Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

xounlistedxox

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Aug 18, 2012
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4
Hey Guys/Gals,

I'm new to the forum. My name is Brandon and I'm from Sacramento, CA. Currently I own an Intex Mariner Inflatable, and a 1993 Porta-Bote. Currently I'm running a 1968 Sears 3.5hp 2 stroke outboard. While this motor will get me around, it's super slow. I would guess 5mph max.

I found a good deal for a lightly used early 2000's Nissan 5hp 2 stroke(the all gray one weighs 42 lbs) for just a little over $400 from a buddy of mine. Previous to this I was looking to get a Tohatsu 6hp 4 stroke(weighs 56-58lbs) brand new for around $1300. I'm not looking to set any porta bote speed records or anything, but I would like to be able to go more than 10mph. Do you think the 5hp Nissan 2 Stroke is a worthwhile motor for my goals, or should I spend the extra money and get the Tohatsu 6 hp?

Thanks,
Brandon
 

JEBar

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 4, 2012
Messages
462
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

we used a 6 hp Evinrude on our 12' Porta Bote .... with one person in the boat it would get up and go .... with two it would get up but not go nearly as well .... with more than two it would plow through the water .... while our Porta Bote performed as advertised, the day it was sold, I've never been so happy to see a boat go

Jim
 

xounlistedxox

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Aug 18, 2012
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Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Thanks for the reply. I have been out on my porta bote a few times and can see it has limitations for sure. For me it's my best option at the moment. I live in a condo and we have a strict home owners association. No recreatonal vehicles allowed, so the porta bote is as good as it gets for now. Plus I don't own any suv's or trucks only cars, so more reason the porta bote works for my life style. I actually found that the nissan merc tohatsu 2 stroke 9.8 hp from the early 2000's only weighs in about 60lbs, so I'm going to keep my eyes open for one of those. I'm still going to buy the 5 hp nissan 2 stroke. I'll keep everyone updated.
 

Ellwebs

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Aug 27, 2007
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5
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Thanks for the reply. I have been out on my porta bote a few times and can see it has limitations for sure. For me it's my best option at the moment. I live in a condo and we have a strict home owners association. No recreatonal vehicles allowed, so the porta bote is as good as it gets for now. Plus I don't own any suv's or trucks only cars, so more reason the porta bote works for my life style. I actually found that the nissan merc tohatsu 2 stroke 9.8 hp from the early 2000's only weighs in about 60lbs, so I'm going to keep my eyes open for one of those. I'm still going to buy the 5 hp nissan 2 stroke. I'll keep everyone updated.

my advice is to go with anything 4 stroke. The visible pollution from 2 strokes is uncontionable. Having said that, I confess to owning a 2 hp Evinrude for the Porta Bote and a 25 hp Johnson for my 16 footer. I'm not proud of the oil sheen I leave behind. Doubtless, I'll upgrade in the future but for now its great fun to be on the water.
 

Tommyfmu

Seaman
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
63
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

.... while our Porta Bote performed as advertised, the day it was sold, I've never been so happy to see a boat go

Jim

What didn't you like about it; was it purely speed, or other issues? I've just sold my inflatable in favor of buying a used PB if I can find one year us in NY. Thx.
 

xounlistedxox

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Aug 18, 2012
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Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

I really like mine so far. I wound up picking up the Nissan 2 stroke for a good price. Just like the other member above mentioned it moves really good when I'm by myself. I actually went too fast according to the owners manual and went above max recommended hull speed. The floors started fluttering etc. Probably close to 20mph would be my best guess. With one other person in it the porta bote slows down dramatically probably 12-14mph top speed with two people I would not like to see how slow it would be with 3 or 4 people. The speed limitation is definitely my biggest complaint so far, but porta botes are my best option at the moment since I live in a place that does not allow any recretional vehicles to be stored(home owners association rules) plus I don't own a truck or SUV, so even if I could have a boat/trailer I wouldn't have any way to haul it. Do you guys think aluminum boats of comparable size would be faster, or slower with the same motor? How about compared to a high quality inflatable with rigid floor etc?
 

