Outboard

[Paul]

Not sure if I'm commiting a faux pas by discussing power, but I'm new to this, so can anyone advise on what type of outboard I should get for my Laser 16, in terms of weight, 2 stroke or 4 stroke, HP etc.... ?

I'd like one as a back up as I'm a relative beginner and want to reduce the chances of drowing the family. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[TJM]

Not sure if I'm commiting a faux pas by discussing power, but I'm new to this, so can anyone advise on what type of outboard I should get for my Laser 16, in terms of weight, 2 stroke or 4 stroke, HP etc.... ?

I'd like one as a back up as I'm a relative beginner and want to reduce the chances of drowing the family. Any help would be appreciated.

2hp should be plenty if you sail in flat water (lake sailing etc.), and / or if you only want it as a backup or to motor onto a pontoon. 4hp or so could be useful for sea sailing, or where you're likely to encounter strong tides / currents. 5hp and above gets quite heavy to manhandle on and off the boat every time and is probably unnecessary for what's still quite a small boat. In any event, the outboard isn't going to be your main means of propulsion, so the smaller the better.

An outboard could be overkill though. Buy a pair of oars first and see if you still need the outboard then! You can spend the money saved on a waterproof vhf, which might be a more useful safety measure.