DINGHY HORSEPOWER

[Samadhi V]

I used to have a Nissan 3.5B engine, it was great! I wish I could buy another one to use on the sailing dinghy...

[schoonerdog]

every single outboard mechanic we've run into, and with our old pdq 36 which was powered exclusively by outboards we've met quite a few, said yamaha was the best. We travelled there with a nissan, yamaha, honda and an evinrude, and the yamaha was by far the most reliable.

Originally Posted by GordMay

I'd go with the larger 15HP YAMAHA (most 10' Caribe RIBs are rated to 20HP).
About 10 years ago, the Bahamians switched from favouring OMC-Johnsons to Yamahas - so Yammi parts should be showing up in the Island dumps.

[GordMay]

FWIW: Tohatsu makes all the smaller (under 10 HP) Nissan & Mercury outboards.

[GreatKetch]

I voted "other".

I have two oars, and a sailrig. Works for me, but I am a rare and cantakerous old bird.

[Jim Cate]

Dinghy requirements are closely related to one's location and one's cruising style. We've been cruising in the south Pacific for the last 18 years, spend 90% of our stationary time at anchor, and tend to avoid crowded places. Our strong conviction is that life is improved under these conditions with the biggest dinghy one can get on deck!
And we also feel that being able to plane with the whole crew (2 in our case) is desireable. This all adds up to a 3.4 metre alloy hull RIB and a 15 hp Yammi. We use the main halyard to handle the motor (no sweat at all, and we are definitely in the geriatric set), and the spinny halyard to lift the dink onto the foredeck when going to sea. We also have a 3.5 hp Johnson, but seldom use it, despite its very light weight. Why? Noisy, lots of vibration, and it seems to use at least as much fuel per mile as the larger motor -- this was a big disappointment to us!
This combination allows us to anchor where we feel the yacht is safest or most comfortable without having to consider distance from a dinghy landing or other destination. It also improves the odds of getting stuff from shore back home DRY. Having fresh laundry, painstakingly done in a stream ashore and dried on a bush in the sun then soaked in salt spray whilst returning home tends to make the admiral a bit grumpy...
Incidentally, we do always carry oars, and often row (tandem) for pleasure. If you do opt for an inflatable, be sure that it has some form of oarlocks rather than relying on paddles. Solo paddling a beamy inflatable is a frustrating activity!
Good luck in your choices!