JEBar

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 4, 2012
Messages
462
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

What didn't you like about it; was it purely speed, or other issues? I've just sold my inflatable in favor of buying a used PB if I can find one year us in NY. Thx.


once you get the thing in the water, it does fine ..... getting it there can be a pain .... their Porta Dolly ONLY works well when used on a paved ramp .... the tires are narrow and provide no flotation .... in short on a sand/mud/gravel ramp they sink and were a major source of frustration .... having to do it by myself, the Bote proved to be more work than fun .... I had no problem with the effort to unfold, setup, take down the Bote because that is all part of what you accept when you buy one (much like the steps which have to be undertaken with an inflatable)

Jim
 

portabot

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Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
7
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Hi,

Hope you're sitting down. In the "olden" days they used to rate the hp at the head, not the prop they way they do today. Your lucky if you're getting slightly over 1hp considering the age of the old Sears (Eska) outboard.

Hey Guys/Gals,

I'm new to the forum. My name is Brandon and I'm from Sacramento, CA. Currently I own an Intex Mariner Inflatable, and a 1993 Porta-Bote. Currently I'm running a 1968 Sears 3.5hp 2 stroke outboard. While this motor will get me around, it's super slow. I would guess 5mph max.

I found a good deal for a lightly used early 2000's Nissan 5hp 2 stroke(the all gray one weighs 42 lbs) for just a little over $400 from a buddy of mine. Previous to this I was looking to get a Tohatsu 6hp 4 stroke(weighs 56-58lbs) brand new for around $1300. I'm not looking to set any porta bote speed records or anything, but I would like to be able to go more than 10mph. Do you think the 5hp Nissan 2 Stroke is a worthwhile motor for my goals, or should I spend the extra money and get the Tohatsu 6 hp?

Thanks,
Brandon
 

barato2

Commander
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
2,956
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

stick with a 2 stroke for PB power due to weight. i think a 12' is rated by factory at about 6hp and maybe 55 lbs. i run an 8hp 2smoke Rude on mine (56 lbs) and it works fine even in big seas. i get a max of about 14 mph per my GPS in flat calm seas before the dreaded hull flex oscillation begins, less if even a slight chop. for comparison, my 7.5hp honda 4stroke weighs 82 lbs and would severely overstress transom.

yes, a tinnie would be faster with equiv motor but it would ride a lot worse and be louder (i have both), and i durn sure don't get 22 mpg with the tinnie on top of my 4WD truck
 

Elkhornsun

Cadet
Joined
Nov 21, 2012
Messages
21
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

All boats are a compromise of one type of another. There is the old Mason Williams song line "how hopeless it all becomes when you seek all the answers in one" and I have used it over the years to remind myself that it all comes down to deciding what is most important and living with the trade-offs.

I had 27 footer that required a boat slip and would take a diesel to tow it around. Switched to a 17' Boston Whaler for fishing and diving and it was easier to tow but still took space to store. My large inflatables required a trailer and my last inflatable was only 11' long (but weighed 110 lbs.) but I sold it after a month.

With the zebra and quagga mussels that camer first by ocean tanker to the Great Lakes and then by fishing boat to Lake Mead and the Colorado River all the lakes and reservoirs not contaminated in California now require an inspection and the trailer and the boat, inside and out, need to be perfectly dry. So I sold the inflatable and bought the Porta-Bote. I store it in a rack on mounted to the side of our slide-in truck camper (which took the space by the house where I used to store a boat and trailer. Traveling around without a trailer makes many areas a lot more accessible for camping which was a priority.

I bought a 4-stroke 6HP outboard to keep the weight at a luggable 57 lbs. and a 4-stroke model as most lakes will not allow the polluting 2-stroke engines to be used. Overall I prefer not having to do the pre-mix of oil and gas and being able to pour the unused gas into one of our cars so its does not sit.

The limitation of the Porta-bote can be the flex in the rear transom as much as the weight. I had similar problems with inflatables which needed even front to rear distribution of the weight to perform well. The material is the same thickness for the longer models so more flexing of the hull is also to be expected and going to limit how much power the motor can deliver.

