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Old 01-04-2016, 18:25   #31
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

Another 10' portabote owner with a 3.5 hp, 4-stoke (Tohatsu) here. Planes with one person and load. Even got it up on a plane with two adults in calm, flat conditions.

I can lift the engine manually. Bote is light. Rows well. Motors well. Carries a big load. Even has a sail rig (just for fun).

Small engine with light boat works. No way would these small engines work on the typical heavy RIB or inflatable.
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Old 01-04-2016, 19:51   #32
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

Mike can you get into a Porta boat after diving/snorkeling? I had a similar boat called Foldaboat years ago I would strap to my float plane but I'd never want to try and get into it out of the water. I know your model has more beam and some upper flotation so you might be able to pull it off?
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Old 01-04-2016, 20:20   #33
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

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Originally Posted by robert sailor View Post
Mike can you get into a Porta boat after diving/snorkeling? I had a similar boat called Foldaboat years ago I would strap to my float plane but I'd never want to try and get into it out of the water. I know your model has more beam and some upper flotation so you might be able to pull it off?
Hi Robert, I'm not a diver, but I have climbed back into the bote from the water, and I'm far from a fit guy. I wouldn't say it's easy. Kinda like getting back into a canoe. As a solo you have to do a quick lunge across the bote mid-ship, grabbing onto the seat and opposite thwart, then hauling yourself in quickly. But if you have a partner it's easy. The other person stabilizes the opposite side (from water or in the bote) and then you pull yourself in. You do ship some water, but it's doable.

Portabote sells an entry ladder which allows you to climb in via the bow. Not sure I believe it, but they claim it works.
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Old 01-04-2016, 20:36   #34
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

If you can bring your dinghy up the Miami River to my dock, you can try my 2.5 Lehr on it. I power a 12 foot inflatable with it but the boat is very narrow and much lighter compared to yours.
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Old 01-04-2016, 20:41   #35
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

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Originally Posted by Mike OReilly View Post
Hi Robert, I'm not a diver, but I have climbed back into the bote from the water, and I'm far from a fit guy. I wouldn't say it's easy. Kinda like getting back into a canoe. As a solo you have to do a quick lunge across the bote mid-ship, grabbing onto the seat and opposite thwart, then hauling yourself in quickly. But if you have a partner it's easy. The other person stabilizes the opposite side (from water or in the bote) and then you pull yourself in. You do ship some water, but it's doable.

Portabote sells an entry ladder which allows you to climb in via the bow. Not sure I believe it, but they claim it works.
Sounds reasonable, that's cool as there is lots to like about the folding boats.
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Old 01-04-2016, 21:08   #36
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

I carry a 2.2hp and a 9.8hp which I use on a heavy 8' dingy, both two strokes (tried a 4 stroke once but did not like the weight or expense)


I don't particularly like the 2.2hp as it is only single cylinder and consequently less reliable than the larger engine and I spend a lot of time in places including large and bold marine predators. However my dingy is tricycle wheeled and the little light engine is a big help when hauling the dingy through soft sand or up boat ramps.


The 9.8hp is two cylinders and consequently more reliable so I tend to use it when I have long distances to travel or when I go into places where I might need the dingy to help get the parent vessel out of trouble. In my younger, more adventurous days I have hauled the parent vessel side ways with a halyard to the top of the mast to get it off a grounding using the dingy and large outboard.


The 9.8hp is absolutely sphincter loosening flat out on an 8' dingy but a short burst of the speed that thrills occasionally adds zest to life.


Spit in a greeny's eye and buy a large and small two stroke.
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Old 01-04-2016, 22:13   #37
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

I had two Honda 2HP engines over the last 20 years, powering a variety of approx. dinghies, of course, no planing. And yes, on a still morning your neighbours know when you are leaving the mothership: the sound is loudish and very recognisable. This engine has been upgraded to output of 2.3 HP now (weighing 12 kg/27 lbs), with Yamaha and Suzuki offering similar 4-stroke models in this power range (the latter 2 are water cooled).

I also had for while a 9 ft quicksilver inflatable (with inflatable floor), again with the Honda, no planning, but able to push through the waves. I found this combination lacking power though.

But with a Yamaha 3HP 2 stroke (that had neutral and forward) it planed with one person on board. Weight was 17 kg/38 lbs. Liked that engine!
https://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/prod...portable/11-3a

I also used that dinghy with a 5 HP Yamaha 4 stroke, much heavier, and it planed with 2 persons. The advantage of this latter engine was it had an integral fueltank and one could connect a remote fueltank as well.
This engine weighs 27 kg/60 lbs (without external tank). To me bordering on ‘too hard’ for frequent mounting/dismounting on the dinghy. And if the freeboard of the mothership is high, possibly too difficult to do that single handedly or without a hoist.
https://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/prod...portable/13-f5

Never had any mechanical trouble with any of these engines, hmmm the first Honda was given back to me (after an unauthorised ‘borrowing’ ) with a broken conrod.

