The best no longer available motor for the M17 was the Yamaha 4HP long, 20", shaft. All motors in the 4-6HP range are now 6HP powerheads with different carbs. A Honda 2/2.3 HP will push the M17 just fine. You will not have as much reserve for fighting wind and to an extent waves (the 17 is a displacement hull and throwing horsepower at it will not make the boat go faster - such as going against current). For perspective my 25' on deck (29' on spar) wooden full keel 8500# sailboat/home has a Honda 8. I live on and cruise the Salish Sea. I've cruised with a couple that ran a Yamaha 2.5HP on their M17 - this was on one of Larry Yake's San Juan Islands trips. They did fine though the Yamaha 2.5 only available as a short 15" shaft so they had prop cavitation issues if the waves got up. I lived aboard my M17 for 10 weeks and only had a 30watt solar panel and group 24 battery. Never needed an alternator nor hooking up to shore power. Prior to having solar gone 5 days without needing to charge the battery (again group 24) - also done the non-solar nor alternator route on multiple Jerry designs: M15, M17, Sage 17 and SageCat. M17 SWEET PEA's motor is a Suzuki 4HP long 20" shaft. No alternator or external tank. Andrei how are you using the boat? Buy a motor that fits how you sail/cruise. Only day sailing? Only one night aboard? Long multiple week trips? Lakes? Coastal? Share some details and I share my POV. :: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: SV SWALLOW - sv-swallow.com :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - www.freewebs.com/m15-named-scred/ On Tue, Oct 13, 2020, 12:40 PM Andrei Caldararu via montgomery_boats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:
Hello fellow Monty owners, my 1982 M17 came with a trusty old Evinrude 4hp, 2 cylinder version (see attached, old picture). Advantage -- lightweight (35lbs). Disadvantages -- works only sometimes, and has left me stranded a number of times in no-wind conditions; very noisy; uses smelly gasoline -- my wife complains about this a lot; no reverse; no alternator. Recently it has caused me enough troubles that I decided to try looking for another motor. One model that I was looking at was the Tohatsu Propane 5hp which seemed to do everything right. Until I looked at the weight -- well over 65 lbs! As currently set up, my boat has the original fixed motor mount, and I leave the Evinrude there all the time, including when trailering long distances. Never had a problem. After seeing the weight of the Tohatsu, I started having doubts that it would be a good idea to get it. I fear that keeping it on the mount all the time will damage my transom or my mount during trailering. Three questions: a) Does anyone have experience with keeping a heavy motor on the mount all the time?b) If the Tohatsu is not the right one, are there recommendations for a lightweight, reliable, motor for the M17 that is quiet and has reverse? I don't think the Honda 2hp is powerful enough for the M17. c) Alternatively, do people feel that I may simply be better off doing a complete refurbishing of my Evinrude? I could get it in tip top shape for about $150, I guess. I am handy with mechanicals, and I have in the past replaced points, condensers, etc. Thanks for all your comments! Andrei