Often when I'm in the back of my truck I end up lifting the motor up and on top of totes to save space. I'm on my knees as the truck has a canopy, so I can only really lift with my arms. 60ish lbs is not a big deal but I think 100ish lbs would be a drag. I know there are "motor toters" (outboard motor dolly) but it would take up too much space. I prefer my method of just laying the motor wherever it best seems to fit for that trip and place it on an old piece of thick foam, then drape a moving blanket over it to keep dust off it or in case something falls on the motor.

And yeah I could go 2 stroke to save some weight but I prefer and want the 4 stroke.

I do like the idea of possibly renting a motor from a shop to try it out. Honestly can't see any of them going for that but it can't hurt to ask.

I've never used a Yamaha or Honda outboard but I bet they are quite nice. Given that I have used a 5hp Merc 4 stroke on this boat and loved it I am still leaning towards this motor.

The Journey 11"6 is purposely built to be bow heavy. I like it as with no passenger in the front the bow still stays down at WOT. The 5hp can't quite get the boat on plane but it still moves along fine (maybe 5-6 mph?) for the lakes I use this boat on. A 9.9 would be nice for sure when the wind picks up but honestly this isn't the type of boat I'd want to be going "fast" in over even small waves. It's super stable laterally but it'll porpoise on ya if you want to go fast in the chop. I miss the old 12 foot V-hull for this kind of water but for fly fishing the flat bottom is knight and day better to move around in.

[Damien]

+1 on going bigger, and never look back.

The new 9.8 HP Tohatsu is only 84lbs.  That's where i'd be looking.  $2200 Brand new.

New 9.9 Honda is 114lbs.  $3000 brand new.

[coyote spooner]

Buy the Tohatsu and put Merc stickers on it 😉

[DanL]

I have no opinion on Honda v Yam v Merc, but I have an 80’s era 14’ aluminum that’s pretty hefty and I have both a Tohatsu 4 and 9.8 that I swap back and forth depending on application.

If I am settling in at one location for a stretch, then I grab the 9.8. Having the extra power is nice as it saves time zipping from one spot to the next. If I am ‘lake hopping’ on a trip, then I use the 4 and take it on and off as necessary.

57 vs 87 lbs or whatever the difference is doesn’t sound like much, but it gets old fast if you are taking it on and off every day. Also the integrated gas tank is great as you can stow a little extra gas in the bow for emergencies and the stern area has that much less clutter.

If I could only own one, it would be the 9.8, but I use the 4 more often just out of practicality and ease.

5 vs 6 is mostly splitting hairs IMHO. Neither will get your boat on plane, and 1 mph difference at WOT is not going to be significantly noticeable. There is virtually no situation that the 6hp is going to get you home safely that a 5hp cannot. I’d buy whichever model you can get the best deal on.

[Spawn Sack]

Awesome guys a lot of good points. Alright I won't rule out as big as a 9.8/9.9hp

What about trolling? Will a 9.8ish hp troll as slow as say a 5hp? I worry that a 9.8 or close to that will troll way too fast and ill either have to live with it or drag a small bucket.

[Rieber]

Well you have a wide flat bottom so it sdoesn't slip through the water as a v-hull does. Think of the 9.8 as having more torque than the 5. In wind the 9.8 will track true while the 5hp will wander. No - the 9.8 won't troll as slow as the 5 hp but your Journey with the heavier and wide bow might be the equalizer.

With the 9.8 - 4-stroke, you're going to get where you need quicker but on calm days you'll be trolling with that 40 electric until winds pick up.

You'll have a nice combination. Plus you can get out of wind trouble if you ventured out too far and down wind.

I firmly believe in having maximum rated horsepower on the boat.

My '85 9.9 2-stroke Evinrude on my 10' Spratley has never wanted me throwing a bucket overboard to slow it down. I will tell you that my 5hp Honda on one of my 10' Spratley pissed me off enough in the wind at Kawkawa Lake that I bought a 9.9

[Gone_Fishin_]

I have a 2 stroke 9.9 Yamaha (2005) and I can troll right down to 0.8-1.2 mph no problem. Not that heavy (never weighed) but can easily carry it around and load/unload myself. With 2 guys and gear its perfect for my 12" HD Lund. Can get onto plane and up and down the fraser at a good speed as well. 3 guys with gear is almost a bit too much but still gets onto plane.

I myself am a firm believer with going with the max HP, nice to have more power than not enough. For the little bit in extra weight the additional power and being able to cruz across a lake in a few minutes instead of putting over makes it worth it.

My 15' Boston Whaler has a 115hp Merc Tower of Power... go big or go home... lol (should be a 50 on there) First time I've ever said, ya that's too much power and I need a smaller motor. haha

[Damien]

Agreed.  I run a 115HP on my 16' footer.  50MPH is nice.

But back to the kicker thing.  I bet you will kick yourself more on the water wishing you could go quicker versus kicking yourself when moving the motor around.

Again, new 9.8HP 4 stroke is only 84lbs.  A 6HP 4 stroke is 48lbs.  Its up to you... if that extra 4hp is worth the ~30lbs.

I'm a fan of 2 strokes, but if it is being used as my only source of power (ie no electic motor to troll with) on a boat I intend to troll a lot with, I would go 4 stroke.  Trolling all day in a small boat with a 2 stroke is a non-starter for me.

[Spawn Sack]

I'm with ya on that one Damien. I too like 2 strokes for zooming around but I'm personally not a fan for trolling. Too smelly and noisy.

Still humming and hawing on this. Despite some valid points made for going with a 9.8 I'm still likely going to go with a 4/5/6. If I routinely fished "bigger lakes" then yes I would definitely want the extra power. But 8/10 lakes I fish are small interior lakes on the fly. I do occasionally troll bigger lakes with down riggers but typically the fishing is decent close to where I launch so no need to be going miles down the lake.

I would at least like to TRY to load + unload, and fish with, a 9.8 or similar that is roughly 30lbs heavier than I'm used to grunting around on/off the boat. Gonna ask around and see if anyone I know has one they would loan out or even rent for a few weeks. 

[DanL]

Despite some valid points made for going with a 9.8 I'm still likely going to go with a 4/5/6. If I routinely fished "bigger lakes" then yes I would definitely want the extra power. But 8/10 lakes I fish are small interior lakes on the fly.

The biggest motor your boat is rated for will give the most flexibility but I'm also a believer in using the right tool for the job. I totally get your reasoning though. If you literally always fished small lakes, then a larger motor is just hauling more weight, using more gas, and spending more money up front for no tangible benefit. But spending 20% of the time on big lakes a case could easily be made either way.

The perfect solution is obvious though. Get one of each