I've started to look at outboard motors for a small dinghy (presently a 9' portaboat). One motor I looked at is the Honda 2 hp, air cooled four stroke. Would a motor of this size be sufficient for a small boat such as the one I mentioned? I'm not interested in speeding around or getting quickly from point A to point B. (If that were my ultimate goal, I wouldn't have a sailboat!) But would an engine of this size be powerful enough to push a small boat in the wind, etc.? Another issue is this: From what I was looking at online, it seems that this motor, being air cooled, is not to be operated in warm waters (i.e., in the tropics). Does anybody know about this in addition to the size of such a motor in general? (I see that Yamaha manufactures a motor of this same size.)
outboard size
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Be careful check
some of these air cooled motors are for fresh water operation only check with the manufacturer. I personally have a tohatsu 3.5 for a 10 foot zodiac doesn't go real fast but I dont have to row either.
some of these air cooled motors are for fresh water operation only check with the manufacturer. I personally have a tohatsu 3.5 for a 10 foot zodiac doesn't go real fast but I dont have to row either.
Honda 2hp
I don't have the Honda 2hp but a friend of mine does. He had it hanging off the back of his approximately 26 foot beachcomber ketch. One day I was holding his boat at the dock (dock lines untied) while he was warming up the Honda. I guess he forgot it was just me holding the boat in place,he revved up the Honda and it took every last bit of strength for me to keep him from smashing into the boat in front of him. It's a pretty darn strong little engine!!! I'd have to guess it would be just fine on a dinghy. Manny
I don't have the Honda 2hp but a friend of mine does. He had it hanging off the back of his approximately 26 foot beachcomber ketch. One day I was holding his boat at the dock (dock lines untied) while he was warming up the Honda. I guess he forgot it was just me holding the boat in place,he revved up the Honda and it took every last bit of strength for me to keep him from smashing into the boat in front of him. It's a pretty darn strong little engine!!! I'd have to guess it would be just fine on a dinghy. Manny
Honda 2hp 4-cycle
John, I have used the Honda 2hp for three seasons, including over 5 months as liveaboard with daily commutes of 1/2 - 3/4 mile every day. Very reliable, starts easy, and very economical. There are 2 drawbacks to the Honda, 1. the engine is loud. 2. using the centrifugal clutch has a learning curve and can be very annoying in close quarters. I felt the light weight (27lbs) and air cooling were overriding benefits for me. I would buy again. Dennis W. S/V FullSailed
John, I have used the Honda 2hp for three seasons, including over 5 months as liveaboard with daily commutes of 1/2 - 3/4 mile every day. Very reliable, starts easy, and very economical. There are 2 drawbacks to the Honda, 1. the engine is loud. 2. using the centrifugal clutch has a learning curve and can be very annoying in close quarters. I felt the light weight (27lbs) and air cooling were overriding benefits for me. I would buy again. Dennis W. S/V FullSailed
Depends on where you want to go, not how fast
John, we had an eggbeater 1.2 hp Johnson on our old WM 8'-4" dinghy, was great at Angel Island and even in the delta, we'd motor from Threeriver Reach all the way up to Herman & Helen's, Lost Slough to Walnut Grove, etc. Meant we'd have to bring or buy gas for the return trip and it took a half an hour to get there, but it was fun. The integral gas tank took some learning curve time to refill without spilling, but that was before the stupid CARB containers (that don't work) so we saved the old style one. How we have a 10-2 Zodiac with a 9.9 with a 3 gallon transom mount tank (dissed the 6 gallon, too big and bulky). We get wherever we're going faster. Plus I can safely get from Ayala Cove to Sam's with three other people. I could hand the old engine down to the dinghy with my eyes closed. The new engine requires the great Garhauer dinghy motor lift, which I can also do singlehanded. Both boats take the same amount of time to blow up. So, sometimes I wished I'd kept the old one, too, for just using in sheltered waters, but I'm sure glad we have the new one. YOU need to decide what you want to use it for. Your boat, your choice (different strokes...just couldn't resist
) Air cooled motors are noisier. But, as I recall, the old British Seagull engines were air cooled and ubiquitous worldwide. Although if the manufacturer says warm water, I'd ask how warm. Water doesn't get too warm around here, but if Mexico beckons it's a good question. The other question to ask is whether if you're in the hinterlands whether anyone can repair it. Some vendors' engines are fixable anywhere, others not so. What does Portabote say about engine size? What's their Max HP?
