Dinghy Outboard - Potential Buyer’s Remorse

[4arch]

We took delivery of a new 4 stroke 15 HP outboard last weekend, to be used on our Caribe C10 RIB. We are a family of three and plan to head south this fall. We bought into the advice to go for the maximum power, especially with the thought that inflatables only offer a comfortable, dry ride either running slow at just above idle or fast at planning speeds, but not so much at points in between. The idea of being able to use the dinghy to get the mother ship out of trouble and to make easier work out of re-provisioning when spending a two-three weeks at a time at anchor appealed a lot. I was also able to pick up the 15 HP at about the same price as a new 9.9, which sealed the deal.

Now that we have some time to sea trial the new setup, we have some doubts. First, having the power of 15 HP feels good but it’s also intimidating. It’s nice to have a motor that will get us wherever we want to go but I’m not sure we’ll feel comfortable getting up to planning speed with our small child aboard until she’s a few years older. The mere thought of hitting a submerged object at 15 knots with her aboard is too much to stomach. If we have provision chores - especially those involving jugging fuel or water - one of the adults will probably go solo and might be more willing to go fast in those situations. But day to day, taking our daughter ashore or exploring the anchorage will probably be at slower speeds.

The second problem is the motor’s weight - it’s a beast at 114 lbs. I just wonder if we will grow tired of dealing with such a bulky, heavy object on a daily basis. A 9.9 HP would be almost 35 lbs lighter and a 6 HP nearly half the weight. I also have the feeling the 15 makes the dinghy a bit stern-heavy, although that may be my imagination since it’s rated to carry a motor of that HP and weight.

With all this in mind, we’re very seriously considering trading our 15 HP in for a 6, 8, or 9.9 HP model. Should we stick with the 15 and work through the growing pains or step down to a more manageable size?

 

[dscribner]

Bigger isn't always better. Saw a large yacht in BVI last week. Couldn't sail it do to the number of boats. They motored everywhere. Forcmy money, a 6 to 9.9 is you sweet spot.

 

[Capt jgw]

We've lived aboard our boats on moorings for the past twenty years so we're in the dinghy every day, and have been through several dinghies and motors in that time. The largest motor we've had was a 6 and I found that scary at full speed on an 10 foot soft bottom inflatable. Right now I'm running a 3.5 hp Nissan 2 stroke and find it adequate for our needs. We don't have that far to go to and from the mooring and I outgrew my need for speed long ago. The motor only weighs about 30 pounds so putting it up on the rail for storage is very easy, and I can easily drop out down into the lazarette if I want to. I haven't had the need to tow my boat with it, but I did assist a Hunter 30 with a dead engine get into a marina, actually pushed it in, and it worked fine. You don't really need a lot of power for that either if you're not bucking a strong current. I don't think of want anything much larger.

 

[Kings Gambit]

How (and when) do you rescue the mother ship?

We took delivery of a new 4 stroke 15 HP outboard last weekend, to be used on our Caribe C10 RIB. We are a family of three and plan to head south this fall. We bought into the advice to go for the maximum power, especially with the thought that inflatables only offer a comfortable, dry ride either running slow at just above idle or fast at planning speeds, but not so much at points in between. The idea of being able to use the dinghy to get the mother ship out of trouble and to make easier work out of re-provisioning when spending a two-three weeks at a time at anchor appealed a lot. I was also able to pick up the 15 HP at about the same price as a new 9.9, which sealed the deal.

Now that we have some time to sea trial the new setup, we have some doubts. First, having the power of 15 HP feels good but it’s also intimidating. It’s nice to have a motor that will get us wherever we want to go but I’m not sure we’ll feel comfortable getting up to planning speed with our small child aboard until she’s a few years older. The mere thought of hitting a submerged object at 15 knots with her aboard is too much to stomach. If we have provision chores - especially those involving jugging fuel or water - one of the adults will probably go solo and might be more willing to go fast in those situations. But day to day, taking our daughter ashore or exploring the anchorage will probably be at slower speeds.

The second problem is the motor’s weight - it’s a beast at 114 lbs. I just wonder if we will grow tired of dealing with such a bulky, heavy object on a daily basis. A 9.9 HP would be almost 35 lbs lighter and a 6 HP nearly half the weight. I also have the feeling the 15 makes the dinghy a bit stern-heavy, although that may be my imagination since it’s rated to carry a motor of that HP and weight.

