Hi, CoorsCrusher. I recognized the name from another post about cockpit enclosures, which I'm having made at the moment on my own 22. Just in case it hasn't come up between that research and the motor repower (if it has, great), the single motor tilts up way further into the splashwell almost toward the top, which may have big implications for your cockpit enclosure. With twins, you can tilt them up just out of the water, and still have an aft run of curtains that is nearly straight across, giving you interior (inside cockpit enclosure) access to the lazarettes and the top half of the splashwell for a table, shelf, foot rest, etc.. But with a large single, it tilts up way forward and means you just can't do it. Only workarounds would be "love handle" triangular tubes around the lazarettes and back up to the cockpit/splashwell line for center curtain; or a flap for the outboard head to tilt up into (which you'd then have to bug proof etc if that's a concern, with like a bug net hairnet over the cowl); or a baggy center curtain that you just tilt the motor into. These enclosures and motors aren't cheap, so I wanted to help avoid any surprises if it didn't come up yet. I had to settle for the "King Canvas" style where the back panels exclude the lazarettes and the splashwell entirely. Pros, however, got me down to 2 bows, the back looks better than the "love handle" look around the lazarettes, and I can have 2 aft curtains vs 3 (cheaper, easier for swim platform access while retaining privacy, but con there'll be a seam when you check your wake dead-on. Everything about boats is a compromise, which I hate ha).
As for the 6hp, I have not used that model (I believe it is better suited for our displacement needs with gearing & prop, or at least it used to be) but do have a 6hp Suzuki four stroke (2009 model year) long shaft, with a tiny prop I need to change out, and it got the boat running just fine into a mild current (2 knot river current). As others say, anything above half power in this situation is just expensive noise and vibration. And if you get into a jam, think like a sailor and use the wind. You might not get where you were originally going, but you'll get off to the side of the road eventually. Look into drogues, too, as backup-backup. If you're blasting through some Alaska gulch with hot tub bubbles everywhere, and your main fails as happened to a Brat on here a long time ago, well, a bad time's a good story!
If you want to swap to a dinghy and beach the dinghy, or have it get dialed in height-of-prop wise, short shaft is the way to go. Try for an articulating mount on the 22, or a jack plate, to get it lower (mini Permatrim might help w/ washout also; don't expect much from reverse). if just using on the 22, no dinghy swap, then get long shaft. Note they're like 17" and 22" for many now, not the old 15" 20" short/long standards.
I've spent the last several days researching all the small outboards, and you may want to hold off if you can because Mercury (Tohatsu brand) announced a few months ago the "very first" EFI 6hp outboard, so no more carb, but I can't find it for sale anywhere yet. It may be a nerfed 8/9.9hp though, so check the weight and compare against your tolerance for a non-EFI 6hp that would be lighter. Here in the "you must buy ethanol" northeast, EFI is a game changer.