I get 6 knots out of the motor and boat and that sure beats rowing or using a trolling motor for propulsion and it is a heck of a lot faster than our kayaks. If I wanted to go along at 30 knots it would be back to the Boston Whaler and the trailer and the 70 HP motor and needing good boat ramps for launching and a place to store the boat and trailer when not in use.
 

barato2

Commander
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
2,956
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

on my latest trip to Mexico, i saw a zodiac with what looked like a drop-in kit to give it the heart of a jet ski, and it got me thinking: wonder if i could engineer a drop-in console with cable throttle and wheel steering? if i upgrade from the 12 to a 14'PB, this will definitely be something i'll look into, as the tiller aspect gets old when you're trolling for 8 hrs a day.

i had to pull the outboard off the transom when i was 22 miles out this last Saturday to clear a bunch of 40# mono that had gotten badly wrapped around the prop, and was glad that my motor wasn't so heavy i could lift it aboard......

also, i experiemented with the trim pin adjustment and found trimming the motor up GREATLY improved both speed and handling. it made the boat plane faster and ride with the nose higher, and helped a lot with tendency to bow steer when trolling down swell.
 

Sportaboater

Banned
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
4
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Hi Brandon I'm is Sacramento too :) Im Runnin a Yamaha 9.9hp on a 12 footer! Yes its modded but hauls butt. Does better than 20mph.

Sporty
 

barato2

Commander
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
2,956
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Sporty--

so how about you post pix and descrip of the mods you've done to your 'bote? i'd love to see em (so i can swipe a few of your good ideas!) , and i'm sure others here would too.
 

thomasiam

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Messages
30
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Hi all, I?m Thomas and I just got a new unused 2011 12? porta bote last weekend. Someone purchased it and never used it. I tried to use my minn kota traxxis 55 electric trolling motor and found it had absolutely no speed what so ever. Especially with two heavy people in the boat.

I have been looking at 6hp 4 stroke gas out board in the internet bit confusing after few hours of research. There are so many out there and bit daunting for a new comer like myself. Can anyone direct me to a great engine that I should consider? I would like to get the max out of the motor for my weekend fishing trips and with low sound.

Not planning to break a speed record but would be nice to move along the water faster than the ducks. :fish2:

I understand the bigger and heavier the engine the faster it is but this 12? has 55 lbs limit so?.

Would greatly appreciate any input and direction.

totally confused Thomas
 

portabot

Cadet
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
7
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Be careful. The EPA has band the sale of NEW 2cycle outboard and banned the imports
of parts for 2 cycle engines. (You can buy a used one).

Also, you're in California. Most of the lakes will not permit
you to use a 2 cycle outboard.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Be careful. The EPA has band the sale of NEW 2cycle outboard and banned the imports
of parts for 2 cycle engines. (You can buy a used one).

Also, you're in California. Most of the lakes will not permit
you to use a 2 cycle outboard.

Any facts to back up your statements? Nothing you said is correct.
 

barato2

Commander
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Dec 7, 2010
Messages
2,956
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

GA, i'm not sure he's completely off base. many of the high altitude lakes in CA (and other western states) are seeing an increasing trend of prohibiting 2 smokes....pretty sure that's the case for Tahoe. Thomas, if you are in CA, the answer to your Q is "yes". the 6 hp 4 stroke is great size for a 12' hull. even if it's a few pounds over the limit, it will be close enough that it's within design spec of boat . my 'bote has shown no ill effects from 5 years of hanging a slightly overweight, slightly overpowered motor off the arse, even using it in some hairy seas. i did find that also putting the 2hp kicker on there at same time was too much (weight and clutter) so it now lives in bow unless/until needed.
 

thomasiam

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Messages
30
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

GA, i'm not sure he's completely off base. many of the high altitude lakes in CA (and other western states) are seeing an increasing trend of prohibiting 2 smokes....pretty sure that's the case for Tahoe. Thomas, if you are in CA, the answer to your Q is "yes". the 6 hp 4 stroke is great size for a 12' hull. even if it's a few pounds over the limit, it will be close enough that it's within design spec of boat . my 'bote has shown no ill effects from 5 years of hanging a slightly overweight, slightly overpowered motor off the arse, even using it in some hairy seas. i did find that also putting the 2hp kicker on there at same time was too much (weight and clutter) so it now lives in bow unless/until needed.

thanks for the heads up.
i'm located in NJ so will be using my boat in PA, NY, CT and NJ.
the prices for these engines are pretty close within all manufactures I'm finding. Is there a manufacture that i should consider over others?

