Wrestling with dinghy outboards - especially bruisers like this one - is always precarious. You're lucky if you don't pull your back, nick some gelcoat, or drop the unit in the drink.

They're all over the place now - 4-strokes, that is. They're cleaner, quieter - and quite necessary in order for the outboard industry to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's 2006 emissions standards.

While startup engineering costs have pushed the price of the high-horsepower models into the stratosphere ($17,400 retail for a 225-hp Yamaha or Honda 4-stroke), only a couple hundred dollars separate some of the smaller 2- and 4-cycle motors. That's the good news.

The bad news is that weight remains a major issue with the small 4-stroke outboard. Some are so heavy they don't qualify as "portable" engines, in our view. A 9.9 hp carries an additional 20 pounds…