We use a Honda 8 HP, Four Stroke. It is quiet and doesn’t use much fuel. It allows us to plane in our AB Aluminum 9.5’ Dinghy. The engine is heavier than our dinghy! If I were to do it again, I would have investigated the weight vs power of the different Four Stroke engine available. When we bought this one, on very short notice in Panama, I bought it because it was a known name. As it turns out, they use the same block and housing on the 8HP, 10HP, 15HP and 20HP! So I ended up with all the weight of the 20 HP with the power of an 8. At the time, Yamaha was making an 8 HP that was 20 pound lighter… ah well… next time.

In the photo is the little pass through the reef we cut through on our way to town. Bora Bora is in the distance, and Tahaa is to the right.