CA is always head of the rest of country in EPA stuff. eventually it will get to east cost i'm guessing.
the only reason i'm going with 2 cylinder is what i seen on BB that single engines shakes a bit.
 

Elkhornsun

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Joined
Nov 21, 2012
Messages
21
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

I started running into lakes not allowing 2-stroke outboards more than 10 years ago so surprising that this is news to people. Some places like Lake Tahoe will allow DFI 2-strokes and some do not allow outboards at all. Most common with the reservoirs where the water ends up in the public water supply for drinking and the operators do not want the chemicals from the outboards getting into the drink water (good idea as we have enough mental health problems in this country already thanks to industrial pollution).

Weight is a factor to consider. The 4/6HP motors weigh in at around 60 lbs. but going to 8-10HP that jumps to 90 lbs. and at 15HP the weight is over 130 lbs. for motors. The newer 4-strokes are not as heavy as the old ones and they also use less gas than the 2-stroke engines.

I went with a Yamaha 6HP motor due to the weight factor and a Yamaha as I knew that there are far more Yamaha dealers for parts and repairs and servicing than there are for Honda or Suzuki or other brands.

Great place to buy from is Shipyardisland.com where they will put in the gear lube and the motor oil and run the outboard and then drain the motor oil before re-boxing the outboard and shipping it to you. I dealt with Andy and he responded to my emails in minutes. Great prices and great service and very good freight rates.


In terms of performance the more the weight added to the boat comes close to the maximum the lower the hull will sit in the water and the more drag and displacement of the water that the engine will need to overcome. When I took a 15HP motor I had used on a 10' inflatable and mounted it on a new 14' inflatable that weighed twice as much the performance on the larger boat was a great deal better which surprised me at first. Then I realized that my weight and that of the engine on the larger boat did not push it down into the water nearly as much as with the smaller boat.

In actual use the only big drawback I have found with my Porta-bote is that it is easily pooped by the wakes of passing ski boats. I now use the boat only on small lakes where they have a 10 MPH speed limit which makes them unsuitable for the water skiers - most inconsiderate group of people I have ever encountered on the water.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Well everything I've read about is 2 strokes on CA lakes that have a prohibition is for motors not meeting current EPA/CARB standards. In other words, can you use an old carbed 2 stroke on controlled lakes in CA - No. Can you use a newer direct-injection motor - Yes. This excludes electric only lakes, of course. Some documentation from CA: General Overview of Two-Stroke Vessel Engines

The words:

Two-Stroke Vessel Engines
Facts About Two-Stroke Vessel Engines

Two-stroke engines are not "banned" for use on all waterways in California, nor is there any plan to do so.
Carbureted and electronic-injection two-stroke engines are considered high-emission engines. Generally, these engines were manufactured prior to 1999.
A carbureted two-stroke engine can emit up to 25-30 percent of its fuel unburned into the water or atmosphere, which is why high-emission engines are prohibited on some lakes.
There are no salt-water or river restrictions in California on high-emission two-stroke engines, excluding personal watercraft (vessels such as Jet Skis) bans in some areas. For example, San Francisco has prohibited personal watercraft within 1200 feet of its shoreline. See "Local Restrictions" on our Web page for a list of lakes.
Direct injection two-stroke engines, made since 1999, are considered clean emission engines and can be used on every water body in California, with some exceptions not related to emission limits.
A new direct injection two-stroke engine will normally have a label sticker (with 1 to 3 stars) on its engine cover indicating that it meets California Air Resources Board emission regulations for 2001, 2004, and 2008 for vessel engine manufacturers

Here is the complete list of bans in California. Local Restrictions on Personal Watercraft and/or Two-Stroke Engines

Primarily PWC restrictions, not 2 strokes meeting or exceeding CARB standards. Yes, older 2 strokes are restricted, but not all 2 strokes.

I think this notice for Millerton Lake from May 2013 says it best. http://www.dbw.ca.gov/PDF/MillertonLakeTSNotice.pdf
 
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