With all this in mind, we’re very seriously considering trading our 15 HP in for a 6, 8, or 9.9 HP model. Should we stick with the 15 and work through the growing pains or step down to a more manageable size?

I can't appreciate the argument of supporting a dinghy w/ a 15 hp to potentially get the mother ship "out of trouble" since it has its own engine plus sails. Are you thinking of using it to pull the sailboat off a mud mound or sand bar somewhere in the ICW? You don't need one like that to set a kedge; certainly you have Sea Tow or Vessel Assist? Or, is for when you run out of diesel on a windless night and can't find your anchor, or it's too deep for anchoring, that you're going to hop into the dinghy and tow or push the boat to--where?, or do what with it? Forgive. I suppose with engine failure in the ICW and no wind, or contrary wind, you might rig for a hip-tow to the nearest marina or anchorage; but does that require 15 hp? Are you and the wife going to practice doing it? Otherwise? I'm really curious. How does one in practice use a dinghy for [emergency?] mother-ship rescue operations? Are there any actual examples out there? If there aren't any--swap for a lighter engine!!

 

[Ken13559]

My guide for buying sailboat and outboard is that 1) my family members must be able to handle it should i become incapacitated. 2) I must be able to handle it alone.
Ive gone for a 2.5hp with a 2.30m inflatable dinghy. I'm not build like The Rock so small obm and dinghy is good.

 

[Chief RA]

Capt jgw knows what he is talking about. I have a 15hp, and a 3.5hp(41lbs) 4 stroke, outboard for my 10' dinghy. I select the motor to take with me based on distances I anticipate I will travel. My 15hp is a 2 stroke and only weighs 75lbs compared to at least 100lbs for a 10hp, 4 stroke. Closely compare weights on different horsepower motors. Realize that a 4hp will likely be the same motor block as the 6hp and basically weigh the same. The reason to buy the 3.5hp as Capt jgw and I have is they are usually a smaller block than the 4hp. In Tohatsu's case: its about 20 more pounds (33%) to go up to a 4 or 6hp compared to the 3.5hp. Hope we helped you, Chief

PS: Like Ken, I will downsize my dinghy as well on my next buy.

 

[Sailm8]

Do you have a crane on your stern to lift the motor? I have a 6hp 4 stroke that weights about 70lbs. I can one hand it off the dink and lift it on to the stern rail without too much trouble but I hate the few seconds where I have one foot in the dink and one on the boat with the motor dangling from my one arm. So one day I came across crane at a good price and installed it. It really makes a difference. My wife hauls on the crane while all I need to do is balance.

I would keep the motor you have. You will need the increased power as your child grows and you find yourself hauling more stuff. If you don't like how fast it goes, throttle back and go slow. I wish I could plane our dink when we have a long distance to travel. Better to have and not need, than to need and not have.

 

[kjretlaw]

I have a 9.9 Honda which is also 110lbs and 10' RIB. I have found I was able to get myself and others out of trouble with a quick hip tow. Try bringing the dinghy up on plane then throttle back till you just maintain keeping the dinghy on plane you don't need to be wide open all the time. When you start to load up the dinghy your speed will drop off dramatically. As for the difference between a 9.9 and 15, if they're both 2cyl engines the only difference is the carb.
Stick with it for awhile you may become accustomed to it.

 

[Ken13559]

Hey Sailm8, any pic of your crane? Thanks.

 

[zeehag]

if by out of trouble you mean when boat is dragging into the wweeds or onto a beach, you may be correct, but launching it is a *****. oops..
i found i was halping others more than myself, as deployment of dinghy in real life is not always easily accomplished.
now i use a rowing dink most happily and call draggers and helpers out on radio.
it is as easy to kedge off a shoal with a rowing boat as it is a puff boat, and the row boat doesnt mind if ye scratch the sides with a bit of anchor chain.....

 

[mz4wheeler]

Ive gone for a 2.5hp with a 2.30m inflatable dinghy.

This is exactly what I have. I can lift/store the dinghy in/out of the water on my own, I can lift/place the outboard with one hand (28 lbs). It's fast enough.

