What Horsepower for my new dingy

[Claryce35]

After cruising Mexico with a 8' walker bay, I've decided that I need an inflatable and outboard.

I'm thinking a 10' zodiac with an aluminum floor and inflatable keel... Any thoughts???

Primary question is what hp should I get? The boat states a 10 hp max but the weight limit is 100 lbs.

The Suzuki 15 & 20 horses are 97 lbs, but I wonder if this is overkill and/or potentially squirrelie for my female counter part...

Any thoughts?

[Vasco]

I'd get a 15hp 2 stroke.

[Terra Nova]

Don't exceed the ID plate 10hp max..

[Claryce35]

@Vaseco: Why a 2 stroke?

@Terra Nova: Why?

[Vasco]

Easy to fix DIY or anywhere in the world.

[Sandero]

I find an 4 stroke 8hp on a 10' alum RIB inflatable is fine... requires a lifting crane though. More is over kill and speeding is not permitted in most NE harbors anyway.

[Cheechako]

I'd get 15 hp if it was a RIB. 10 likely good for a lighter boat. BTW; Zodiac doesnt have a great rep in their lighter boats. Achilles does.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Claryce35

...@Terra Nova: Why?

Why ask why? The boat's manufacturer tells you it is unsafe to mount a motor with more than 10 hp. Period.

[Claryce35]

Thanks for all the replies fellas.

@nova, I always ask why

[jcapo]

15 on a soft bottom is a bit much. 15 on a RIB rated for 10 is just right, IMHO.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Why ask why? The boat's manufacturer tells you it is unsafe to mount a motor with more than 10 hp. Period.

Is it unsafe? Come to the Bahamas and see what they do. You seldom have too much power when you're cruising as your dink is your workhorse, often heavily loaded.

Here's a post from a CG petty officer:

Re: Max hp and small boats

This is the Coast Guard formula for determining max hp for boats under 20' in length. Note that when determining max hp, the manufacturer is apparently free to state a lower rating if desired, and sometimes does.


(Formula simplified):

(2 X L X W) -90 = rated horsepower

Where:

L=boat length
W=transom width; if the boat does not have a full transom,
the transom width is the broadest beam in the
aftermost quarter length of the boat.

The rated horsepower may be rounded up to the nearest "5".




The above is simplified from here:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_20...3cfr183.53.htm




And remember, it is not a violation of Coast Guard regulations to install or use an engine larger than specified on the capacity label, but there may be state regulations prohibiting it, and restrictions from your own insurance company regarding this.

There is a Coast Guard regulation that gives Coast Guard Boarding Officers the power to terminate the use of a boat (send it back to shore) if, in the judgment of the Boarding Officer, the boat is overloaded.

[4arch]

Some of the answer depends on how you manage your dinghy. If you have davits a heavy dinghy with a heavy outboard are great as long as the davits themselves aren't being overloaded. If you have only a motor lifting crane but no davits a 2-stroke 15 HP might be manageable but a 4-stroke 15 HP weighing nearly 97-115 lbs will quickly drive you insane. If you have neither davits nor crane and don't plan on getting them, just keep everything light!

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by 4arch

Some of the answer depends on how you manage your dinghy. If you have davits a heavy dinghy with a heavy outboard are great as long as the davits themselves aren't being overloaded. If you have only a motor lifting crane but no davits a 2-stroke 15 HP might be manageable but a 4-stroke 15 HP weighing nearly 97-115 lbs will quickly drive you insane. If you have neither davits nor crane and don't plan on getting them, just keep everything light!

My 4 stroke 8hp I think is 94# and is no problem with the demountable Garhauer. We cruise locally and tow. I wouldn't tow offshore and never with the motor on the dink.

[4arch]

Originally Posted by Sandero

My 4 stroke 8hp I think is 94# and is no problem with the demountable Garhauer. We cruise locally and tow. I wouldn't tow offshore and never with the motor on the dink.

I was towing a RIB and using a Garhauer crane to lift an outboard of similar weight on and off daily and disliked it enough to go back to my old 3 HP 2-stroke as the daily driver.

[a64pilot]

I'd go with a big motor, my 20HP Zuk is 99 lbs I think.
You don't have to open it up, it's much quieter at half throttle than a smaller motor at full throttle, burns less fuel and being less stressed I'm sure will last longer, plus I'd bet it's more marketable if some day you wanted a different motor and more desirable by thieves I'm sure, and this may not be your last dink, you may one day want a RIB, and then the big motor might not be so big. I'd be concerned more about weight than HP, 100 lbs is all I can handle with a crane, and davits.

Unfortunately I believe ALL outboards now are electronic, even the two strokes.