John, we had an eggbeater 1.2 hp Johnson on our old WM 8'-4" dinghy, was great at Angel Island and even in the delta, we'd motor from Threeriver Reach all the way up to Herman & Helen's, Lost Slough to Walnut Grove, etc. Meant we'd have to bring or buy gas for the return trip and it took a half an hour to get there, but it was fun. The integral gas tank took some learning curve time to refill without spilling, but that was before the stupid CARB containers (that don't work) so we saved the old style one. How we have a 10-2 Zodiac with a 9.9 with a 3 gallon transom mount tank (dissed the 6 gallon, too big and bulky). We get wherever we're going faster. Plus I can safely get from Ayala Cove to Sam's with three other people. I could hand the old engine down to the dinghy with my eyes closed. The new engine requires the great Garhauer dinghy motor lift, which I can also do singlehanded. Both boats take the same amount of time to blow up. So, sometimes I wished I'd kept the old one, too, for just using in sheltered waters, but I'm sure glad we have the new one. YOU need to decide what you want to use it for. Your boat, your choice (different strokes...just couldn't resist
) Air cooled motors are noisier. But, as I recall, the old British Seagull engines were air cooled and ubiquitous worldwide. Although if the manufacturer says warm water, I'd ask how warm. Water doesn't get too warm around here, but if Mexico beckons it's a good question. The other question to ask is whether if you're in the hinterlands whether anyone can repair it. Some vendors' engines are fixable anywhere, others not so. What does Portabote say about engine size? What's their Max HP?OK in the Tropics
I have had my 2 hp Honda for four years operating in temperatures of up to 38 deg C without any prolems. In fact I am embarrassed to tell you I have never serviced it or even had to add oil. We sail 12 months of the year here so it gets plenty use. It starts very time and my 2.5m inflatable carries four people and has ample power.As Denis W mentioned it is a tad noisier than a water cooled one but there is less to go wrong. Most people overpower dingies and just burn up more fuel than necessary.
I have had my 2 hp Honda for four years operating in temperatures of up to 38 deg C without any prolems. In fact I am embarrassed to tell you I have never serviced it or even had to add oil. We sail 12 months of the year here so it gets plenty use. It starts very time and my 2.5m inflatable carries four people and has ample power.As Denis W mentioned it is a tad noisier than a water cooled one but there is less to go wrong. Most people overpower dingies and just burn up more fuel than necessary.
I would think...
2 HP isn't going to get you anywhwere fast in an inflateable. I think it would be good for lake trolling. I have a Yamaha 4HP 4 stroke and it works O.K. on my rigid inflateable. We have a lot of tidal current in Maine... however it goes faster than that. A buddy has a 2HP Tohatsu in the same mooring area... he seems happy with it. Should get you along, Rich
2 HP isn't going to get you anywhwere fast in an inflateable. I think it would be good for lake trolling. I have a Yamaha 4HP 4 stroke and it works O.K. on my rigid inflateable. We have a lot of tidal current in Maine... however it goes faster than that. A buddy has a 2HP Tohatsu in the same mooring area... he seems happy with it. Should get you along, Rich
Old Sears 1.2 hp Walker Bay 8'
Way back about 1984 I bought an Aluminum canoe for river use and when my son showed interest in fishing I bought a Sears 1.2. The little motor pushed the 17' canoe just fine ..several times faster than we could paddle. When we bough our present sailboat it had the walker bay as a dinghy and I drug out the old sears. It worked fine. A BIG advantage is the little motor only weighs 13#s an important consideration when trying to mount and engine on the back of a dink in a chop!!!! I bought a 3.5 Tohatsu for the canoe and there is not much difference in top speed. I put it on the dink and it is too much for the WB-8. Bends the transom and I have to sit in the floor for stability. Neither the WB-8 or the alumicraft 17 square stern will plane. The WB-8 is rated for 2hp and the canoe for 4 hp. The main thing that I like about the tohatsu is that it is water cooled and much quieter. The main thing I like about the Sears 1.2 is that it gets the job done and weighs only 13#s.
