Is Gamefisher 1.75HP any good and suitable for inflatable?

[drabina]

I have the Intex Mariner 4 inflatable boat. Bought it to take my two kids out on a local lakes. For now, I will paddle because can't register the boat due to the Covid-19. So in a meantime, I am looking for a very light outboard motor. The main brands are more than the cost of the boat but there are few Gamefishers/Superbugs in my area for around $100. Some run but rough and some are the usual "ran fine last season". Are those motors any good for an inflatable? The boat has 3HP limit but I don't want to max out the HP since that increases the weight as well. I figured that by the time MVC opens to register the boat, I can do some maintenance on the motor (clean carb, replace spark plug, etc). Just don't know if they are worth the trouble.

 

[robert graham]

I've been running a Tanaka 3.00 hp for over 30 years....it's very similar to your 1.75 hp....excellent, super-simple outboards!

 

[matt167]

If you can get a good runner for $100 grab it.. They can be hard to get parts for

I bought a 3.5hp Hangkai water cooled for $160 to see how bad they are ( I have a Johnson 4hp twin as well ).. And I think if you can't find the gamefisher, the Hangkai really is about a 1.5hp motor and for the $160 they cost some times it would do well enough. They are not worth the $250 they sometimes are

 

[Sea Rider]

Will that small portable motor be powering the light inflatable by means of a back motor mount ? if so, be aware that being a non supported thin fabric pvc material the inflatable was assembled with, if you throttle too much the aft portion where the motor mount is hooked to will flex too much along motor and will lose it's best prop thrust. So throttle enough to avoid that flexing issue..

Happy Boating

 

[drabina]

Thanks guys. Over the weekend, I did buy an older Eska motor. Not very powerful but super light. Haven't tested it yet on the boat since I am doing all the preventive maintenance (carb cleaning, gear oil change, replacing fuel lines, etc). The motor was only $50 and 15 minutes from my home. Couldn't pass it up.