May I have your advice please; Honda 2.3 Vs Tohatsu 3.5?

[Ignoramus]

I have owned a Honda 2.3 for nearly 10 years and use it to power a 2.4m inflatable dinghy while on lake-side holidays abroad. The entire ensemble is light(ish). The outboard fits neatly into a Thule roof-box and the dinghy into the boot of a family estate car, leaving sufficient room for suitcases, etc.
In use, however, the outboard is both noisy and seems slow with 2 adults on board, especially against a moderate headwind.
I have just replaced the dinghy with a folding boat (10’ Porta-Bote) which will travel with us, mounted on the roof, like a surfboard, freeing up more space in the boot of the car. We are now looking to upgrade the outboard.
Although several outboards that are currently on the market would fit the new boat, I need to keep weight to a minimum. So the 4hp to 6hp Yamahas and Suzukis, at 25Kg, are out. Butane gas powered ones, though lightweight, are ruled out also because there are restrictions on carrying such items through the Channel tunnel.
However, the Tohatsu 3.5, at just 18Kg is only 6Kg heavier than the Honda and may fit the bill.
Although the numbers (2.3hp Vs 3.5hp) look small, on paper at least, the Tohatsu is 50% more powerful and should cope with headwinds better than the Honda. It is probably quieter too.
There is very little information about the Tohatsu 3.5 on t’internet.
I would be immensely grateful for any advice, particularly from owners of the Tohatsu 3.5, and anyone else with experience as to what I should choose?

 

[Ignoramus]

A generous and knowledgeable person sent me the following by e-mail. I am sharing his advice with permission for the benefit of others who may have the same question:

For Tohatsu read Mercury, Mariner and (in the USA) Nissan. They're all mechanically identical, made in the Tohatsu factory in Japan. Ignore any apparent differences in specification, these are either roundings or differences between the brands in presentation ("weight" may include, or not, engine and gearbox oil, fuel etc).

The Tohatsu 3.5 is 5-6kg heavier than your current Honda 2.3 but similar on a power to weight (kilos per kilowatt) basis. Other than the 50% increase in power the main differences you would notice in use are:
- the Tohatsu has a bigger displacement (86 vs 57cc) so also has more torque or "shove" lower down the rev range.
- the Tohatsu is water-cooled and therefore noticeably quieter, or at least the noise it makes is less offensive (to my ears)
- the Tohatsu has a conventional Forward-Neutral gearbox with clutch, rather than the Honda's centrifugal clutch. This makes slow speed operation easier and means you can rev it up to start (without being tipped over the transom when it fires!)

On a Portabote 10, once it's run-in, the 3.5hp motor should get you on the plane one-up and might get two of you on the plane, depending on total weight and weight distribution. It will certainly keep you going at displacement speeds (up to 5 knots or so) with two on board and when conditions are against you - that's where the extra torque helps.