If I may be so bold on my first post here, I'd like to comment on the questions asked, hoping that it helps even if you bought that nice 4hp engine for $100 already.
hightide wrote:My questions are:
1. Do you think this (forward only, but it can be throatled down) OB is something that would work on my daysailors?
Yes. As long as it runs quite smothly on a slow idle such that it barely ticks over but doesn't die out. You'll barely have thrust to worry about at that RPM and when coming in on dock, it's great. Just kill the engine when ready but you have it at the ready in case something stupid (like a last minute stinkpot approach) happens that you have to go and do it again. Now, at least make sure the engine spins around 180 degrees to run "reverse" if you have to. The theory that Brittish Seagull published was that if you practice good seamanship, a reverse gear is superfluous. I wouldn't go that far but the point is well that in a small boat, your own skill will make a direct-drive low-HP engine that's capable of full turn-around work just fine.
2. Does one need a long shaft outboard motor? Or does this depend on if you use the molded motor mount or a transom mounted kicker mount?
Depends on your transom, etc etc. A long shaft may be better for your boat in terms of keeping the prop in the water at all times even if you're going forward a little. As an alternative, you could add a vertical-swing mount and use what you want. I use a 3.5 HP air-cooled Sears on my Paceship 17 (please, no heckling), and it's a short-shaft. If not for a swing-mount it would be a problem not only because of the prop depth but also because of the rigging. If I had a long-shaft it would eliminate the need for the extra mount on one hand but I'd still have the power head in the way of the triangle-rigged mainsheet on it's approach to the gunwale on that side. That was the main reason I added the mount; the depth control was a bonus for me.
I still have to tilt the engine forward even if I lift the parallelogram up so the tip of the engine doesn't skip on a hard starboard tack but the head's definitely out of the way now.
3. I'm a novice outboard buyer and wouldn't no what to look or listen for, so are there any tips or suggestions you could offer,
OR, should I just skip the idea of a low priced motor and save my pennies for something that is newer (like Carlos's Tanaka)? At one of our local ponds where I sail a "cooler" board boat (styrofoam LOL), I met someone with a sweet little 2 HP forward only Evinrude that he got a a yard sale for about $100.
a) You need to hear it run, unless you're getting it for money you could afford to lose overboard. It would be preferable still, to take someone proficient in basic maintenance (carb cleanout, winterizing) with you to check out some basics with you.
If you're on your own, I'd say that if it looks clean and undamaged you should do at least this: Remove the spark plug and ground it to the motor chassis, wire still attached, and pull the starter cord. For one, it'll tell you if the engine's siezed up or not. It shoudn't sound like all kinds of scratching and scraping when you pull the rope. For another, you should see a blueish to wihte spark at the plug for each "whoosh-whoosh" you hear while the thing's easily responding to your starter-rope pull. If both of these are in order, and if there's no internal damage to the drive train, then there's a good chance the engine's worth the gamble for your disposable pocket money.
b) Tanaka stopped making outboards some time ago but they're nice engines. Alternatively, water-cooled engines are a bit more quiet and a two-cylinder is a lot more smooth running. You have to balance out your own trade-offs such as weight gain for HP desired, noise, salt vs. fresh water. Some say the air-cooled are good for use in salt water becasue they don't circulate corrosive water throughout, but then you can always rinse.
c) 2HP for up to 18' or 20' on calm water sure beats the snot out of rowing. My spare, a 2.7HP Cruise N Carry, will move my 17' boat but it doesn't power it as well as my main 3.5HP Sears; there was a change in HP rating in the days these were made so I don't know how they really compare in shear output. I find the former only passable beating into the wind or tide, but worth keeping up fromt hidden away as a spare when off shore as it's only 15#. If you're doing much in potentially rough water or hellacious wind, you might want the 4HP.
On a side note about gasolne engines v. electric, what I do to at least keep up the appearance of taking care of my waterways, is to use a castor-bean lubricant rather than petroleum oils. There's Maxima's Castor927 and some other brands that specify castor oil as the chief ingredient. Not only is it truly biodegradeable, it does not STINK the way regular burning oil stinks. Think "model airplane", since that's the same lube they use in r/c modeling. Sure, Castor927 is around $8/pint but how much fuel do you use in a season, on a day sailor? Food for thought. I try to motor as little as i can possibly get away with in the first place, for maintaining skill and proficiency as much as anything.
-Ted