Looking to buy outboard for dinghy

[grantmc]

Something slightly off topic but relevant to the thread. I often read people new to cruising wanting, even expecting to buy a dinghy with a motor powerful enough to plane. I've spent time in many many dinghies and the faster they go the wetter you get and I find the noise level and bang crash quite uncomfortable. But there can be worse results from high power.

Here's a youtube video from Sailing Zatara. And before you all dis me for putting this up it is something serious. There's an interview with Danny, a fellow Kiwi, who a few weeks ago had a serious accident driving his dinghy.

Short version is he hit a wave at maximum speed and capsized. But the engine stop came off his arm and the wild dinghy drove over him. It resulted in very very serious wounds to his face along with other injuries.

The accident happened not far from where I am now about 6 weeks ago as he headed back to his yacht Rock Star following a church service at a tiny village.

I met him when he was still all bandaged up a couple of weeks after the accident and I was blown away by his acceptance that bad things happen sometimes, but you just get back on the horse and carry on. Amazingly positive guy.

We're very remote here and where Danny was when he crashed is a little island miles and miles from anywhere and the only way in is by boat. Amazingly there were a couple of Doctors there too at the time, and they patched him up enough to save his life. Overnight a boat and helicopter were sent to aid in his rescue. He's looking much better now and it is amazing how well it has all healed, but he still needs quite serious facial reconstruction and dental surgery back in NZ. And whilst hospital treatment is largely free in NZ it's not free here in Fiji.

Perhaps the community might be able to help out with Danny's medical expenses. There is a link to a Give A Little page in the

Zatara video

.

[406Columbia]

we recently (last year) replaced our 1986 Honda 4 stroke 7.5 hp outboard with a Tohatsu. We have a 6hp Sail Pro on our sailboat and have been very pleased with it thus far. So we thought Tohatsu first for our repower of the Rib 310 dinghy. We would have had sufficient power with a 9.9 but then looked at the 15hp and 20hp. They are all the same weight, same size and very close in price. We went with the 20hp and easily and quickly reach plane with four of us on the 310 and with toys and food.



It has so much power we cruise around in it well below half throttle. The additional thought was we may need something bigger than the 310 one day and might want the extra power. If you take great care of your motor, let it warm up, service it, good fuel and oil, etc. you can keep its running for literally decades. When we sold out Honda, which my wife's father purchased new in 1986 it still had good compression, started very easily and was a good motor. Just not enough power to push our entire family around and reach plane speeds.



The Tohatsu 20hp EFI is a wonderful motor for us, but then a 9.9 would have likely been good enough too. Either way a new Tohatsu wont likely disappoint you. They are light weight, appear to be well built and the two local dealers we have used have been able to get us the service manuals and any extra parts we wanted/needed.



We looked at Yamaha as well as Honda and the significant price and weight increase didn't appear to be worth it.

[ob44]

Originally Posted by Latecomer

Hey Guys,

I'm looking to buy new outboard for 10.5 inflatable dinghy, and have been researching or leaning towards the Tohatsu 6hp SailPro extra long shaft.
I like the idea of the extra long shaft should I get caught in a pinch offshore and need to temporarily repower my Mariner 28 sailboat, or should I get stuck on a sandbar I hopefully would get enough torque from the deeper shaft on the dinghy to free sailboat's keel from bottom.

Question #1: What are your thoughts in terms of pro's/con's for this particular make and model for the intended size dinghy?

Question #2: Is there another make, model, size, of equal specifications and efficiency? If so, let's hear it.

George

I have had a Tohatsu 6 hp for 4 seasons. It has been virtually indestructible. It got totally submerged when my previous 10' inflatable uninflated at the dinghy dock. Minor repair and back in service. I lost all power in my Tartan 40 in the middle of Narragansett Bay in a 20kt SW'er as I was taking her to the yard for winter layup (no sails aboard). My Tohatsu was able to get us across (a struggle because of its small hp). Dinghy broke free during hurricane Dorian and spent 3 hours banging against a seawall and being inundated with water. Tohatsu unaffected. Water in the gas; back in service after minor servicing. Can't say a negative thing about the Tohatsu.

[Pete Chambliss]

Alot depends on usage but I have had a 4hp Mariner 2 stroke for 15 years or more (recommended by an experience circumnavigator). Used it for 4 years on an 8 ft dink. It sat for 5-6 years in the boat house and when my 9.9 Yamaha got damaged beyond repair, I cleaned it up, shot some carb cleaner, gave it new aviation gas. and after about 8 pulls got a pop out of the engine. Once I turned on the fuel (DUH) it has run like a champ for 5 years with only one trip to the shop. Short story, 2 stroke with as much horsepower as you can find.