Dinghy Outboard Motor Recommendation ?

[sailorboy1]

I need to consider a new outboard and found this thread on a search. After 3 pages learned nothing.

Is there any agreement of a good size to combine reasonable performance and reasonable weight?

[Cheechako]

Dingy type and size? Local or world cruising?

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I need to consider a new outboard and found this thread on a search. After 3 pages learned nothing.

Is there any agreement of a good size to combine reasonable performance and reasonable weight?

Most dinghies have a recommend hp, and range, in their specs. My Achilles LS4 states 4 hp recommended, min 2hp max 6hp. Then is is down to how fast you want to go, and your weight tolerance.

I've owned a Tohatsu 3.5, and now a Suzuki 2.5, both 4 strokes. I think the Tohatsu was better made, and was trouble free. I've already had the Suzuki back for service once, it's 3 months old.

The Suzuki gets 4.8 knots in the Achilles, btw.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I need to consider a new outboard and found this thread on a search. After 3 pages learned nothing.

Is there any agreement of a good size to combine reasonable performance and reasonable weight?

My dinghy can take up to a 15 HP. I wouldn't get one as it will never meet the reasonable weight of my questions. At ehe same time my current 2 HP isn't very reasonable performance. The reasonables are the key part of the question, not looking for the "perfect".

[MarkSF]

If I was looking for a larger outboard I'd look at the 6HP Tohatsu / Mercury / Nissan. They are all the same engine, made by Tohatsu. They weigh about 58 lbs, about the reasonable limit for moving without a hoist I think. This is lighter than the same power from other manufacturers. (looked into it)

[Dustymc]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

My dinghy can take up to a 15 HP. I wouldn't get one as it will never meet the reasonable weight of my questions. At ehe same time my current 2 HP isn't very reasonable performance. The reasonables are the key part of the question, not looking for the "perfect".

There is no one answer, and inflatables are notoriously fickle. In another life I owned an old beat-up leaky heavy plywood floor Achilles that would run 25KTs or so with my 15HP, a couple of people, a dog or two, and whatever else you could stuff in. I replaced it with a fancy air-floor boat of the same size that weighed about 100 pounds less, and had a bit more deadrise. The air floor (Saturn) wouldn't plane except under the best of conditions if hauling any weight, and I never got it over 15KTs or so, all with the same engine. I have no idea why, but there it is.

If you can get on plane (or not), there shouldn't be a tremendous difference in top-end performance between similar engines. If a 4HP won't plane your boat, then it won't be much faster than your 2, and if a 4 will plane your boat an 8 won't be tremendously faster. Can you borrow a couple various-sized engines to try out? That's really the only way to know what to expect.

And just for the record, I have a 4HP Suzuki 2-stroke that's been a really great little engine.

[Seahunter]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Is there any agreement of a good size to combine reasonable performance and reasonable weight?

I doubt it, as many boaters are brand blinded. I personally like the high end of whatever HP rating one's dingy might have, as it gives one the ability to have axillary power for your boat. For the whiners stating you'll end up an anchorage speed demon, it's better to have, than be in want (HP).

[Cheechako]

Still need to know the intention. Dingy type and weight? Do you want to plane? How many passengers? If you dont want to plane then any 4hp would be great to putt putt to shore.

[zeehag]

i like 9 -10 ft avon roll up with a 3.5-6 hp 2 stroke engine.

wood floor for carrying goods purchased without ripping air floor

[sck5]

I have achilles rollup with an 8 hp merc 2 stroke. It planes easily with two people. I imagine it would also plane with one person and a 6 hp. It is at the limit of what I can carry around easily but it is too much weight to easily get it from the rail to the dinghy and back. The motor hoist makes it so easy my wife can do it with no problem

[newboat]

Boy, not to be the forum police here, but the poster (some 4 pages ago) asked about replacing his 15hp with a 2 stroke or 4 stroke. If you want to talk about 2hp and 6hp and all the other size engines then please, start a thread on that! Otherwise, it is like being in a room with 20 people all talking about completely different things!!!
I, for one, am very interested in hearing people's experience and opinions as they relate specifically to a 15hp engine.
Rant over.

[Vasco]

[QUOTE=newboat;819506
I, for one, am very interested in hearing people's experience and opinions as they relate specifically to a 15hp engine.
Rant over.[/QUOTE]


Yamaha 2 stroke 15 hp, best dink motor going! I have two of them, one from 2002 and another from the nineties. Both still in excellent condition, salt water use, no maintenance but have replaced a prop or two.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by newboat

Boy, not to be the forum police here, but the poster (some 4 pages ago) asked about replacing his 15hp with a 2 stroke or 4 stroke. If you want to talk about 2hp and 6hp and all the other size engines then please, start a thread on that! Otherwise, it is like being in a room with 20 people all talking about completely different things!!!
I, for one, am very interested in hearing people's experience and opinions as they relate specifically to a 15hp engine.
Rant over.

and in response it was suggested to replace it with a smaller 4 stroke. Perfectly pertinent.

[Wmiii]

I really appreciate all the comments and ideas.
I do want to stay with a 15hp engine as I do want the ability to easily get my 10' Caribe dink up on plane. We find that having that ability is very advantagous in our experience in the Bahamas.
It appears that to replace my 15hp 2cycle Suzuli with a 15hp 4 cycle anything will be much heavier.
I guess I'm just going to have to deal with that.

Thanks all,
Wm

[S/V Antares]

Quote"I've mostly seen minimalists as pococurante and myopic. Based on minimalist rules, we should all be poling our dinghies to shore. "

Acctually, that would be reed prams, bamboo poles

Re:2 vs 4 ...
-2 stroke oil is pricey here, Worse in the Carribean.
-The small 4 strokes run great if you do not use E-10 gas and drain
the water from the carb and or tank on a regular basis.
- If you know a carb savvy guy ... remove the Idle screw plug and turn it out 1/4 turn and it will start evry time on the first pull.
- weight is a real issue but an 8 hp Nissan/Tohatsu/merc all are single
cylinders. Two cyl engines start much easier but are heavier.
- a Yamaha 15hp 2 stroke is the gold standard . You can trade it for a house in some places.
IMHO, it comes to this, Run a small 2 stroke in a garbage can of water and tell me you like what you seeafter ten min. Its ugly.