How do I contact Orion Outboards?
Visit our contact page.
Our motor is a true surface drive with a 27-inch long drive tube. The motor weighs about 80 lbs with gas.
What brand of motor is used?
We use a 4 cycle Kohler 6.5hp Courage for the pull start and the electric start uses a 7.0hp Kohler Pro-Command series.
What is the warranty?
The motors are warranted by Kohler for one year on the 6.5 and two years on the 7. The rest of the unit is warranted for one year to be free of manufactured defects.
What type of belt do you use to drive the output shaft?
We use a cogged V-belt. The belt size and lengths were designed using design software provided by Gates. Replacement of the belts when necessary can be completed in about ½ hour and the cost of a new belt is about $10.00 versus a traditional timing belt that can exceed $75.00.
Other manufacturers us a Timing belt why don't you use them?
Gates recommended that we use a V-belt for this application. They believe that there is no improvement in performance by using a timing belt only an increased cost for the consumer.
How long does it take to receive a motor after I order it?
We expect to start delivering motors in early August. After this you can expect you motor should ship the week, you order it.
What type of prop do you use?
Our prop is stainless steel and was designed by Hopkins Performance Propellers.
How fast will my boat go?
This question is very hard to answer. The type, size, and load of boat will impact top speed significantly. All of our speed claims are based on data collected using GPS with a 14-foot 36-inch bottom width jon boat. In the 1436 boat listed above that weighs about 150 lbs, the top speed we achieved with one person was 16.2 mph. Fully loaded - 2 adults, 1 dog, and gear - the top speeds was 12.3 mph.
How much water is required to get on plane?
If you're in an area with a soft mud bottom, if the prop can get a grip, water is optional. If you are in an area with a hard sand bottom or stone bottom, then you will need 3-4 inches of water to float your boat and allow the bottom half of the prop to get a grip. Once on plane, you need only a couple of inches over a hard bottom.
Please understand, in deep water the prop on an Orion outboard will not lift to the surface and generate a rooster tail, and top end speed is reduced sometimes by more than 50% depending on the boat. Rooster tails are generated in shallow water when the bottom helps keep the boat flat or on plane. Just as with long tial motors our short shaft tends to push the stern down causing speed to be reduced. This problem can be reduced by using an extended handle, installing trim tabs, or by installing floatation pods on the boat, sometimes you can reduce rear end drag by front loading the boat just as is required with most other mud motors. The motor is designed to be used primarily in shallow weedy water.
How does the motor mount to the boat?
The motor can clamp or bolt to the transom. We recommend that for long-term safety and stability that the motor be both clamped and bolted.
Is the Orion Sirius direct drive or does it have neutral?
The motor has a centrifugal clutch similar to those used chain saws. When the motor is at idle, the prop will still rotate some just like the chain on a saw rotates. If the prop is in heavy mud or weeds, the friction of this surface will stop it. In open water the boat will still move forward very slowly.
Do you offer a larger motor?
At this time we only offer the Sirius 6.5 and the Sirius 7 with electric start. We plan to make larger full-featured motors in the future and introduce features and options that are much different than what is currently available.
Do you make a boat to compliment your motor?
We are working on an all new boat design. The boat is specifically designed for single cylinder mud motors and will have a smooth bottom and no rivets.
How do I purchase my new Orion Sirius motor?
You can use bank check, personal check, Visa, or MasterCard. To place an order, visit our "How to Buy" page.