Mercury 4HP 4MH Outboard

At 4 horsepower and 55 pounds dry, the new Mercury 4HP 4MH Outboard is a single-cylinder, tiller-handle motor built for small aluminum, inflatable, jon, and sailboats that need light auxiliary power.

What it is built for

One cylinder displacing 5.2 cubic inches, which Mercury also lists as 85 cc, breathes through a 2-valve overhead-valve pushrod design and tops out somewhere between 5000 and 6000 rpm. Starting is by pull rope rather than a key, and steering is handled at the motor itself with a tiller handle rather than remote controls run to a console. The shaft on this version runs 15 inches, the shorter of the two lengths Mercury offers at this horsepower, suited to a boat with a lower transom; check your transom height before ordering, since a shaft that does not match the transom affects how deep the propeller sits in the water. An internal fuel tank holding 0.3 gallons keeps the whole setup self-contained, and exhaust routes through the propeller for quieter running.

What comes with it

The propeller that ships with it is a three-blade composite unit, 7.4 inches across with a 7.0-inch pitch, and Mercury adds an integrated carry handle for moving the 55-pound motor by hand, a safety lanyard stop switch, and an owner's manual, with a basic tool kit tucked in as well, all finished in Phantom Black. It is covered by Mercury Marine's three-year warranty, and because this is new rather than used stock, there is no prior running time to factor into the decision.