New engine - Tohasu "Sailpro" 6HP

I decided to replace my old 2 stroke Johnson 9.8hp, after the mechanic gave me a repair bill quote.

Over the last couple of years i'd looked into a possible replacement. With the help of the online forums, u-tube reviews and visits to outboard dealers the choice was whittled down.

The motor needed to be lighter weight, be suitable prop for a displacement hull, have a long shaft as it sits on the outboard bracket aft and these days be a 4-stroke (because environmental laws tightening and the Australian authorities going to ban 2-stroke sales shortly)

Bought a Tohatsu "SailPro" 6 HP. The "Sailpro" comes standard with a high pitch sailboat propeller, ultra long shaft (27") , external 12 litre fuel tank and in-built battery charger.

B & M Outboard repairs, the local Tohatsu dealer,  shipped up from Sydney. They then did the early break-in run of a few hours and some preventative maintenance before delivery.

Tohatsu Sailpro 6HP motor

The motor is a single cylinder, has an extended tiller, there are friction adjusters for the turn and throttle and it has through-prop exhaust. It is extremely quiet and environmentally friendly. They are fuel-misers so the tank can be half the size of the old 2-stroke. Being 4-stroke there is no petrol/oil mixing just plain 91 octane unleaded petrol. The motoring range of the boat is theoretically far greater now by a factor of 2-3 times for every litre of fuel.

The ultra long shaft puts the propeller deep under the water, where it can't cavitate in rough conditions.

The gear lever is in front of the engine which is easier to reach with a transom bracket mounting.

It weighs 28 kg, a reasonable weight to lift for a 60 plus year old. Also bought an outboard trolley for moving and storing it at home. (The old motor was 37 kg's, starting to get too heavy to safely lift)

To transport: When laying it down in the ute tray it needs to rest with the tiller side underneath to keep the engine oil where it should be (not a problem with 2-strokes). Always put 12 mm neoprene floor mats underneath it to protect the paint, they come in 60 cm squares which store easily behind the ute seat. Leaving any outboard on a swing bracket is not recommended for most trailer sailers.

Its clean running credentials also allow use on many inland fresh-water ways around the country, water storage dams or rivers (2-strokes banned). Lake Tinaroo, on the Atherton Tablelands behind Cairns, is now a possible destination.