Small Outboard Motors: A Buying Guide for Small Boats & Dinghies

"Small outboard motor" covers a wide range of boats and engines — this guide focuses specifically on matching a small engine to a small hull correctly, since HP alone doesn't tell the whole story.

It's about the pairing, not just the engine

Our horsepower guide covers HP bands broadly, and our dinghy/tender/kayak guide covers use-case selection. This post is the narrower question: for your specific small boat, which small outboard actually fits?

Check three things before buying

Transom rating: the maximum HP and weight your boat's manufacturer allows — always on a plate near the transom.
Shaft length: measured from the top of the transom to the keel bottom (Short ≈15in, Long ≈20in).
Mounting width: narrow or curved transoms on some small tenders need a specific bracket width — check before ordering.

Our small outboard range

From the 2.5HP Yamaha F2.5BMHS at 13kg through to 6HP options with more thrust for slightly heavier small boats, our full Portable Outboards range is built for exactly this segment.