Planing a dinghy with 3.5hp

[tomtriad]

I've got an Achilles LSI 310E, inflatable floor, 10', and a 3.3 Merc 2 stroke. Planes with me and my wife, and some diving gear - about 275 lb payload. I have a cooler wedged into the center for seat/storage. I wouldn't venture into a small 2 stroke Chinese motor after reading the reviews. You can buy new 2 strokes outside of US only.

[lizardofoz]

Originally Posted by lancelot9898

I plan on getting a 10 ft inflatable floor dinghy and because of weight restrictions on the outboard, using only a 3.5 hp. Is there anyone out there that can get the boat on plane with such a small outboard? I prefer getting a 6 hp motor, but the weight is close to 60 lbs and I don't think I can handle that without a crane. There are some 2 stroke outboards on sale on Amazon which weigh in at 40 pounds, but unsure of the quality. Didn't even know that it was possible to buy here in the US. Any comments about these outboards made in China?

I had advise from a outboard mechanic not to buy any single cylinder outboards and only go for 2 cylinder and up. My preference is for 2 strokes - lighter and simpler than 4 strokes. I have gone for a 8HP Tohatsu 2 stroke. Do not buy any of the cheaper copy brands especially Powertec which are absolute cheap rubbish that fall apart in under a year and cause all sort of grief in that period with breakdowns. They are cheaper for a reason. Buy big brands - Tohatsu Yamaha etc.

[lewisa]

I had an inflatable floor Achilles for 10 years on which I used a 5 HP Honda (4 stroke) and was never able to get it up on plane . I doubt a 3.5HP would do work either.

[lizardofoz]

I had advise from a outboard mechanic not to buy any single cylinder outboards and only go for 2 cylinder and up. My preference is for 2 strokes - lighter and simpler than 4 strokes. I have gone for a 8HP Tohatsu 2 stroke. Do not buy any of the cheaper copy brands especially Powertec which are absolute cheap rubbish that fall apart in under a year and cause all sort of grief in that period with breakdowns. They are cheaper for a reason. Buy big brands - Tohatsu Yamaha etc.

[Mr O]

X2 for electric outboard! I’ve been using a ePropulsion Spirit 1.0. Not a planing motor on a 8’ RIB, but super light, no gas, no noise and gets charged when genset is on or back on shore power. Very little maintenance compared to ICE. I haven’t used my heavy Mercury 9.9hp since.

[Jimmyhenry]

I had a 3.4m ( I think that’s about 11feet. US of A is the only country in the world I know of that still uses feet!!) rigid bottom, aluminium, inflatable and had a 2hp Yamaha. Amazingly it would plane in flat water with just me on board sitting on the middle seat. So I think two factors are key.
1/- length
2/- rigid bottom.
Pete

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Jimmyhenry

I had a 3.4m ( I think that’s about 11feet. US of A is the only country in the world I know of that still uses feet!!) rigid bottom, aluminium, inflatable and had a 2hp Yamaha. Amazingly it would plane in flat water with just me on board sitting on the middle seat. So I think two factors are key.
1/- length
2/- rigid bottom.
Pete

Jimmy, as to your measure of length, for clarity sake would that be 3.4 metres or 3.4 meters?

How many cubits is that?

[bradm85]

Originally Posted by Ida_Lewis

I’ve got to say I love my Torqeedo 1003. Weighs ~ 30 lbs overall, comes in three pieces which are easy to assemble in the dinghy, and you can get a spare battery if you want. There’s a readout on the tiller telling you how much juice you have left.

No planing, but I am happy to forego that if I can avoid carrying gasoline. To store, just hose it off and put it in its case. Done!

Also, it’s quiet, so you can actually converse in the dinghy.

I have the Torqeedo 1003 as well and love it. I have 2 spare batteries and can charge the battery with the optional 12v adaptor.

[Jimmyhenry]

I realise you Yanks are spelling retards or alternatively creative. I believe you also spell colour as color!!!. The word metre comes from another country a long way away to your East called France were the metre measure was first measured by two surveyors as 1 millionth of a quadrant of the earth’s surface. Hence the correct spelling is the original French name. As you probably realise the quadrant is not a regular curve as the earth is slightly squashed out at the equator. Two good books on the subject.

“The measure of all things”
“The map makers wife”

Pete

[bradm85]

Originally Posted by Jimmyhenry

I realise you Yanks are spelling retards or alternatively creative. I believe you also spell colour as color!!!. The word metre comes from another country a long way away to your East called France were the metre measure was first measured by two surveyors as 1 millionth of a quadrant of the earth’s surface. Hence the correct spelling is the original French name. As you probably realise the quadrant is not a regular curve as the earth is slightly squashed out at the equator. Two good books on the subject.

“The measure of all things”
“The map makers wife”

Pete

Yea, we also use the correct spelling of realize and not realise. Even my spell check tries to correct realise.

[scareygary]

Just slow down and putt. You're in a sailboat for heaven's sake, so speed shouldn't be your primary focus anyway! You can probably guess that I use an inflatable 8'6" dink and push it slowly with an old, 3 hp 2 stroke. One less dink planing around the anchorage would be just fine with me. Actually, the trolling motor is my favorite method most times! Surely someone's coming after me for this opinion, but no one else said it
, so I thought I'd stir the pot....

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by scareygary

Just slow down and putt. You're in a sailboat for heaven's sake, so speed shouldn't be your primary focus anyway! You can probably guess that I use an inflatable 8'6" dink and push it slowly with an old, 3 hp 2 stroke. One less dink planing around the anchorage would be just fine with me. Actually, the trolling motor is my favorite method most times! Surely someone's coming after me for this opinion, but no one else said it
, so I thought I'd stir the pot....

WTF has planing around the anchorage got to do with anything? Surely those who want to be able to plan are mostly trying to get somewhere away from the anchorage either to shore (because they've anchored out), or to explore, and start out / return slowly as they reach the boats.

[scareygary]

Easy, Mike. Of course there are exceptions and some people travel further in dinks for some good reasons. I was simply trying to state the opinion that planing around in the dink is often not necessary. I personally long for the days when people in the PNW, at least, ROWED their hard dinks to and from their anchored or moored out boats. Seeing engines on dinks was rare, as were inflatables, actually. I recognize fully how hard inflatables can be to row. Much more peace and quiet in the 'old days' I rather long for. I DO see lots of people speeding and planing on dinks in anchorages, and it DOES make a difference to some of us. Peace out, Man....

[canyonbat]

Originally Posted by scareygary

Easy, Mike. Of course there are exceptions and some people travel further in dinks for some good reasons. I was simply trying to state the opinion that planing around in the dink is often not necessary. I personally long for the days when people in the PNW, at least, ROWED their hard dinks to and from their anchored or moored out boats. Seeing engines on dinks was rare, as were inflatables, actually. I recognize fully how hard inflatables can be to row. Much more peace and quiet in the 'old days' I rather long for. I DO see lots of people speeding and planing on dinks in anchorages, and it DOES make a difference to some of us. Peace out, Man....

It is nice to have a fast dinghy when going from Marks Bay across to the Marina at Nanaimo. I want to cross that float plane landing area as quick as possible. By the way, didn’t we meet you last spring at the Dinghy Dock Pub for drinks on our way north with Bob?

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Montanan

]

I always get a chuckle at the fundamental concept that sailors who are fine with cruising long distances at relatively slow speed and with tacking far from their direct line when headed windward, then desire to travel fast for short distances between their yacht and a nearby shore destination.
.

As do I