For as long as I could remember I was always fascinated with outboard motors - especially small ones.  I remember looking at them and studying the various colors and styles over the years, eventually becoming very fluent with every year according to their colors and other features.

The very first new outboard motor I owned was a 1985 Evinrude 2.  I remember that one summer Al Grover’s Marine in Freeport, NY was running a sale in the local Pennysaver paper - $289 for a new Evinrude 2 horsepower engine.  I asked my dad about it, and to my surprise he said “Let’s get ready and have a look.”  Well, we bought one, and I loved it, even though that outboard was so temperamental and constantly needed adjustment to the fuel mixture.

:: 1989 Evinrude 3 horsepower motor is old dealer stock, never used - click to enlarge ::

The next year we went back to Al Grover’s and I traded in the Evinrude 2 for a 1986 Evinrude 4 Deluxe.  The standard model 4  had the same exact twin-cylinder, 5 c.c. powerhead as the Deluxe model 4 horsepower Evinrude (with the exception of CD ignition), though it had a much smaller midsection and lower unit, and it only had neutral and forward gears.  The Deluxe model was based on the older 4.5 horsepower midsection and lower unit, which resembled the 6 and 8 horsepower engines - it had full gearshift and just looked much better.  My dad saw the value in this and purchased the Deluxe model for me at $686.  It was one of the greatest outboard motors I ever owned, and I should never have sold it back in 2001.

Recently I found this 1989 Evinrude 3 horsepower motor, which is basically a detuned standard model 4.  It weighs 36 pounds, and it’s in mint condition.  Apparently, it’s an old dealer stock item that was never used, and it appears as though that is indeed the case.  I have not run it yet, but I checked it over, and everything looks good so far.  This engine is exactly the same as previous years’ standard 4 horsepower engines from Evinrude and Johnson.  I’ll probably keep it for a while and maybe pick up a small boat to keep in the back just to go cruising up the canals here. I think I’m going to have a lot of fun running this little motor.