[Rhodes22-list] More motor choice questions

[Bob Fletcher]

We have a Rhodes ordered for spring delivery.  I've looked at archives and followed recent threads on motor choices, but still have a few questions.  Our sailing will be mostly inland NW lakes but after more experience maybe Pugeot Sound and San Juans.

I'm leaning toward a Tohatsu 4-cycle 6HP with factory remote control mounted on port gunwale.  The 6 HP picked for lighter (55 lb) weight, less cost, no need for electric start so no need for second battery, (also saving cost and weight).  

I read that 4HP (or even less) will get the boat to 6 knot hull speed so any extra power is to buck wind, and maybe current.  So the questions:

POWER - Is 6 HP enough for my plans?  I'm a little puzzled by some recent comments about needing extra power to deal with currents and tides.  Isn't hull speed relative to the water you're in, regardless of how fast that water is moving?  In other words, against an 8 knot current won't you lose 2 knots way (motoring at hull speed) unless your motor can push you significantly above hull speed?  Will an 8 or 9.9 HP motor really do that?  If so, maybe it's worth the extra cost and weight, especially for coastal sailing, but if not, what does the extra power (and weight and expense) get you? At a given speed, will the larger motor not working so hard be quieter than a smaller one?

REMOTE CONTROL - I haven't seen a picture of Stan's UPP tiller mounted remote, but an aftermarket "PowerTiller, " (http://powertiller.net) looks a little cumbersome.  Wouldn't a port gunwale mounted unit me more "intuitive," (right hand on tiller, left controlling motor)?

RUDDER TO MOTOR LINK - Stans UPP offers this, and others (McGregor - gasp), tout it as an advantage.  My only experience was on a recent sail on a Rhodes which didn't link them and I couldn't see much problem with motor steering (rudder up) at low speed or reverse and rudder steering (with motor pointed straight ahead) for "motor cruising".  Is the linkage really a big advantage?  If so, has anyone cobbled together a link other than with Stan's UPP? Could it be as simple as a quick disconnect rod between the tiller and the motor "handle"?

REACTIONS - Any other reactions my tentative choice or the resons for it?  

No need to rehash the questions of 2 cycle vs. 4 cycle or Tohatsu vs. the rest of the world - those have been recently beat to death.  

Thanks for your thoughts

Bob Fletcher