Way back about 1984 I bought an Aluminum canoe for river use and when my son showed interest in fishing I bought a Sears 1.2. The little motor pushed the 17' canoe just fine ..several times faster than we could paddle. When we bough our present sailboat it had the walker bay as a dinghy and I drug out the old sears. It worked fine. A BIG advantage is the little motor only weighs 13#s an important consideration when trying to mount and engine on the back of a dink in a chop!!!! I bought a 3.5 Tohatsu for the canoe and there is not much difference in top speed. I put it on the dink and it is too much for the WB-8. Bends the transom and I have to sit in the floor for stability. Neither the WB-8 or the alumicraft 17 square stern will plane. The WB-8 is rated for 2hp and the canoe for 4 hp. The main thing that I like about the tohatsu is that it is water cooled and much quieter. The main thing I like about the Sears 1.2 is that it gets the job done and weighs only 13#s.
Sears
I laughed at MoonSailor's mention of the Sears. I have one in the garage where it has hung for 20 years. It is great for all the reasons mentioned except it is loud. The problem is that it developed a habit of not running at night (!). I think it had something to do with the magneto pulling in wet air at night when the engine cooled down. However, facing a rebellion from my wife and daughter, I purchased a Tohatsu 2.5 HP that served us perfectly for a dozen years. I replaced it with a Tohatsu 3.5 which is the exact same engine but for a neutral shift and a couple of pounds heavier. BTW, both engines were labeled as something else, but were Tohatsus. The only downside with the 3.5 is that it is sensitive to fuel quality. I assume it is leaned way out for emission reasons and the fuel I buy today seems to stale very fast not only in the OB but also the snowblower, generator et al. Some preservative takes care of that tho. We can't get two strokes any more in CA which is why I ran out to buy the 3.5 when someone still had one in stock. If I were to cruise, I would go to Mexico to buy an engine so as to get one that can be repaired in third world countries. Or, buy an old one used with the plan to replace it. Otherwise, I would buy the Tohatsu small four stroke which has plenty of power but is quiet too and light weight. Rick D.
I laughed at MoonSailor's mention of the Sears. I have one in the garage where it has hung for 20 years. It is great for all the reasons mentioned except it is loud. The problem is that it developed a habit of not running at night (!). I think it had something to do with the magneto pulling in wet air at night when the engine cooled down. However, facing a rebellion from my wife and daughter, I purchased a Tohatsu 2.5 HP that served us perfectly for a dozen years. I replaced it with a Tohatsu 3.5 which is the exact same engine but for a neutral shift and a couple of pounds heavier. BTW, both engines were labeled as something else, but were Tohatsus. The only downside with the 3.5 is that it is sensitive to fuel quality. I assume it is leaned way out for emission reasons and the fuel I buy today seems to stale very fast not only in the OB but also the snowblower, generator et al. Some preservative takes care of that tho. We can't get two strokes any more in CA which is why I ran out to buy the 3.5 when someone still had one in stock. If I were to cruise, I would go to Mexico to buy an engine so as to get one that can be repaired in third world countries. Or, buy an old one used with the plan to replace it. Otherwise, I would buy the Tohatsu small four stroke which has plenty of power but is quiet too and light weight. Rick D.
What ever floats your boat...
