Suzuki DF6 OK outboard?

[commocean]

I'm looking for a new outboard motor to push a 9'6" SATURN inflatable with high pressure floor. Has anyone got an opinion on this little motor?

[R Rae]

I purchased the 4HP DF4 model about 3 years ago to push both a 12ft (120lb weight) inflatable, and at times a very old, very heavy square stern canoe with great results.

Practical Sailor two years ago ran a comparison test and gave the Suzuki two thumbs up. One feature I recall was the easiest starting of all surveyed, and I would agree that easy starting is one of it's many attributes.

Cheers

[MSS]

I owned a DF6 couple of years ago and it was always working perfectly. I can’t recall it ever stalled. It was also the easiest starting engine I have ever owned. On the dark side the power in reverse gear is nearly nothing, but that maybe doesn’t matter on an inflatable.

[Pacamac-uk]

Hi, I use a Suzuki 6 4-stroke on my 3.1m (10'?) Quicksilver Airdeck inflatable and it is just fine. It's easily lifted and easy to start. I use it with an optional separate fuel tank as I don't like having the motor in the car or stored with fuel leaking out of the built-in tank. It has a changeover valve so you can use either.

I bought it (new 2003) as being the highest output for its weight when compared to the competition, that it is 4-stroke (me and 2-strokes don't go well together as they never start!!) and good value for money at the time. The down side is it is only a single cylinder but the weight increases dramatically if you get a twin.

It was also good value new when compared with used items on eBay with unknown history and no warranty. (It always amazes me how close the eBay used prices get to new especially when you shop around for the best deal).

It always starts first pull, has never broken down and has been used all over the place as we used to take the dinghy + outboard on vacation and dip it in wherever we went. Therefore it has been used in places as varied as Plymouth Sound, Looe, the river Tamar, the river Thames, from the start of navigation on down, and on the river Exe and most recently the Exeter Ship Canal, all in the UK of course!

Altogether a highly recommended outboard.

If you get one I hope it proves as good as mine.

[commocean]

I'm looking for a new outboard motor to push a 9'6" SATURN inflatable with high pressure floor. Has anyone got an opinion on this little motor?

I thank everyone for their responses! If anyone had the choice to downsize, would you go to the little 2.5HP it's only 30lbs. which would seem rather advantageous to a Mac owner. I'm a new Mac owner that hasn't had a maiden voyage yet and just getting my dinghy and motor combo setup and my main concern is lifting back and forth.

[Catigale]

Ive found that my 30# kicker (British Seagull) can be taken off the boat and mounted in moderate seas okay. Im 6 foot but not a weightlifter.

Another poster here who could probably Greco-Roman wrestle me with one arm tied behind his back reported a 60 pound motor was just about unmanageable

I think if I knew I would be lugging the motor off and on I would stay with a strict 30 pound criteria.

[Billy]

If anyone had the choice to downsize, would you go to the little 2.5HP it's only 30lbs. which would seem rather advantageous to a Mac owner.

I'm not replacing, but I just purchased the 2.5 Suzuki (for my antique Avon Redcrest). Found it in VA for $500US with the 6 year warranty. Haven't tried it yet, but I really think I'm going to like it. It weighs about the same as the 3 hp/2str I ran on the dinghy a few years ago.