 

[capta]

We have a 15, 4 stroke on our 10.6 Zodiac and we couldn't be happier.
We rarely run flat out, probably only using 1/2 throttle after we're up on a plane. At this speed (maybe 12 knots) this set up is so economical that we can forget to get fuel. 2.5 gallons lasts us better than 2 months and we are usually anchored out farther than most and love to run around in the dink for fun. The set up is 8+ years old and still going strong.
We do not disassemble the boat for passages, in fact the motor is bolted onto the Zodiac. We secure it on the foredeck, upright, ready to launch for any emergency, only needing to bring the fuel tank and we've got a tug/push boat or a liferaft with about 60 mile range.
We can often outrun rain squalls when we're heading back to the boat with laundry or groceries, or get three people and their luggage to the boat on a plane, which one cannot do with a little engine.
Of course, it matters a great deal what use this boat will be put to. Weekending or a cruise or two a year, any dinghy/motor combo will do. Full time cruising with a piddly 3.5 hp motor on a 10' dink and you will sorely miss your 15 in short order.
IMO it's always better to have horsepower you don't use, than to be unable to do what's needed for lack of it.

 

[Kings Gambit]

We do not disassemble the boat for passages, in fact the motor is bolted onto the Zodiac. We secure it on the foredeck, upright, ready to launch for any emergency, only needing to bring the fuel tank and we've got a tug/push boat or a liferaft with about 60 mile range.

That's great, but your avatar shows a dink secured from stern davits. Have you changed your method of securing it recently?

 

[Chief RA]

capta: A 3.5 will carry anything our 15hps will, just not on plane. Chief

 

[Sailm8]

Hey Sailm8, any pic of your crane? Thanks.

It's like this one but not made by St Croix: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|215570|294|2345876&id=844140

Edit: This is the one I have: http://www.forespar.com/products/boat-motor-mate-lift.shtml

 

[DannyS]

I rescued our boat

I can't appreciate the argument of supporting a dinghy w/ a 15 hp to potentially get the mother ship "out of trouble" since it has its own engine plus sails. Are you thinking of using it to pull the sailboat off a mud mound or sand bar somewhere in the ICW? You don't need one like that to set a kedge; certainly you have Sea Tow or Vessel Assist? Or, is for when you run out of diesel on a windless night and can't find your anchor, or it's too deep for anchoring, that you're going to hop into the dinghy and tow or push the boat to--where?, or do what with it? Forgive. I suppose with engine failure in the ICW and no wind, or contrary wind, you might rig for a hip-tow to the nearest marina or anchorage; but does that require 15 hp? Are you and the wife going to practice doing it? Otherwise? I'm really curious. How does one in practice use a dinghy for [emergency?] mother-ship rescue operations? Are there any actual examples out there? If there aren't any--swap for a lighter engine!!

We have an 11 foot dinghy with a 9.9 four stroke. I had the misfortune to need to hip-tie alongside our boat when the thermostat crapped out on the engine of the mothership. We were overheating so we shut down, sailed back to the marina and pulled her in with the dinghy. We didn't need the full 9.9 hp to do this, but I was glad I had the means to get the boat back in the slip on our own without needing to call anyone for help.

 

[Chief RA]

DannyS: Even if he were faced with such a problem, he could do fine with a 6 then. Depends on the conditions where he primarily sails for him to decide on what he wants.
Chief

 

[Gunni]

A RIB on an ocean boat needs a bigger motor. My 9.9 is 81 lbs and not much easier to muscle aboard than your 15, so we have both davits rated to carry the RIB w/outboard, and a lifting tackle on the stern radar pole to hoist the motor to a motor mount on the stern rail. We also have a towing bridle with floating line for those easy pools between destinations. So I would say you need some more tools to make this kit work. But what you have is just what you need to move your boat, or run a rough sea against the wind and current.

Have your passengers sit forward, the child should sit on the floor.

 

[DannyS]

DannyS: Even if he were faced with such a problem, he could do fine with a 6 then. Depends on the conditions where he primarily sails for him to decide on what he wants.
Chief

Exactly, which is why I said we didn't need a 9.9 hp outboard for that. I was just responding to Kings Gambit's query whether anyone had actually ever used their dink to rescue the mothership.

 

[DannyS]

As for hoisting a larger engine... I move the boom vang to the end of the boom to hoist the engine into the cockpit. The boom/topping lift/vang make a very usable crane. I mount the engine on the inside of the sternrail. It's not a perfect solution, but it works for us.