I'm messaging a guy on tff about a gheenoe right now for a good price. May be going with that instead.

A 6.5 longtail is likely to weight as much as your canoe if the longtail is mostly steel, so you may want to look for an all aluminum one. 4 strokes weigh more than 2 strokes and the 4hp rating on the new canoe is probably given meant for a 4 stroke, but your 6.5 longtail is still going to weigh more than a new 4hp 4 stroke outboard.

Hi center and over your canoe's motor rating equals upside down canoe. Sportsman style canoes are very stable, but they do have a catastrophic point of no return tip over point. With 80 to 110 pounds over the rear of a 100 to 115 pound canoe, when the narrow pointed front of the canoe catches or rides up a rock or stump it can create a pivot point. A canoe with a high center from a too weight or over rated motor given a pivot point can cause that catastrophic tipping point.

Us hunters carry more gear than the average person. Retrievers (and Dave Speer) are bad about constantly changing the balance of that load too. IMHO, if the boat is rated for a 4hp outboard, I would stay with a 4hp outboard or nothing that weighs more than the average 4 stroke 4hp outboard.

Change of plans. I found the boat I really wanted originally. A 15.4 gheenoe. Hopefully going to get it next week. I'm going to start searching for a motor between 6 -10 hp and a trailer to fit it. On this boat I'll put an outboard on.

Can you post a pic of it.

I don't have pics but here's the link to them

http://www.gheenoe.net/fifteenfour.html

Very nice.

I have a buddy in Mabank with a Gheenoe that he has a 25 hp on ... way overpowered... can't remember the model, anyway we took it out once to pole and we were doing 37 or so in it and I was up front white-knuckling it.