We have a 15 HP 2-stroke Nissan (made by Tohatsu). Very solid motor, runs great and plenty of power. We use this for zipping around near our slip on a hard-bottom RIB. Manually lifting the Nissan to the stern rail motor mount from the water off a dinghy seems almost unsafe due to it's weight of ~80-90 lbs and for this reason is not a realistic option for us to use while cruising. It also is almost 3X the hp max rating for Achilles inflatable we use while cruising and would likely damage or rip the transom from the rubber dinghy.
While cruising the Great Lakes, we have been using a 3 HP 2-stroke Yamaha on an older, small Achilles inflatable. I estimate the Yamaha weighs just under 40 lbs, and starts on or before 2nd pull every time. Great little motor for transporting us from anchorage or mooring to land, but not really enough power to do any type of exploring with. It will not get the Achilles up on plane. As far as lifting onto the stern rail mount, this one is very easy.
Perhaps similar to you, I am looking for something that I can use on an Achilles inflatable to get up on plane and zip around but still manually lift onto the stern rail mount. I'm also looking for an internal tank option to keep gasoline containers onboard limited to 0 or 1 depending on our trip duration.
At the end of the day, I'm seeking a 6-8 hp 2 or 4 stroke with internal gas tank... I will try to report back when purchase one. Good luck in your search.
_________________ Dan ANTHEM Hull #459
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