Dinghy Outboard Motors

[Strygaldwir]

Okay;

After being without a dinghy motor for 2 months and making the trip down from North Carolina to Florida, it surprises me that I can't find any discussion on dinghys (tenders) and there power supply. It is miserable without a power source when you are on the hook!!

We finally got our new motor today. It is a Nissan 9.8 4 stroke. Weighs 84 lbs or so. It is nice and quit and really scoots my wife and I along. We had a Honda 8 hp long shaft prior to this, but it made the dinghy run very uncomfortably. That and I ran aground with it a couple of times. Nothing big, just mud.

We have a Carribe 12', relatively nice dinghy, except for the slow leak. One of these days I'll get around to painting it and putting the dinghy sealant in the tubes.

What kind of motors and tenders are you all using out there?
Any issues?

Keith

[CSY Man]

9,3 Avon Redcraft, soft bottom.

4 HP, 2 cylinder Evinrude 2 stroke dink-pusher.

The above combo is 10 years old and still working good.

The secret is to keep the rubber dink out of the sun, and to flush the motor with fresh water after every use.

Should last forever then....

[GordMay]

See also the thread “ What Type of Dinghy / Tender do you use?” at:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/showthr...&threadid=1775

I suppose I started the poll in an obscure location - sorry

[irwinsailor]

I have a Alliance 11' RIB with a 8 hp Honda kept on davits. I also have a 8'6" Achillies with a 6 hp Evenrude from our power boat days that I would like to sell.

[Alan Wheeler]

A 3.2m(11ft) inflatable with inflatable keel and a 15Hp 1987 Johnston outboard.

[rsn48]

I have the Walker Bay 8 foot with the tube around it. The tube definitely adds stability and increased passenger and weight load. I power it with a 3.3 Merc two stroke. I preferred this motor as I can handle it quite easily compared to the 4 and 6 horsepower motors, which are four stroke.

The tube also acts as a fender when the dingy is snug up against our sailboat; no knocking of hulls. The tube also keeps the dingy a bit drier.

My son also sails this dingy so it adds versatility to its arsenal.

[Rippy]

Started with a Caribe RIB a few years ago and sold it (big mistake). We cruise fulltime on a Bristol 31.1 so space is a premium and we did not want to install davits. So now we are using an Achilles (8.8 feet) and a Nissan 5hp 2-stoke that we picked up for very little and rebuilt. The Achilles is a wood floor (not slats) and it works OK, but miss the big tubes on the Caribe. Live and learn. Would like to get a hard dink as an additional dinghy and just tow it most of the time.
Cheers,
Roger Rippy
SV Tin Cup

[soul searcher]

We have a 9ft. caribe rib with an 8Hp evenson johnrude commercial. Motor wieghs a ton

When I was working in Panama many moons ago I saw an outboard on a dug out canoe that said kerosean on it. It may have been a Yamaha thats what I remember and my memory isn't that good. any one eve seen one? little diesle out board would be way cool

[gosstyla]

Yanmar makes a 27hp and a 36hp outboard diesel, but they are not little.

My 27hp weighs about 220lbs.

[S/V Elusive]

I mistakenly did not run my outboard for over a year. AT this time, while it will start, the throttle control is extremely stiff (I've WD40 all the places I could find) and the transmission gear selector will NOT. I've never worked on an OB before and have no idea where to start - I cannot afford the $90/hr these yahoos around here charge at a shop.

Books/manuals/??? HELP?

Thomas

[Jentine]

I used a 15 hp Yamaha rather than the 9.9 because they are the same engine. The weight and all specs are the same. I would guess that the only difference is in the fuel injection and for a few hundred dollars extra it is almost like getting 5hp free.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by S/V Elusive

I mistakenly did not run my outboard for over a year. AT this time, while it will start, the throttle control is extremely stiff (I've WD40 all the places I could find) and the transmission gear selector will NOT. I've never worked on an OB before and have no idea where to start - I cannot afford the $90/hr these yahoos around here charge at a shop.

Books/manuals/??? HELP?

Thomas

Thomas,

There are repair manuals out there for all the models. I have a Johnson 9.9 (too damn heavy!) and the repair manual. What make and model is your motor?

[GordMay]

Sticky Throttle:
Disconnect the throttle cable from the throttle lever on the carbourator, then fiddle the lever. It’‘ll probably be free, indicating the problem lies in either the Cable linkage, or (less likely) the tiller twist handle.

[s/vAngel]

Hmmm, does anyone have experience with those "Portabotes" folding boats? Have used inflatable dinghies, hard bottom, in past and had nothing but bad luck, even with the quality ones. My cruising grounds are rocky/rough in some areas. Have a 12' fiberglass dinghy that's tough enough, but it's really too big and tows like a slug. Would love a folding boat but one cruiser said they're "death traps" and I'm not sure. Who's got one of these and do you like it?
For use with the hard dinghy, I really like my 15hp 2-stroke Yamaha, the sucker's got balls and is relatively easy to repair. Had a 9.9Nissan for a while and that had plenty of power and was easier to fix than Yamaha. Those motors are heavy, but lifting straps make a difference. If you cruise in areas with lots of current or remote spots like Bahamian Outislands, a strong outboard is invaluable.

[SkiprJohn]

I've been using a MinnKota 27lb thrust electric on my 11ft hard dinghy for quite some time. It gets me where I need to go on a calm day but have not used it in heavy weather. I used my old '55 5hp Gale the last big storm we had and it worked ok.
Has anyone else considered using electric? Just requires a freshly charged battery from time to time that you can recharge with a solar panel. West Marine also sells 50lb thrust models that our club uses on our West Wight Potter 19. It works great.
Regards, --JohnL--