Outboard Recommendation

I've been considering putting a little outboard on our Jon boat, but have zero experience with them. Typically I'm all about getting something old for cheap and getting it going again, but in this case I'm all for something that's just going to work and not leave us paddling. I'm also not putting a $2500 Yamaha on a boat we bought for $1. A few questions if you don't mind... What hp would you recommend for a 14' Jon boat? Are there certain brands to run from? What things should I consider if buying a used model? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

A 9.9hp electric start 4 stroke of some sort.

Yeah, I wouldn't go much larger than a 10 hp.

Tahotsu, nissian , would be my choice

I’ve got a Mercury 15 hp 4 stroke on my 14 footer. Had a 9.9 Mariner. 9.9 was too slow for me.

Tohatsu, Mercury, Suzuki. A new 9.8 Tohatsu will cost about $2300, a 9.9 about $2500+. Call out to Lake Purdy and talk to them. They use Tohatsu on their rental boats and sell new ones. Sometimes have used they have taken off a boat. Nissan is now Tohatsu.

Good site for price and feature comparison on makes and models. https://onlineoutboards.com/collections/outboard-motors

Yeah, thats the way my boys are...so they put a 50merc on their 14’ havoc rdb

That's not the best picture for me to use to make this proclamation but unless there's much more bracing that I can see, you need to do some extra work on that transom before you even consider putting an outboard on it. I wouldn't put much of a motor on it. It's better to go slow, than to sink.....

40lb thrust trolling on the bow

You need to fix that transom before you put anything on it. Add a piece of T60 aluminum against the transom on the inside, a piece of 1/8” angle for a top cap on the transom, and 1/4” angle in the corners. Without that, I wouldnt add anything to it. 2x4s will not suffice when you hit a stump.

As a few others have said a 10 HP would probably be all you want on that boat. Large outboards put excessive pressure on the transom.

Tip #1) If buying new, get a 4 stroke. If buying used, look around UNTIL you find a 4 stroke. You'll thank me later. I have a 25 HP 4 stroke tiller steer on mine and I can talk in a near normal volume back and forth to a passenger in the front of the boat as I'm running near WOT up the river and idling it's super quiet. You'll have to yell loudly back and forth with a 2 stroke. That noise gets old quick.

Tip #2) If you buy used, make sure it's pissing good even at idle.

Tip #3) Pull the lower unit oil plug and make sure it's not metallic looking oil.

Tip #4) If the prop is in rough shape on the motor you get, go ahead and invest in a new one. It's a good time to match the pitch to your needs also. You can find a good deal online. I have a brand new 9" aluminum prop I'd give you if if will match whatever you end up buying. You only have to promise to carry that boy fishing often to claim it. You can buy a hub kit for it for nearly nothing. I don't remember the pitch though. I think it's either a 9 or 11 pitch.

Tip#5) Listen to Hevishot.

4 stroke all the way. My 150 on my big boat I have to check sometimes to see if it’s idling. You can carry on a conversation at 60 mph.

I was between boats years ago and I fished 2 seasons in a boat about that size with a 9.9 Evinrude on it. It didn't go very fast, and I had to be selective about where I went, but I caught a bunch of fish outa that rig. The transom eventually rotted out of it completely, but I retired it to the pond and still use it often.

You would be doing yourself a huge favor by putting a seat on the front. I bought a small pedestal that is about 12" tall and fastened it to the front bench seat, and reinforced with a piece of thick aluminum and it has held together for over 40 years. Getting your seat up higher will make it much easier to operate the foot control TM. Of course, get off that seat when running your new outboard. Good luck with it.

Thanks for the advice guys. I should have opted for a more recent picture. The boat does have seats now and a trolling motor up front. We can get around the lakes by our house fine. The idea of an outboard is brainstorming at this point. I’d look into getting the transom beefed up in the meantime.

I had a 14’ Jon with a 7.5 Merc. Getting it to plane with 2 men was almost impossible. Almost. It took strategic positioning. I would brace and go 15hp but what does the plate say is the max? You may have to brace and stick with a 9.9.

To me that boat won't hold a 15hp no matter how u brace it. It's too little. I wouldn't put a 9.9. I'd go smaller hp or buy a bigger boat. That thing is designed for a 5hp I'd say.

The one in my picture is rated for a 6 hp, but my dad ran an 18 Evinrude on it for several decades. I'm probably lucky to be alive.

I like your setup, Joe. It shows imagination!

You can never have too much horse power 😅. 50hp merc on a 14’ flat.

Get you a used 15-20 in a 2 stroke johnson/evinrude, tohatsu or nissan. Watch the transom and if it flexes, then reinforce it.

I am always amazed by the folks screaming a transom won't hold up to a stump. Ok, point taken and agreed upon. So - you hit a stump at a blazing 8.5 mph. Now what? Oh yeah, stand up so you don't drown.

You hit a stump at any type of reasonable speed, you will be swimming

If it's a stump I would imagine the water would be shallow. Should have life jacket on anyway in case you bump yer noggin but you shouldn't lose your life, the boat and all the contents.

Never been on the Tennessee River in Jackson county sounds like. I know places that has stumps in 7 feet of water. Add 30° temps and wind, youre in serious trouble quick

Joe, I have read all the replies in this thread as they were posted, so I have looked at your boat picture several times, and I just gotta ask - what is the purpose of the concrete block? It has gotta be serving some function, but I just can't figure it out.

I know that the 4 stroke motors are great, but I don't think you are ever gonna find one in a price range appropriate for that boat. It makes no sense to put a $3000 motor on that boat. I think the 9.9 Evinrude I had would have been perfect for it, but alas, I gave it away several years ago. It was a 1977 Johnson powerhead that was in a wreck and most of the motor was destroyed. A relative gave it to me and I found that the powerhead was not damaged and I don't believe it had ever been cranked. I found a 1978 Evinrude with a blown motor that I got for $25 and got a friend to help me fit the powerhead into it. It was essentially the same motor and fit easily and ran great. It even had an electric start, and I rigged a button on the side of engine cover. I put a battery behind the front seat and ran both the trolling motor and outboard off it. I ran some size 12 house wire back to the motor to crank it.

That's the kind of outboard you need to find for this rig. Good luck finding one.

Poorcountrypreacher meet Poorcountryanchor

It's actually a multi function tool. I use to use one myself. It's not just an anchor, it's a depth finder for those times you're fishing in water too deep to find bottom by sticking your pole in the water.

Sorry, I should've realized that, but I couldn't see a rope around it. And it only looks like half a block, and I wouldn't have thought it would hold your boat in the wind.

Let me give you a pro tip that I use for mine.

Take a metal gallon can and bend a piece of re-rod to make a loop, and put it in the can. Then fill the can with concrete. When it hardens, you will be left with a much heavier anchor and it will take up less space in the boat. Plus, it's cooler.

I use a brake rotor as often as not in that type of boat.

Took a picture of my anchor just for this thread. I made it over 40 years ago. This anchor shows a lot more class than a concrete block.

That is a classy looking custom built anchor there PCP