Suzuki 2.5 on 8- Foot Trinka

[Skipper J]

Hi,

After much consideration I'm about to pull the trigger on purchasing a Suzuki 2.5 HP engine for my 8-foot Trinka and my 10-foot jon boat. The rating plate on the Trinka says 2 hp max. Motor lists at 31 lbs. Transom has stainless collar on top. Anyone have any issues with this motor damaging the transom on a Trinka?

Thanks

 

[dlochner]

Looks close enough to me.

 

[dLj]

I put that same motor on my 8 foot Trinka. You may want an extension so you can sit on the middle seat. the boat handles it no problem.

dj

 

[Skipper J]

Thank you, good to know! It will be fun to scoot around the lake with it.

 

[Justin_NSA]

What happens to the motor if the boat flips?

 

[BarryL]

Hello,

I have a 2.5hp suzuki on my walker bay 10 dinghy. The motor has been very reliable and easy to use. It pushed my dink at 5 kts w 2 adults and some gear aboard. It's light, sips gas, and I'm happy with it. I would recommend it.

Barry

 

[dLj]

What happens to the motor if the boat flips?

@Justin_NSA The same thing that happens with any other dinghy if it flips. The motor gets wet. What else would happen? Maybe I'm not understanding your question...

dj

 

[Timm R Oday25]

We use a 2.5 Yamaha on a 9 foot Watertender . We get about 5 knots at full throttle with two adults and a small dog .
When I am solo I use a 2 foot piece of inch and a half pvc that is sldi over the throttle so I can sit in the middle of the boat .
It's actually kind of fun to just bomb around the marina .Sips gas and is pretty quiet .

 

[Skipper J]

Thanks for all the comments. They are all relevant. That Yamaha looks more robust, but with the extra few pounds I'd be more likely to see it sideways on the bottom of the lake after a failed sailboat - dinghy /sailboat transfer. I would worry about flipping with either - gotta watch the conditions.

Online Outboards has it for $740 which seems fair, but I wonder if they are known for even better Black Friday deals.

 

[Blitz]

Do you really need a long shaft outboard for the Trinka? wouldn't it be too long for the Jon boat?

 

[Timm R Oday25]

Blitz . The extension goes on the throttle . This allows you to sit further forward on the boat .

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

I had a Suzuki DF2.5 motor and hated it because it would often recoil hard on the starter cord and the kickback hurt my hand. I sold it after 3 years. Bought a Torqeedo instead. SO much better! If looking now I would also evaluate the EPropulsion unit.

Edit - The Honda is also an option, but it's loud and I don't like the 360 steering or centrifugal clutch. The Tohatsu (and OEMs) and the Yamaha are much heavier. The electric motor is truly a dream to use and the range is surprisingly good (if you don't try to go faster than "hull speed") but the range drops dramatically if you throttle up to max speed.

 

[Skipper J]

Well I took the plunge and ordered a Suzuki last night. Good to know about that recoil - I'll watch out for that. Epropulsion is probably in my future but I'm in the 'cross your fingers and hope the prices come down' camp now.

I took the Trinka out on a lake today. Did a 'throw and go,' where I accept that if the PFD, water, coffee, snack and oars make it in the boat, it's okay to get rolling. What a good decision! There were small issues - someone had evidently shrunk my PFD, and I had to paddle instead of row because I'd removed the oarlocks for polishing, but I soon got the hang of paddling in a light wind with a lashed tiller.

Bobbed about in the sunshine in front of a big house onshore and drank Thermos coffee from the plastic cap, and ate a red apple and a cold, tough mini bagel. Listened to the squirrels chatter in the branches and dash madly through the dry leaves for squirrel reasons. Watched the expensive fishing boats zipping by in the distance. Felt the sun on my face. Watched the reflections of the fall leaves in the water. Heard a fish jump up and crash down. Paddled away when I felt like it. Felt richer than the person in the big house.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

someone had evidently shrunk my PFD

Maybe it’s not that the PFD got smaller.

 

[Skipper J]

Lol. Red-faced two-handed yanks on the side straps solved the problem.

 

[Blitz]

Blitz . The extension goes on the throttle . This allows you to sit further forward on the boat .

I understand about moving forward with the extension on the handle, but I was noting that the Suzuki was considered a long shaft outboard (20") versus the Honda (15").

 

[dLj]

I understand about moving forward with the extension on the handle, but I was noting that the Suzuki was considered a long shaft outboard (20") versus the Honda (15").

When I bought the Suzuki, it had a long shaft option - I got the standard length. I don't remember the specific dimensions. But that said, the standard Suzuki worked fine on the Trinka 8. I'd go measure it but I sold it on another boat I was selling and it's long gone ...

I never had the recoil problems with mine when I ran it, but I'm sure some engines do. I rather liked that engine. I didn't own it enough years to get a longevity idea, but it ran very well for the time I did own it.

dj