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I would think leg length would be highly important to keep it in the water when the boat is bucking in rough weather.

A motor designed specifically for pushing sail boats may well be best, the actual power doesnt need to be huge, I mean how many 5 ton keelers are running around with 10Hp motors safely.

The Tohatsu SailPro 6Hp 4 stroke is a purpose built sail boat motor, extra long 27 inch leg, high thrust prop and a charge circuit are standard, from all reports on these motors they are bullet proof, highly economical and do the job on bigger heavier boats than ours.

If you Google them you will find MANY MANY happy owners that just rave about just how good they are, economy numbers seem to up with small diesel motors

I got through the Westport MA gut at full ebb tide with just my Nissan 4 HP on my at full throttle.

A 9.9 High Thrust would get through that. If there is enough sea on the ocean to swamp the motor, theres enough wind to sail.

I trust my sails more than my motor.

Catigale wrote:A 9.9 High Thrust would get through that. If there is enough sea on the ocean to swamp the motor, theres enough wind to sail.

I trust my sails more than my motor.

I do too, but in my case (or in my defense, as it were ) I was going straight into the wind, and there was no other way through the channel with shallow water and sawed-off pilings on either side (the old trolley system along the shore). The shots below look like where the tracks crossed the wide opening of Braddock Bay.

In fact, there used to be a low wooden bridge over the Irondequoit Bay inlet to the east of Braddock Bay (where I dock now), which came down along with an automobile bridge just before I moved here, opening up the bay to boats with masts. There's a short cantilevered swing bridge at the inlet now, which opens to boat traffic in the spring and closes in the late fall, but no more trolley tracks other than the antique steel bridges over the roads that are still all over the place. But I digress.

Trying to punch through those waves with a 9.9 and standard prop (before I found a high-thrust with Mickey Mouse ear blades to fit it) was a fool's errand. Shouldn't have even attempted it.

In the end only the owner can say what motor is best for them. Personally the six hourse sounds attractive until you wind up at rudder cay cut late, with the outgoing tide against you. Or coming into ceasars creek in the afternoon with lots of traffic.
One things for sure. Id want all controls on the helm including tilt even on a small motor. Im done leaning over the back at odd angles trying to pull start an outboard.

As long as you don't want or need to go beyond hull speed a 9.9 HP high thrust is the way to go.

Tomfoolery wrote:

Catigale wrote:A 9.9 High Thrust would get through that. If there is enough sea on the ocean to swamp the motor, theres enough wind to sail.

I trust my sails more than my motor.

I do too, but in my case (or in my defense, as it were ) I was going straight into the wind, and there was no other way through the channel with shallow water and sawed-off pilings on either side (the old trolley system along the shore). The shots below look like where the tracks crossed the wide opening of Braddock Bay.

In fact, there used to be a low wooden bridge over the Irondequoit Bay inlet to the east of Braddock Bay (where I dock now), which came down along with an automobile bridge just before I moved here, opening up the bay to boats with masts. There's a short cantilevered swing bridge at the inlet now, which opens to boat traffic in the spring and closes in the late fall, but no more trolley tracks other than the antique steel bridges over the roads that are still all over the place. But I digress.

Trying to punch through those waves with a 9.9 and standard prop (before I found a high-thrust with Mickey Mouse ear blades to fit it) was a fool's errand. Shouldn't have even attempted it.

I've had many a steak/cheese sub sitting on that pier at Seabreeze.....

There's even a couple of spots along the trolley route where you can still see the ties, like in these folks' backyards (top-left; might have to open the pic to see).



The right-of-way is easy enough to pick out, of course, but rails and ties are mostly gone. Even the antique Hojack swing bridge over the Genesee River was removed, just a couple of years ago (amidst the rending of garments and gnashing of teeth). Makes me wonder who owns the ROW, though. I think CSX had to give permission for removal of the bridge.