Guys run outboards out Turpin all the time. You will be limited to the channel but it beats walking. Short or long shaft motor? I have seen where guys make a raised transom plate so their outboards prop sits just under the water. You shouldn't have any problems early season with that boat, but later in the year when the DWR drops the water level you will.

 

Can an outboard get you all the way to the end?

 

Thanks fowlmouth. It is a short shaft, I'll have to look into making a raised transom.

 

I ran a 14ft Lund V-hull with a 15hp Johnson out Turpin for many years, but gave it up two years ago and finally invested in a john boat and a mud motor. In the 90s I could run almost anywhere, but I noticed in recent years the channel is not as deep as it once was. My 15hp had a pin in the transom plate that could be placed in different holes to trim the motor. Johnson and Evinrudes are the same, so hopefully your 6hp model is designed similar. I used that to trim the motor up slightly to run shallower. The trick is getting it just right so that you keep the prop up a little, but not so high that you shoot water everywhere or push your transom shallower. The more you trim up the slower you have to go. I was able to get my boat to plane and once on plane I could run pretty easily in most places along the dike. My guess is that you'll drag a bit more with a 6hp, depending on your load. Good luck!