Suitable engine for a rinky-dink plastic 13 foot boat?

[chuser]

I live overseas and am about to buy a little rinky-dink 13' plastic boat to tool around the local canals. What kind of outboard engine would I need to be able to power 3-4 people around? I'm looking at 6hp. Brand would be Hidea or Parsun or Hangkai or another Chinese domestic brand. I'd want a 2 stroke instead of a 4 stroke for simplicity, right? I'm no mechanic! I just want to zip around and take my friends for a ride.

 

[Sea Rider]

Is there a tech plate somewhere to check specs such as : max number of passenhgers, carrying load, max HP motor rated for. If plan going for a 6 HP motor better go straight to a 2 strokes 8 or 9.8 HP motor. Check tech specs, if both 8 and 9.8 have same CC powerhead buy the 9.8 instead, will power much better when with 4 up, won't plane the plastic boat, but will achieve a better fast displacement speed than with any 6 or 8 motor.

Happy Boating

 

[gm280]

Once you find out what the max HP is for your hull, go with that max. I have never ever met even one boater that complained that they had too much of a HP engine. But if I had a dollar for the ones that wished they had more power...well you know the rest!

 

[BillP]

If you just want to putz around in a no wake zone the smallest motor will work as good as a large motor. If you asked me going 2 stroke vs 4 stroke 20 yrs ago I would has said 2 stroke. I've owed 3 small 4 strokes for several yrs and would go 4 stroke now...as long as weight isn't an issue. i have a 200 lb 15' Gheenoe with 5 hp 4 stroke and it cruises (GPS) 12-14 mph while a 9.9 is only 5 mph faster. I'm in no wake zones and can't even use the 5 hp capability.

 

[Sea Rider]

It's money wisely spent , go for the larger HP the plastic boat it's rated for, or repent latter not having picked that one. Will serve you much better when in the near future plan powering a larger boat. Just prop it right for your current load and voila!!

Happy Boating