Fellow C-Brats,
I indeed have a Lehr 2.5 HP outboard motor for my dinghy. I did have the opportunity to use it at Lake Powell and on the Sacramento River. There are pros and cons as with any motor though. I will tell you about my findings which might be different from other Lehr outboard motor owners.
The pros:
o I found it to be a very easy pull start, no choke to mess with
o The motor seem to be pretty quite and has plenty of power
o There is a slight exhaust smell, however, it is significant less as compared to a 4-cycle gas motor
o No more messing with gas cans and spilling. I can throw my rubber cloves away now…
o I can use screw on cartridges or larger tanks with a hose attachment
o One cartridge lasted me for about two hours on 1/3-1/2 speed
o I do have a small 2.5gal propane cylinder for long distance trips that I did not have the opportunity to use yet. I always carry an extra 16.4 oz cartridge with me, which seem to be more than I need.
The cons:
o It does not have a reverse gear
o You may not always be able to get propane cartridges in a harbor
o The motor weighs 38 pounds.
The only change by the factory I really would like to see is that the motor would weigh a bit less since it is not easy to lift 38 pounds from a dinghy into the CD25. Perhaps I need the exercise anyway…
However, I most certainly would purchase this motor again.
