captaindoug said:
Thanks for the response Chuck. I am getting ready to cut the shaft on my trolling motor for my skiff "Lite" and I wanted to make sure I leave it long enough in case I end up building the Bayou Skiff. A guy on one of the other harbor tugs is trying really hard to talk me into selling him my boat and I want to leave all my options open. My reference to the jack plate wasn't pertaining to the speed factor, rather the back pressure caused by having the outboard's exhaust too deep in the water. They just run better as designed as far as the depth of the exhaust in the water, not to mention the shallower draft.
The little Suzuki I have been drooling over is designed for a 15 inch transom. It is a 4 stroke and only 2.5 HP , weighs in at 30 pounds. At 2.5 HP and on the Bayou Skiff , it would make it move if you wanted it to , other times running at a lower speed you could cover more distance. The running time on the quart of gas is WIDE OPEN for one hour.
Since I will have to Pay Florida to have the boat registered , might as well have something on there that can take me anywhere. A 2.5 on the back of a wider and shorter Pirogue ( like the skiff ) should be a WILD RIDE. :lol: Not saying I have to use it but if it is there then I can use it when I want to.
My cardiologist was not real happy with the idea of me rowing up stream , down stream OK .. not upstream. Did that on one trip , paddling against the flow and my unit ( defibrillator ) armed itself 13 times in a 6 hour paddle (
That is just before it blasts you .. stops the heart and restarts it , not a lot of fun ) ... Thank ..
GOD... It never went off and I knew when to take a break. That , Folks is why I will have something to help me go upstream from now on. :wink:
Right now I am waiting for Jamestown Distributors to get my Oars , Oar locks and side mounted oar sockets here this Friday so then can be installed when I flip the skiff over this Sunday and get back to the inside of it. They will have to do till I can get that Motor.
If I would have to build the transom up a bit , it is easy ...just lay in several strips of trim wood on the top of the transom ..... Till it gets right then make it permanent. I would like the cavation plate on the motor to be even or just a fraction below the bottom of the skiff.
Here is what Cabelas has to say about it...........
The Suzuki DF2.5 is small in size, but big on performance. Weighing in at just under 30 lbs., the DF2.5 is the lightest Suzuki four-stroke motor ever built. This versatile and portable outboard motor meets the rigorous EPA 2006 and CARB 3-Star Ultra-Low emissions standards. The little workhorse packs a 2.4hp single cylinder OHV four-stroke engine with 4.15 cu. in. of displacement that generates plenty of power for small tenders and inflatables. The smooth and quiet engine is water-cooled for increased dependability. The fuel tank holds nearly a quart of gas and has an estimated run time of one hour on a full tank. Steering and throttle tension and control are easily adjustable. F-N shifting with 360° steering for maneuvering in tight quarters. Easy-to-grip handle for tilting motor up. Four tilt pin settings for a custom fit. Shear mount.
Transom height: 15".