Another 2 cents.
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Old 01-04-2016, 23:32   #38
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

I have the small Honda and it is in use most of the time. We have 2 dinghies on board: a 3.5 m RIB and a 2.5 m soft bottom. These days it is driving the big RIB, as I am just to lazy to deploy the 15hp Mercury. Of course it is slow, but it doesn't matter if the shore is just 400 m away. We used it a few times with the small ding with 4 people on board going into 10 kn headwind and then it is really slow and wet, but still doable.
I was looking for a really lightweight engine and, as it was mentioned before, 20 or 30 kg are not light. It has an integrated tank and can be quickly deployed. My wife or my daughters can carry it around and just one of them can pull the small dinghy with the motor up the beach. It is noisy and does not have a reverse gear, but with the small dinghy this is not necessary.
If we go longer distance, carry eg scuba gear and it is more rough we use the RIB with the Mercury. I would not go with the Honda longer distances in open water, but we have crossed several times bays 2 miles wide in reasonable calm conditions.
Depends where you are cruising, but here in the Aegean, it would be sufficient (exceptions as stated above).


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Old 02-04-2016, 07:30   #39
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

We had the 2hp Honda and it is useless in any kind of waves, and it is indeed very noisy. Most people can only safely carry about 50 lbs of motor due to the awkwardness, so that was why we went small. Be careful going over 50 lbs.
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Old 02-04-2016, 07:35   #40
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

I have a 2.5 HP Yamaha and all I can say is that it is better than rowing... slightly.
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Old 02-04-2016, 07:48   #41
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

If you depower your present dinghy to the extent you are proposing, you will be surprised at the fuel consumption required to push what is basically a planing hull designed to yield the best ride comfort and fuel economy while planing. If you go this route, find a replacement small non-planing dinghy. Not only will your fuel consumption be noticeably less, but the reduced windage will reduce the effort expended by the engine when going into the wind.

After 10 years cruising in the Eastern Caribbean, taking our dog to shore twice daily, we have two dinks, a 10' hard bottom rib with a 15 hp 2 stroke and an 8' fiberglass pram with a 2.5 hp 2 stroke. Both dinghies are hoisted out of the water every night for security concerns. On days when the wind is over 15 knots, the pram stays hoisted. Adverse wind and current combos can yield negative forward motion, even with only one adult on board. We have also found that in windy conditions, fuel consumption rises dramatically, forcing us to carry a fuel jug if a round trip of over 2 miles is contemplated. Filling a top of the motor mounted fuel tank in any sea conditions over near calm conditions is very difficult and using a small fuel bulb to pump the fuel is very time consuming, frequently resulting in the boat drifting to leeward over a quarter of a mile. The dink has been regulated to a one person short trip (less than a mile each way) boat. Forget about doing a grocery run with two adults onboard with a 2.5 HP.
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Old 02-04-2016, 07:50   #42
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

Classic makes a good point. I've also decided 50 pounds is my limit for engines I have to put on and take off frequently. Fifty pounds will allow you a five hp 4 stroke engine.
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Old 02-04-2016, 08:27   #43
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

We use a Honda 2.3 on our Avon 304 air floor & our Bauer 10. It pushes both boats fine for us but we don't care about planing. In 15 years there's never been a time that I was worried about it getting me back to the boat. Most of the time we've got the Honda at low rpms so it's not too loud but if you open it up it is quite loud because it's air cooled which can be a plus because you don't have to worry about it pumping water. I'd keep the motor you have on a motor davit for when you need it & get a small 4 stroke for normal use.
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Old 02-04-2016, 09:12   #44
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

For what is worth a 2 or 4 will not plain but will get you there. If there is enough wind to make it questionable you should probably not be in your dinghy with any engine. I share your concern about not overloading my davits so if I plan on no use for a few days I will generally move the motor to the stern rail, no big deal for a 2 or 4. I might also mention if you forget to pull the drain plug you might get a real test of davit loads from unexpected rain. Good luck with whatever you decide.
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Old 02-04-2016, 09:14   #45
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Re: Will a 2.3 HP outboard do?

I have an 11' Achilles RIB. As my real boat is only 30', I tow it everywhere, including Nova Scotia to the Bahamas and back. My wife and I can just about lift the thing. We use a 2.5hp 4stroke suzuki . It's plenty of power for anything we want, I've towed quite heavy disabled boats with it. Have to say its a lot heavier than the 2hp 2stroke it replaced, a little noisier, occasionally a really vicious kickback when you start it. Doesn't go any faster than the 2 but its is better on fuel. Once was broken down with no transmission and, by lashing the dinghy alongside my sailboat, got the 100 miles home without assistance, admittedly it was flat calm, but we did make 2.5 knots pushing a 13000lb boat and only used 2 gallons of gas
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