I never could understand those portabotes and anemic small engines. I have seen video advertisements for portabotes and the demos are always in calm flat protected areas that make the Ad look succesfull. I really have no confidence in them from a safety perspective, ditto for the small lightweight engines. I have a 9'9" Titan inflatable with 17" diameter tubes, air floor & air keel rated for 8HP but I have a 5hp honda on it. I tow the dinghy with the engine on the transome and so far I have had no issues. I am in the PNW Georgia Strait. We get some rough water with strong currents and even in my larger dinghy I have got a soaking from the waves. The 5hp works but I still wish I had gone a little bigger but 60# for an engine is the absolute max I can manhandle around. I could not find the old Nissan 9.8 2 stroke that weighed in at 58# or I would have bought it, next best was the Honda as it came at a price I could not ignore. The smaller rigs are ok for dinghy dock service but the larger rigs serve a wider range of services - one can explore further in bigger water or use them as a fishing dinghy in bigger waters, carry more passengers and supplies, they are not as limited in their use. The down side is that they are heavier and more cumbersome but the trade off is worth it. Last but not least even though I am a sailor I still quite enjoy zipping around at 10-12 MPH in the dinghy when I am bored with nothing else to do, they really scoot for their size. I have seen many occasions where I would not risk going out in the currents with less HP than I currently have and would have preferred to have a 6 or 8 hp engine if the weight were still under 60#.
I never could understand those portabotes and anemic small engines. I have seen video advertisements for portabotes and the demos are always in calm flat protected areas that make the Ad look succesfull. I really have no confidence in them from a safety perspective, ditto for the small lightweight engines. I have a 9'9" Titan inflatable with 17" diameter tubes, air floor & air keel rated for 8HP but I have a 5hp honda on it. I tow the dinghy with the engine on the transome and so far I have had no issues. I am in the PNW Georgia Strait. We get some rough water with strong currents and even in my larger dinghy I have got a soaking from the waves. The 5hp works but I still wish I had gone a little bigger but 60# for an engine is the absolute max I can manhandle around. I could not find the old Nissan 9.8 2 stroke that weighed in at 58# or I would have bought it, next best was the Honda as it came at a price I could not ignore. The smaller rigs are ok for dinghy dock service but the larger rigs serve a wider range of services - one can explore further in bigger water or use them as a fishing dinghy in bigger waters, carry more passengers and supplies, they are not as limited in their use. The down side is that they are heavier and more cumbersome but the trade off is worth it. Last but not least even though I am a sailor I still quite enjoy zipping around at 10-12 MPH in the dinghy when I am bored with nothing else to do, they really scoot for their size. I have seen many occasions where I would not risk going out in the currents with less HP than I currently have and would have preferred to have a 6 or 8 hp engine if the weight were still under 60#.
Capt Kermie..some of us sail!!!!
We only use our dinghy for short trips and some fishing. If I am going very far I just take the sailboat!!!!! With 32' and 4.5'draft it will go almost anywhere and it is a lot easier to carry supplies etc in the big boat. I don't think that there is a dinghy that I can carry that is as comfortable and seaworthy as my sailboat. With a 30 something sailboat there is little reason to carry a large fast dinghy with a large powerfull motor!!!!! If I wanted to run around fast in a stink pot I would have bought a fishing boat or a ski boat. Now maybe a 40 something live aboard might need a large powerfull dinghy. But for me if I need a case of beer and some groceries I just pull up the anchor and go to the dock ...in my sailboat.
We only use our dinghy for short trips and some fishing. If I am going very far I just take the sailboat!!!!! With 32' and 4.5'draft it will go almost anywhere and it is a lot easier to carry supplies etc in the big boat. I don't think that there is a dinghy that I can carry that is as comfortable and seaworthy as my sailboat. With a 30 something sailboat there is little reason to carry a large fast dinghy with a large powerfull motor!!!!! If I wanted to run around fast in a stink pot I would have bought a fishing boat or a ski boat. Now maybe a 40 something live aboard might need a large powerfull dinghy. But for me if I need a case of beer and some groceries I just pull up the anchor and go to the dock ...in my sailboat.
My .02 cents...
Well John, as you said you're not in a big hurry and you just want to push the boat along instead of paddling. I almost bought a porta-boat as my first boat when they first came out but never did, so I don't know how stable it is in any rough water. I do know first-hand about small outboards(as I'm sure nearly everyone has worked with) though. My 17' O'day came with a sears "eggbeater" that had a nasty habit of only running when being tested but not needed. I soon replaced it with a Johnson 2.2 two stroke. This ran well except when I didn't drain the excess fuel one season and pushed the 17 footer along OK in protected waters and for a short time my V21 (not as well though). The only underpowered (severely)occasion was On lake George, NY in a rather horrific storm in heavy chop against the current. It DID get me the needed 3 miles on my V21 but I spent the entire time cursing UPS who sent my larger motor back to texas instead of making good on a shipping accident. The boat you're talking about using a small motor on probably doesn't weigh as much as the 4-stroke that I use on my V21. Big advantage is the small outboard(2-str)can be lifted and carried one-handed.
