[C320-list] Zodiac

[Jeff Church]

Greetings,

I'm going to purchase an 8.5 foot Zodiac inflatable and I'm wondering how small a motor I can use. I'll mainly use the zodiac when we go cruising Lake Michigan and need to transport the 2 of us around an anchorage. I don't intend to bother with davits or a crane. 

I've got a few shoulder problems and I don't look forward to lifting a heavy motor off the dinghy transom and up to the stern perch. Anything much heavier than 40 pounds will probably be a bit uncomfortable, but I'm concerned that the smaller motors won't have enough power. A new 2 hp motor is around 27 lbs, 4 hp motors weigh about 55 pounds.

Do any of you use a 2 horse motor on an 8 foot zodiac? Is it strong enough to push through some wind and chop in an anchorage, or do I really need a 3.5 or 4 horse to do the job? What minimum horsepower would you recommend?

The local Zodiac dealer has a 1996 Johnson 4 hp 2-cycle for sale. He wants $495 for it. I think it weighs 38 pounds. That puts it at about the same weight as a new 4-cycle 2.5 to 3.5 hp motor. It doesn't have a reverse gear, but that seems to be fairly common in motors that are under 5 hp. Maybe this motor would be a good choice? 

Thanks and Happy Holidays

JeffC