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BillTex · 08-28-2007, 10:10 AM

For all of you P-Boaters; I am looking at a couple of motors for my 14'.

6hp Johnson 2 stroke (not much $), lighter
8 hp Johnson 4 stroke (more $), efficient, quiet, heavier

Will the 6 hp be sufficient for the 14' with Wife-Son-Dog-Me?

Thanx, Bill

C Johnson · 08-28-2007, 10:30 AM

Hi Bill, I had a 12ft Aluminum boat a while back with a 4.5hp johnson. I thought that it was a bit slow. Great for trolling but terrible for just getting there. But then the PB is lighter I am sure. So maybe that would make a difference ? I personally would go for the 8hp. I am looking at getting a PB myself and I already have a 10 hp Johnson that I would use on it.

Also I don't know about your state but, when you put a motor on it Oregon requires licensing of the boat no matter what size it is. FYI

BillTex · 08-28-2007, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C Johnson

Hi Bill, I had a 12ft Aluminum boat a while back with a 4.5hp johnson. I thought that it was a bit slow. Great for trolling but terrible for just getting there. But then the PB is lighter I am sure. So maybe that would make a difference ? I personally would go for the 8hp. I am looking at getting a PB myself and I already have a 10 hp Johnson that I would use on it.

Also I don't know about your state but, when you put a motor on it Oregon requires licensing of the boat no matter what size it is. FYI

Thanx Chris, yes I will have to register boat...

Bill

BillTex · 08-31-2007, 09:30 AM

All set up w/PB and 2 stroke 8 hp motor.
Wanted to know if anyone had some good ideas on a bracket for the bed of my pick up to store motor while travelling. Laying it down takes up lots of valuable bed space...

Thanx, Bill

Tom Lafferty · 01-25-2011, 07:34 PM

Bill,
I use a 2 wheel dolly that I mount my 6 hp 4 stroke Nissan so I can wheel it around without carrying the 55 lbs. that the motor weighs. Possibly you could use such a mount in your truck. Remember to always keep the power head of the motor higher in elevation than the lower unit. My Porta Bote is a 12 footer & the Bote is a little slow with the wife & 100# lab aboard. Also fishing gear includes a 30 lb. trolling motor & deep cycle battery. Weight wise, I'm at the limit of the capacity of the Bote. It's slow but I've got all day to get there. Talked to Sandy Kaye (owner of Porta Bote) & he says a 6 hp 4 stroke is max for a 12 footer. I also reinforced the transom with 2 inch aluminum angle for strength because the trolling motor is mounted on the transom. Tom.

Tom Lafferty · 01-25-2011, 08:00 PM

I have a 2001 burb with a factory roof rack. The rack is rated @ 200lbs. capacity. I would like to carry a 13 foot American Eagle canoe upside down (43 inch beam & 73 #) & a 12 foot folded Porta Bote (24 inches wide & 73#) at the same time. The roof rack is less than 50 inches wide. The canoe has a square stern & ideally I would like to mount the canoe upside down on top of the Bote but the Bote is too wide in the stern to fit "inside" the canoe's square stern. Either I widen the existing roof rack to 70 inches with extensions or forget the canoe alltogether. We will be traveling 2-3 months at a time & I would like both watercraft along for fishing different impoundments. Does somebody make a modification to extend the burb's rack?
Thanks, Tom

tcrum · 01-25-2011, 08:08 PM

You can go to www.yakima.com they will have a solution for the Suburban. Will most likely need mighty mounts and pipes.

DaveFL · 01-25-2011, 08:53 PM

Now that you are the owner, get it out of the sun, tarp, garage whatever, mine after 10 yrs of use only damage was from sun. the transom is half the thickness of the the hull and started to split, retired it as they only warranty the hinges for 10 yrs and couldn't answer me, when I asked how the hinge point of the hull break, slowly would be ok, fast would be catastrophic. Was the best dingy I ever owned. Could get it up on plane with 4 hp when by myself and flat water.

BillTex · 01-26-2011, 06:38 AM

Tom, (this is an old thread?!)...we have been using the p-bote for several years now...it is terrific.
We have a 14' and use an 8hp 2 st (yes we can still use those around here) so laying motor down in any orientation is ok (another bonus of 2 st's) the 8 hp is more than adequate for the 14' with 3 + 70# lab.
We occasionlay put 5 in the boat when my Folks come to visit up at the lake...it is till comfortable and quite stable.
We sometimes carry 2 tandem kayaks and the p-bote on the roof. Truck is much like the Suburban...as a matter of fact, we use some hitch/Thule/etc components from when we had Suburbans so you should have no trouble. If you look closely, you'll see the p-bote under the kayak.
We have travelled thousands of miles like this.