Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

[laika]

You could buy a used 2stroke online if that's what you want. Agree with those who said 2.3 would probably not do it for ya.

FWIW, we've a 3.3HP 2stroke Johnson with a 9ft inflatable. It works well for this boat, but it's right on the edge. At full throttle with 2 people, it moves about 6-7kts in a half-assed plane. Good enough.

Best thing about the 2 stroke I think is that it's so easy to service. I've rebuilt the carb 6 times over the last 7 years and it still runs great. Basically just a fuel tank and a carb. No gears. Pull the cord it off you go!

[RichandHelen]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I was going to comment on weight and 2 stroke vs 4 strokes, but instead will weigh in on the plane vs non planing.
In my experience if you can't plane, then HP isn't that important, by that I mean 2.3 may push you almost as fast as an 8, if the 8 won't plane, but if it will, then of course it is WAY faster.
Possibly another consideration is noise, I've heard those little motors from a long ways off, and heard them for a long time as it seem to take forever to get anywhere.
It's been 20 years ago, but I had a little 2 stroke air cooled outboard that had a centrifugal clutch, no gearbox.
I absolutely hated the thing, it sounded for all the world like a weed eater, and you couldn't talk to anyone else in the boat, I bought it because it was cheap

Any chance you could borrow a little motor to see if you would like it or not?


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Great points and a good laugh too! Another suggestion has been made off-line to explore block and tackle with more purchase for the business end of the RIB...

[a64pilot]

The Yamaha four stroke 15 HP is I think 114 lbs? The Suzuki 20 HP four stroke is 99, I think the Yamaha Enduro 15 is about 90, but there is a non Enduro version that is significantly lighter?


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[FSmith]

My 3.5hp 2 stroke will plane my 8 foot Porta bote with no passengers.

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[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The Yamaha four stroke 15 HP is I think 114 lbs? The Suzuki 20 HP four stroke is 99, I think the Yamaha Enduro 15 is about 90, but there is a non Enduro version that is significantly lighter?


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Two strokes make great dinghy motors; I prefer them to four strokes.


Here are some weights of different motors:

Selva Black Bass 8 hp (4 stroke, one cylinder) 27kg cheap and light

Suzuki 6 hp (4 stroke, one cylinder) 25kg probably much better made than the Selva; very light

The Suzuki 8 hp is two cylinder and far heavier.

Yamaha also make a 6 hp one-lunger, weighing 27kg.

Tohatsu make an 8 hp two stroke, two cylinders and 27kg.

Yamaha and Mercury both sell something just the same -- maybe Tohatsu stencil brands?


A big jump up in weight when you go to 10 hp, which all seem to be built on the same block as 15hp.


So 8 hp seems to be about the sweet spot, for engines you can lift with one hand and thus manhandle without a lift.

[44'cruisingcat]

The Tohatsu 9.8 two-stroke is a really nice engine. Very quiet and smooth. Would easily plane 2 people in that dinghy, probably not 3.


Weighs 26kg.

[44'cruisingcat]

Alternatively to getting a lighter outboard, what about making it easier to lift? We have 5:1 purchases on our targa, both ends, and it's quite easy to lift our 3.5m RIB and 18hp two-stroke. Probably around 120kg total.


My wife can and quite often does, lift it.

[Sailor Doug]

We need to be a little responsible for our emissions, there is a reason 2 strokes are banned.
I have a 4 hp Yamaha because it has a separate fuel tank, I can keep fuel in bow of boat. I would not recommend this motor. I would recommend the lightest two cylinder engine.
I have also noticed not all inflatables are equal. The longer the distance from the end of pontoon to the transom the better the performance. I am not talking about the ends of the points but the distance that is in the water.


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[a64pilot]

When I'm feeling lazy, I have been known to use my Genoa winch and my Milwaukee drill to raise the dinghy's engine end.
Makes short work of it.


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[CHM]

We have a 10' portabote and 3.5 hp Tohatsu 2 stroke. this combination serves us well.


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[Cheechako]

The OP already has a higher HP outboard. He's asking about a small one. I recommend 4-5 HP. If you go tiny, don't go air cooled.

[Schooner Chandlery]

Folks are mentioning 27kg (60lb) as light. That is not light. The Honda 2.3 is 27lb. We have one and it is light. Our dink is a 12 ft Tinker Traveller 65lb plywood floor folding inflatable that used to be made by Henshaw but no longer available new. Good load capacity at 1000+lb. Very narrow and made for rowing. Also has a sail kit. It can plane with 3 hp 1 person 5 hp 2 people we are told by another Traveller owner. But not with the little 2.3.

Love how easy to deploy 1 person midships either me or my husband can do it quickly and then hand carry the motor down. Keep the oars and life vests in it unless we're folding it up to store during passage.

Downside is that it is a wet ride in wind and waves.


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[RichandHelen]

Originally Posted by Schooner Chandlery

Folks are mentioning 27kg (60lb) as light. That is not light. The Honda 2.3 is 27lb. We have one and it is light. Our dink is a 12 ft Tinker Traveller 65lb plywood floor folding inflatable that used to be made by Henshaw but no longer available new. Good load capacity at 1000+lb. Very narrow and made for rowing. Also has a sail kit. It can plane with 3 hp 1 person 5 hp 2 people we are told by another Traveller owner. But not with the little 2.3.

Love how easy to deploy 1 person midships either me or my husband can do it quickly and then hand carry the motor down. Keep the oars and life vests in it unless we're folding it up to store during passage.

Downside is that it is a wet ride in wind and waves.


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Just the kind of info I was looking for! Thanks

[RichandHelen]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Alternatively to getting a lighter outboard, what about making it easier to lift? We have 5:1 purchases on our targa, both ends, and it's quite easy to lift our 3.5m RIB and 18hp two-stroke. Probably around 120kg total.


My wife can and quite often does, lift it.

I am going to look into this option. It would be far less expensive than: Acquire/install an engine hoist and a transom mount and buy a new engine.

[robert sailor]

Life is full of compromises. .if you want to go fast and carry a load and get to a far away dive spot you need the power which equates back to weight. If you don't mind cleaning the carb on a regular basis,getting wet in even smaller waves,not able to access far away areas in a reasonable time then the little thumper might be for you. I would add in the Med that's about all you see as its usually only a stones throw from anchorages to the closest pub. South Pacific it's anywhere from 10-15 hp and sometimes more. In most of the cases cruisers use 2 strokes as their power to weight ratio is much better than the 4 strokes.