Howdy all. I could use a bit of your experience here. I am overthinking a simple issue and would like for you to join me in my misery 
.
The situation-- I live near Charleston SC and know this area fairly well. I fish out of a paddled, car-topped canoe. My son is 4 years old and loves to fish with me, and he's very responsible in a boat (ie, no rocking or leaning over the side).
I am wanting to get something with vastly more grunt than a trolling motor will take me. So I'm considering getting an Old Town square stern canoe (15'4", 44" wide beam, which is remarkably wide for a canoe). It is rated for up to a 4hp motor. I can car-top this heavy canoe just fine and upgrade to a trailer later on if I want (yes, I will want).
First issue: I need to be sure I can transport the outboard in the trunk of my car (2003 Caddy Deville, and yes I do cartop a canoe on a Caddy, and yes it looks redneck, which is fair enough lol). Other than making sure I have something in place to catch any oil/gas/water drip, are there any other issues to consider? The motor will be stored in a locked up shed when not in use.
Being a cabinet maker, I'm quite capable of mounting a 50-60 pound motor onto, and off of, a canoe.
Second issue: Need help in selecting an outboard brand. I'm very hesitant to pay the $1500 for a Yamaha 4hp with external tank, but if it means reliability, it's probably worth it. The Nissan/Tohatsu/Mercury family all get good reviews and have fairly good prices. All other things being equal, and since I live in a place that I can get parts for either fairly easily, which would you go with? Price on the Tohatsus are definitely lower, a couple hundred less. I haven't considered Honda at this point.
Third isssue: Pretty much every brand out there that sells a 4hp also sells a 6hp based on the same block, they just have a more aggressive carb and associated fuel system, if I am reading correctly. Would putting a 6hp (aside from initial cost) be too much for a 15'4" canoe in your opinion? I know it all comes down to weight distribution and angle of the motor; I'd like to try avoiding adding a hydrofoil to the motor, but also would like to be able to scoot off the lake as quick as possible if there's a storm coming. Would a 6hp really give me better speed, or will I be burning more gas just for gaining 2mph?
How fast would you expect a 4 and 6hp to push this canoe along with, say, a 400lb load (two adults, no fish, which is typical)?
.The situation-- I live near Charleston SC and know this area fairly well. I fish out of a paddled, car-topped canoe. My son is 4 years old and loves to fish with me, and he's very responsible in a boat (ie, no rocking or leaning over the side).
I am wanting to get something with vastly more grunt than a trolling motor will take me. So I'm considering getting an Old Town square stern canoe (15'4", 44" wide beam, which is remarkably wide for a canoe). It is rated for up to a 4hp motor. I can car-top this heavy canoe just fine and upgrade to a trailer later on if I want (yes, I will want).
First issue: I need to be sure I can transport the outboard in the trunk of my car (2003 Caddy Deville, and yes I do cartop a canoe on a Caddy, and yes it looks redneck, which is fair enough lol). Other than making sure I have something in place to catch any oil/gas/water drip, are there any other issues to consider? The motor will be stored in a locked up shed when not in use.
Being a cabinet maker, I'm quite capable of mounting a 50-60 pound motor onto, and off of, a canoe.
Second issue: Need help in selecting an outboard brand. I'm very hesitant to pay the $1500 for a Yamaha 4hp with external tank, but if it means reliability, it's probably worth it. The Nissan/Tohatsu/Mercury family all get good reviews and have fairly good prices. All other things being equal, and since I live in a place that I can get parts for either fairly easily, which would you go with? Price on the Tohatsus are definitely lower, a couple hundred less. I haven't considered Honda at this point.
Third isssue: Pretty much every brand out there that sells a 4hp also sells a 6hp based on the same block, they just have a more aggressive carb and associated fuel system, if I am reading correctly. Would putting a 6hp (aside from initial cost) be too much for a 15'4" canoe in your opinion? I know it all comes down to weight distribution and angle of the motor; I'd like to try avoiding adding a hydrofoil to the motor, but also would like to be able to scoot off the lake as quick as possible if there's a storm coming. Would a 6hp really give me better speed, or will I be burning more gas just for gaining 2mph?
How fast would you expect a 4 and 6hp to push this canoe along with, say, a 400lb load (two adults, no fish, which is typical
)?