Well John, as you said you're not in a big hurry and you just want to push the boat along instead of paddling. I almost bought a porta-boat as my first boat when they first came out but never did, so I don't know how stable it is in any rough water. I do know first-hand about small outboards(as I'm sure nearly everyone has worked with) though. My 17' O'day came with a sears "eggbeater" that had a nasty habit of only running when being tested but not needed. I soon replaced it with a Johnson 2.2 two stroke. This ran well except when I didn't drain the excess fuel one season and pushed the 17 footer along OK in protected waters and for a short time my V21 (not as well though). The only underpowered (severely)occasion was On lake George, NY in a rather horrific storm in heavy chop against the current. It DID get me the needed 3 miles on my V21 but I spent the entire time cursing UPS who sent my larger motor back to texas instead of making good on a shipping accident. The boat you're talking about using a small motor on probably doesn't weigh as much as the 4-stroke that I use on my V21. Big advantage is the small outboard(2-str)can be lifted and carried one-handed.
Yes, it will push it
A 2 hp engine will push you along. Much faster than rowing. I had a 3.3hp on my capri 22 for a while. When it was calm it pushed the boat along no problem. So I feel digny will be no problem.
A 2 hp engine will push you along. Much faster than rowing. I had a 3.3hp on my capri 22 for a while. When it was calm it pushed the boat along no problem. So I feel digny will be no problem.
Good Point Kris
When I bought a Macgregor 26 it came with a 4 hp 2 cycle that did OK. But it was a short shaft and I later got a Honda 7.5 which was heavy!!!! But the honda pushed the Mac near hull speed at little more than idle. The Honda was pitched well for pushing a sailboat. Loved that honda!!!! Except when moving it off the transom and into the truck bed. It was heavy!!!!!! Must have been 20 years old when I bought it. I confess that I now usually don't have an outboard on my sailboat. I have come to really enjoy rowing the Walker Bay 8 !!!!! Since I only use it for short distances I can usually row somewhere faster than I can mount the outboard to the dink!!!! But practicality aside I enjoy rowing...
When I bought a Macgregor 26 it came with a 4 hp 2 cycle that did OK. But it was a short shaft and I later got a Honda 7.5 which was heavy!!!! But the honda pushed the Mac near hull speed at little more than idle. The Honda was pitched well for pushing a sailboat. Loved that honda!!!! Except when moving it off the transom and into the truck bed. It was heavy!!!!!! Must have been 20 years old when I bought it. I confess that I now usually don't have an outboard on my sailboat. I have come to really enjoy rowing the Walker Bay 8 !!!!! Since I only use it for short distances I can usually row somewhere faster than I can mount the outboard to the dink!!!! But practicality aside I enjoy rowing...
MoonSailor - I sail too!!
I also have a MacGregor 26 with a 50HP Honda but I prefer to sail it. Sure I can do 18MPH @ WOT and empty ballast but rarely do unless I want to get to the marina before everyone else to get a slip. It is when we are settled down and tied at the slip or securely anchored somwhere that the dinghy and engine are put to use. My wife likes to sit on the boat and relax whereas I like to get out and explore so the dinghy becomes indispensable, I can cover a lot of distance with it in a short time. There is something more exhilarating zipping around in a small dinghy at 10-12 mph than taking the Mac out at WOT, it just is not as much fun in a bigger boat. Even if I had a 30' 500HP stink pot I would not enjoy the speed, I only enjoy the speed in something small and the speed does not have to be that great as long as it scoots around that is fine. I have been in ski boats on lakes and they are sort of OK but I would not invest a lot in one as they just do not appeal to me, the dinghy is as much of a speed boat as I need. I have not yet seen anyone take their 32' sailboat up to the dinghy dock for supplies, most boaters arrive in their dinghy, ditto for checking out the bay, most boaters drop anchor and use the dinghy for checking out their surroundings. Even when I need to gas up I take the tanks out of the MacGregor and scoot over to the pumps in the dinghy and fill them, then return, it is just more convenient to use the dinghy for errands and saves me manouvering a larger boat at the pumps, jousting with all the other big boats, my dinghy allows me to quickly slip around the other boats and get my gas and get out of the way in much less time with much less fuss. Some anchorages are very crowded and it would be impractical to be cruising among a hundred other boaters all anchored with your big 32' seaworthy sailboat with 4.5' of draft tripping all the other rodes/anchors with your keel. This is when the dinghy is most practical, that is why I have one.
