Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

[barato2]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

OK, i stand corrected, somewhat. but how many 6hp 2 strokes have direct injection?? i note that the restrictions for Tahoe say no carbureted or non-direct-inj motors without specifying 2 or 4 stroke, so they may be even more restrictive than i'd realized.

botom line, my answer to Thomas would be the same: get a 4 stroke if you live in CA. the regulations are not going to get any LESS stringent in the future............

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Now that's a slightly different problem. 40HP is about the lowest DI 2 stroke. New <40 hp will be 4 strokes. I say get a 4 stroke if you want a new motor. Only because that's all you can buy.

 

[barato2]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Elkhornsun-- i regularly deal with wakes from passing 40' sportfishermen, many of whom don't bother to slow down as they pass. the key to hitting a wake in the PB is to hit it at an angle, rather than head on or directly abeam, same as you'd do with a big swell.

GA, i suspect that we may eventually see small DI 2 strokes. the bike manufacturers (many of whom also make outboards) have learned how to make EFI work even on motocross bikes, which are the ultimate in light weight and stripped-to-essentials machines and have no battery, and the same technology will work on small outboards, i think.

 

[xounlistedxox]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

I'm surprised this thread has kept going. I wound up picking up a 2004 14' porta bote recently with a 2010 6hp 4 stroke tohatsu. The upgrades from the factory versus the 1993 model are amazing. Even with 3 adults and 2 children in the boat we were still able to go 10mph on the water. The transom is of much better design with very little flex at all.

But, not I'm back to asking the same question... what's the largest motor I can stick on the 14' porta bote I was reveiwing some specs online and saw some early 2000 model year nissan 2 stroke 18hp that weigh in at a mere 81lbs. That's tempting, but they're pretty hard to find. I will most likely try to pick up a newer model 9.9 hp 4 stroke from nissan/merc/tohatsu that would likely be about as good as it get's for the 14'

 

[barato2]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Bill--you do realize that a 12 hp would be DOUBLE the rated hp for a 12'? mine stands up to slight overpowering but no way i'd subject my transom to that much thrust or that much weight.

on the 2 stroke thing, my point is that lakes with limitations on 2 strokes will be an increasing trend, so if you're buyng a motor now, take this into consideration. did you look at the link GA posted? Local Restrictions on Personal Watercraft and/or Two-Stroke Engines No, it's not just Tahoe....and high elevation lakes in NM and AZ are going the same direction

 

[Elkhornsun]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Odd when people like Stepperbill think that something is not true simply because they are not aware of it. What remarkable hubris. There are more than 60 "lakes" in CA that are in truth reservoirs and provide drinking water for communities. For every 5 gallons of fuel going into a 2-stroke outboard a full gallon goes out the exhaust and into the water along with all the toxic chemicals. A bill was first introduced in the CA legislature to ban 2-strokes from CA lakes in 1998.

I bought a 4-stroke kicker for my Boston Whaler more than 10 years ago so I could use the boat on these "lakes" in the SF bay area. The National Park Service announced as far back as 2002 their intent to ban all 2-stroke engines except those that are direct injected in all park lakes. This was news in 2002 but ten years later one should not be surprised if they show up at a lake with their old 2-stroke motor and find that they cannot use it.

Currently the 4-stroke motors weigh the same as the 2-stroke in this power range and produce better fuel economy. I like being able to motor around all week on a 2.5 gallon fuel tank with my Yamaha 6HP 4-stroke. I like that I can use it at any lake or reservoir that allows the use of outboard motors. It would be dumb to go out and buy a new 2-stroke motor at this time unless it is direct injected and that starts at 50HP, a bit much for a Porta-bote.

 

[barato2]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Barato I thought you are in Mexico? How do you state to know policy in California?

i don't. i just looked at the list put out by the CA govt folks.

i'm not in Mexico....the Chihuahuan Desert covers most of NM, a good chunk of eastern AZ, and the west end of TX, as well as portions of Chihuahua and Sonora. i figured bioregion was more important to the discussions on iboats than specific state, so i put that.

and much of what i'm saying is more "ear to the rails" to see what's coming in the future....lake regulations are not going to get any less restrictive as we pass 7 billion people on the planet, so if one is buying a motor today, a 4 stroke is a good idea. esp given the places that one is likely to use a PB (not everyone is as crazy as me...or you, if you spend 150 miles/day in one!).

Elkhornsun's comment also brings up yet another reason to go 4 stroke today: you wouldn't think fuel usage could be an issue in a PB, right? my 2 stroke 8hp used nearly 10 gallons trolling at maybe 6-8 mph on last day of recent trip........

Bill, i'd love to see what mods you've done to your transom. i might want to emulate em. post info and some pix when you get time, eh?

 

[barato2]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

Name the lake in California that allow motors that ban 2-strokes except Tahoe?

from the CA state government's website posted above: San Pablo Reservoir; Modesto Reservoir; Millerton Lake; Cascade, Fallen Leaf, and Echo Lakes; Donner Lake; Diamond Valley Lake; Lake Skinner.

 

[barato2]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

absolutely. in all its stinky glory. bought it 5 years ago for 450.

but where i boat (and what i bought it for) is almost exclusively the Sea of cortez, and i sometimes have to 4WD it down bad-scary goat trails along the cliffs and then beach launch, so weight, and power-to-weight, was the primary issue for me. as i noted up-thread, i was glad i had a 2 stroke recently when i had to lift it off transom and haul it aboard to clear badly fouled prop, 22 miles offshore. would i get a 2 stroke if i were looking today? for that duty, good chance i would.

however, i'm in the process of moving to either CA or OR and expect i'll get a smaller 4 stroke to supplant it for fresh water.

some you list are drinking reservoirs. They dont allow any motors or Swimming for that fact.
gotta disagree. again, read the list. every one i listed allows gas motors but does not allow non-DI 2 strokes.

 

[barato2]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

totally aside from transom issues, i'd be worried about stability of hull at 30-35....mine gets pretty squirrely at top speed. adjustng motor trim helped but it's still no speedboat.

agreed that my back may be more of a limit on motor weight than the transom....i really do think my 8hp is about the ideal size for my application....i wouldn't want less power OR more weight

stuff like your vette punctures the myths about the golden age of muscle cars being 40 yrs back......altho i'm a bike guy and don't understand why "fast" has to involve toting that extra 3000#

Jack, my fishing buddy has that exact motor on his 17' Whaler. he uses less fuel trolling for a day than i do in the PB!

 

[thomasiam]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

thanks all for your input on my question. after review of all your comments and my reasearch i am getting delivery of 9.8 hp 4 stoke tohatsu external tank motor. Tohatsu Outboard Motor 9.8hp 4-Stroke

i'm upgrading the my 12' PB to handle this engine. cant wait to put it in the water. will keep you guys posted.

 

[barato2]

Re: Best Outboard for 12' Porta Bote?

cool. i think you'll love it. tohatsu makes great motors, Nissans are all Tohatsus and i think small Mercs were for a while. i love my old rude, but the Jap engineering is so much slicker and the motors are far easier to work on, IMHO.

this will also let you locate the fuel tank forward of rear seats to help offset the extra weight in stern.