My dad built a motor hanger on the back of my 16 foot canoe as it did not have a square stern. Then we hung a 9.9 Johnson on it. With that 2 stroke I could get that canoe going an estimated 22 MPH. It was scary fun. One day we were running full bore and hit an underwater stump which tore the motor from the hanger and sent it into the bayou. That motor ran for a couple of minutes driving itself in circles underwater while attached to the chain, then it died and hasn't run since. We could get the thing on plane pretty easy. Steering is a major concern since a canoe isn't really made for this purpose, so make long slow turns instead of quick ones or you will capsize. I don't really think it's the safest thing in the world to be doing but why bother living if you're not going to live dangerously? Better wear your PFD.