I also have a MacGregor 26 with a 50HP Honda but I prefer to sail it. Sure I can do 18MPH @ WOT and empty ballast but rarely do unless I want to get to the marina before everyone else to get a slip. It is when we are settled down and tied at the slip or securely anchored somwhere that the dinghy and engine are put to use. My wife likes to sit on the boat and relax whereas I like to get out and explore so the dinghy becomes indispensable, I can cover a lot of distance with it in a short time. There is something more exhilarating zipping around in a small dinghy at 10-12 mph than taking the Mac out at WOT, it just is not as much fun in a bigger boat. Even if I had a 30' 500HP stink pot I would not enjoy the speed, I only enjoy the speed in something small and the speed does not have to be that great as long as it scoots around that is fine. I have been in ski boats on lakes and they are sort of OK but I would not invest a lot in one as they just do not appeal to me, the dinghy is as much of a speed boat as I need. I have not yet seen anyone take their 32' sailboat up to the dinghy dock for supplies, most boaters arrive in their dinghy, ditto for checking out the bay, most boaters drop anchor and use the dinghy for checking out their surroundings. Even when I need to gas up I take the tanks out of the MacGregor and scoot over to the pumps in the dinghy and fill them, then return, it is just more convenient to use the dinghy for errands and saves me manouvering a larger boat at the pumps, jousting with all the other big boats, my dinghy allows me to quickly slip around the other boats and get my gas and get out of the way in much less time with much less fuss. Some anchorages are very crowded and it would be impractical to be cruising among a hundred other boaters all anchored with your big 32' seaworthy sailboat with 4.5' of draft tripping all the other rodes/anchors with your keel. This is when the dinghy is most practical, that is why I have one.
Capt Kermie I guess it's just different cruising styles
I have never repeat never used the dinghy to go get supplies. We usually stock up the boat before heading out and on longer trips stop at a marina to do the laundry ,take showers, eat at a restaurant and if we need more supplies take the marina's courtesy car to the supermarket. Back when we owned the Macgregor it was the old style (1988) We would just take it to the beach or swim to shore. this doesn't work with a 12,400# boat so now we use the dinghy or swim. Most of the sailboats at our present marina do not have dinghys. They just go out for daysails or on longer trips either swim to shore or tie up at a dock. Last summer and fall I used the dinghy several times for fishing but did not mess with a outboard. Rowing is fun!!!! And a lot quieter than an outboard. Maybe if we ever live aboard I will use the dinghy more and I will probably trade in the walker bay 8 for an inflatable.
I have never repeat never used the dinghy to go get supplies. We usually stock up the boat before heading out and on longer trips stop at a marina to do the laundry ,take showers, eat at a restaurant and if we need more supplies take the marina's courtesy car to the supermarket. Back when we owned the Macgregor it was the old style (1988) We would just take it to the beach or swim to shore. this doesn't work with a 12,400# boat so now we use the dinghy or swim. Most of the sailboats at our present marina do not have dinghys. They just go out for daysails or on longer trips either swim to shore or tie up at a dock. Last summer and fall I used the dinghy several times for fishing but did not mess with a outboard. Rowing is fun!!!! And a lot quieter than an outboard. Maybe if we ever live aboard I will use the dinghy more and I will probably trade in the walker bay 8 for an inflatable.
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