Hi Sylvia! 

Great to hear from you!   This is only a partial answer but I hope it helps. Yes!  For sure, more and more people are using 4-strokes.  I have a 20 hp Suzuki on my 14 foot aluminum boat.  It’s virtually identical to the 9.9 and 15 (internal components are different). 

My point is that the 20 “only” weighs under 100 pounds… and… the engine is so fuel efficient that it only comes with a 2.6 gallon gas tank.  There are operators that are using 25hp Mercury and up to 35 hp 2 strokes that weigh much more than 100 pounds.  And… The 20 hp 4 stroke is easily as fast as any 2 stroke 20 hp. 

What I started to suggest is that, assuming you use Facebook, check out Muskoka Sea Flea site on Facebook.  It’s pretty active.  I think you would get more answers sooner on your questions if you go there. Plus you’ll see several pictures of sea fleas with four strokes on them!  Including indoor races each year with propane powered 4 Strokes! 

There are still lots of folks hovering around the website here but more and more people are using the Facebook site (too).  Have a look! 

Welcome back.

Hi,

It has been a long time since I last posted. (Life changes, etc.)

I have been stuck for a long time trying to figure out what motor to get for my MiniMost. I hope this community can help me figure it out.

It seems that a vintage outboard would be perfect for a vintage hydroplane. But here in California we cannot take 2 stroke outboard motors on many major lakes - Lake Tahoe, Lake Havasu etc. There are other bodies of water that 2 strokes are okay (the ocean for example, Ha!) but why restrict oneself?

For a short time I considered a 9.9 hp electric but the weight is prohibitive (the battery alone is 175 lb!!!)

I know that 4 stroke outboards are heavier than 2 strokes and also more expensive.

There are 4 stroke outboards in the 10 - 20 hp range that weigh ~115 pounds.

Is that too heavy?

Basically my question is, is anyone using a 4 stroke outboard on their sea flea?

Any insight will be appreciated.

Thanks so much

Sylvia

Thanks for the welcome. 

The oldest one(yellow) is glassed on the edges and the gore.  The other 2 are only glassed on the gore and the curve of the nose.

The glass doesn't stop the wood from moving or leaking, just makes a nicer finish.  Got to stick them together real good to stop movement.

Did you get any further with this project? Did you learn anymore?

Before I start spewing a bunch of stuff again I thought I’d better find out. The one thing that I wanted to be sure to mention is that it appears I was leading you down the wrong road trying to disconnect the carburetor from the ignition system underneath the flywheel. Apparently it’s not uncommon for full-fledged racing outboard motors but for a recreational motor on a recreational boat for a family, that’s probably not the best way to do it.  I wanted to apologize for trying to lead you that direction. 

I was looking at videos and wasn’t finding anything on a deadman throttle. But I did find a couple of videos on hooking up remote controls. But that appears to be what you already had because of some of your pictures I can see a cable attached to, for lack of a better word, “nubbin”.  Interestingly, that’s been on OMC outboard motors since the 1950s.

So where the remote control was attached is probably where the cable from the dead man throttle should be attached. But I still don’t know how, first, to attach it, and second how to push-pull Will work, Unless you can find a way to make it move more easily

On one video I saw that they suggested disconnecting/removing the twist grip tiller arm which provides a lot of the friction. That solves perhaps one problem but may create others if this is a family use outboard.

And you’re right, you may have to find some way to affix the deadman cable housing to the motor so there is no flex along its length.