Portable Outboard Motors for Sale: Buy a Portable Outboard Motor
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Shop portable outboard motors for sale
Buy a portable outboard and you get an engine one person can lift off the transom, carry to a car and store in a garage over winter. That is the whole specification, and it is why weight matters more than horsepower when you order one.
Every portable outboard for sale lists its dry weight and shaft length, and a portable 4 stroke outboard motor is what you will find across the whole range now that two strokes have gone. Portable outboard motors for sale, portable outboards for sale and portable outboard engines listings all show the same detail, so you can order on what you can actually carry.
Buy portable outboards by weight
Order on dry weight first. A portable outboard motor that looks right on horsepower and weighs ten pounds more than you expected is a two-person job every launch, which defeats the purpose.
Under about 40 pounds is genuinely one-handed. Around 60 pounds is a comfortable two-handed carry for most people over a short distance. Past 80 pounds you are lifting with your back and planning where to set it down, whatever the listing calls it.
The lightest portable outboard motor in any size band is rarely the most powerful, and that trade is the whole decision. Buy a smaller engine you can carry alone rather than a larger one you cannot. A small portable outboard motor that actually gets used beats a bigger one that stays on the transom all season.
Check the fuel system while you are comparing. Integral tank models are lighter and simpler to carry. Remote tank models run longer but add a tank, a line and somewhere to put both.
Shop portable outboard motors by brand
Honda. The deepest portable range we handle and the brand that owns this category. A Honda BF2.3 portable outboard motor is the smallest thing worth buying, and the Honda BF2.3DKLCH 2.3 hp portable outboard motor and Honda Marine 2.3 hp portable outboard motor BF2.3DHSCH are the same engine in different configurations. Step up through the Honda BF5DHSHNA 5 hp portable outboard motor, the Honda BF10D3SH 9.9 hp portable outboard motor, the Honda Marine BF9.9 portable outboard motor, the Honda BF15 portable outboard motor and the Honda 20 hp portable outboard motor. Honda portable outboards and Honda portable outboard motors run deeper than any rival range. Honda never built two strokes, so the whole portable range was designed around four stroke weight from the start.
Suzuki. Suzuki portable outboards, Suzuki portable outboard motors and the Suzuki portable outboard range undercut the market leaders at the same output, and the small four strokes come in light for their horsepower.
Yamaha. Yamaha portable outboards and Yamaha portable outboard motors cover the same sizes with the strongest resale of any brand here, which matters if you expect to sell it on. Mercury portable outboards and Mercury portable outboard motors overlap the same band.
Tohatsu and the discontinued brands. A Tohatsu MFS3.5 3.5hp 4-stroke outboard portable engine is the value pick at the bottom of the range, and Tohatsu portable outboards turn up under several other badges. An Evinrude portable outboard, Evinrude portable outboards and Evinrude portable outboard motors only come used now, and they sell cheaper for it.
Shop the brands: Honda outboard motors, Suzuki outboards for sale, Yamaha outboard motors and Mercury outboards for sale.
Buy portable outboard engines by horsepower
2.3HP to 3.5HP. The lightest thing that will move a boat. Buy here for a dinghy, a tender or a canoe, where you carry the engine more often than you run it.
5HP to 6HP. The volume size. Enough to push a small inflatable or a jon boat against a current, still light enough for one person.
9.9HP. The top of comfortable portability. A portable outboard boat engine at this size is a real lift, and this is where electric start starts being worth specifying.
15HP to 20HP. Portable in name rather than in practice. Portable outboard boat motors and portable outboard boat engines at this size are transom-mounted and left there. Small portable outboard motors these are not. Buy for the power, not the carrying.
Portable outboards for sale near me, or shipped
Searching portable outboards near me or portable outboard motors for sale near me gets you local floor stock, and portable outboard dealer coverage is patchy because margins on small engines are thin. A portable outboard dealership will often stock one brand and one or two sizes.
Ordering solves that. Browse portable outboards here instead, because portable outboards for sale near me is really a question about availability, and these engines ship easily. Unlike a 300HP V8, a portable outboard is light enough to move without crated freight, so delivery is quick and cheap.
Used portable outboard motors for sale
Used portable outboards are a good buy because the failure modes are visible. Pull the cord and feel the compression, check the prop shaft for line damage, and look at the fuel system, which is where a neglected small engine dies first.
Small engines suffer from sitting more than from running. Ask what the last service was and whether it was run on stale fuel. Buy the one with a history over the one with low hours.
Buy portable outboard motors by boat type
| Boat | Size to buy | Weight to expect | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canoe, kayak, small tender | 2.3 to 3.5HP | Under 40 lb | One-handed carry, integral tank |
| Inflatable dinghy | 3.5 to 6HP | 40 to 60 lb | Check transom height, many take short shaft |
| Jon boat, small skiff | 6 to 9.9HP | 60 to 90 lb | Two-handed lift, electric start worth having |
| Sailboat auxiliary | 5 to 9.9HP | 60 to 90 lb | Order long shaft, the boat pitches |
| Small aluminum fishing boat | 9.9 to 20HP | 90 lb and up | Portable in name, mount it and leave it |
Frequently asked questions
What is the lightest portable outboard motor?
The smallest four strokes come in under 30 pounds. Weights vary by several pounds between brands at the same horsepower, so compare dry weight directly rather than assuming the horsepower figure tells you.
What is the best portable outboard motor?
Honda has the deepest range and the strongest reputation in this category. Suzuki is better value at the same output, and Yamaha resells for more. Buy on weight and where you will carry it.
How heavy is too heavy to carry?
Under 40 pounds is one-handed for most people, around 60 is a comfortable two-handed carry, and past 80 you are planning the lift. Be honest about it before you order.
Do I need a long or short shaft?
Measure from the top of the transom to the hull bottom at the centerline. Many inflatables take short shaft, most sailboat tenders want long. See the long shaft outboard motors page for the full chart.
Is a portable outboard worth buying used?
Yes, and the checks are simple. Compression by feel on the recoil, fuel system condition, and service history. Small engines are killed by sitting, not by hours.
How much does it cost to ship a portable outboard?
Less than a full size engine. Portable outboards are light enough to move without crated freight, so delivery is quoted by weight and destination and usually arrives quickly.