Hmmm - Yesterday I rec'd a message from God telling me to buy a new outboard for my canoe, but it could be Satan trying to trick me. Maybe I could bounce my plans off you good people here.

I have a Pelican Bayou 160 (16' plastic square stern) that I picked up cheap as a factory second. I am looking at a Merc 5hp 4-stroke to put on this boat. The manufacturer rates the boat for up to 5hp. I will be fishing this rig 95% in medium size rivers (Mainly Ouachita and Little Red in Arkansas). I am an experienced canoist but only w/ arm power. I also have *many* hours running rivers in a motorized flatbottom. I read here somewhere on this site that the Pelican Bayou 160 sinks when swamped. I tried it w/ mine and it floats - 'pears to have floatation under the floor. I know that the Merc 5hp 4-stroke weighs 55 lb and I weigh 220 so I'll need another person or ballast in the front but I do have some concerns about stability.

To get my wife all hacked off over buying this thing and then tumping over and loosing/damaging things or not being satisfied with it would be a humiliation that I could not bear.

Read some reviews and there don't seem to be any glaring problems with a 5 hp.

Any advice, warnings etc. on the rig I am planning to put together?