I we're picking up an entry level inflatable (aluminum floor, inflatable keel) and now we need a motor. Don't want to lift the 9.9 on and off the Mac. What size outboard would be suitable? It's a 10', 4 passenger boat.
What HP? Inflatable tender
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I'm in the small motor camp because they are light and easy to man handle.
In the end the answer to your question depends on how you want to use the dinghy. If Lightning fast runs to town are on your wish list, then go for the bigger motor else stay small and light. Depending on the prop, the motor on your Mac may not be suitable anyway.
I am usually quite happy with our 3.3 hp motor but on occasion, I will borrow a friends dinghy with a 9.9 if I need to get somewhere fast.
Cheers
Matt
In the end the answer to your question depends on how you want to use the dinghy. If Lightning fast runs to town are on your wish list, then go for the bigger motor else stay small and light. Depending on the prop, the motor on your Mac may not be suitable anyway.
I am usually quite happy with our 3.3 hp motor but on occasion, I will borrow a friends dinghy with a 9.9 if I need to get somewhere fast.
Cheers
Matt
I push a Zodiac 285 RIB with a Tohatsu 3.5HP. 42 pounds weight. Enough for me and the Admiral and load of groceries. We get around just fine with it. What jibes138 says is true. More Horse Power more weight. The Tohatsu 9.8hp weighs 82 pounds. A lot to lift by hand bouncing up and down while on the hook. However, there are ways around that. Motor lifts, use of Main Boom, etc.
Myself, I have interest in the Lehr 5hp propane 48 pounds. No gumed up carb, no gasoline on the boat and more than enough HP.
Myself, I have interest in the Lehr 5hp propane 48 pounds. No gumed up carb, no gasoline on the boat and more than enough HP.
It all depends on the use you have intended for the dink. I use a 2 stroke 3.3HP Mercury (Tohatsu) which with a built in fuel tank tips the scale at 22lbs and easily handled with just one arm. It does not get me on plane but I just want to use the dink as a tender to transport persons and provisions to shore and to the boat. Had a 4 stroke 5HP outboard but was too heavy. By the way that one did not get the boat on plane either and had 3 1/2 gallon external tank sitting inside. I think it was not properly propped for the dink
I like the notion of an integrated fuel tank - I've already gathered electric has a few too many other limitations. We're not in a hurry to get anywhere. The only thing I think that might really impact thoughts though is the urge to take the kids and the dog to play on the river here so I'd have to be able to counter the current. I can do that in a kayak, paddling upstream but not in a canoe paddling solo - but I can't really solo paddle a canoe that well on flat water either ; )
As for using it for the ship-to-shore duties - truth be told, the lakes we're on don't even really need a dinghy but I guess there's possibility of borrowing someone's mooring ball at times next summer. This addition to the sail locker is for the return of the boat to the coast in future summers where we'll more likely need it.
As for using it for the ship-to-shore duties - truth be told, the lakes we're on don't even really need a dinghy but I guess there's possibility of borrowing someone's mooring ball at times next summer. This addition to the sail locker is for the return of the boat to the coast in future summers where we'll more likely need it.
Small 2 strokes are no longer sold new in the USA any more, due to EPA regs. But since you live in Canada that's not an issue. Four Strokes are heavy. My 5HP Honda weighs in at 62 pounds, kind of difficult for me to handle by myself at age 66, either on my sailboat on on my Walker Bay 10 RID.
Do you really need to get up on a plane, or just get somewhere, like out to a mooring?
What are you using the dinghy for?
Do you really need to get up on a plane, or just get somewhere, like out to a mooring?
What are you using the dinghy for?
It's purchased to be a ship to shore boat for the coastal and perhaps mountain lake trips but the reality is that we have a fun, underused river that runs through the city and I'm real close to one of the public launch areas so I suspect it'll be dunked in the river from time to time to run up stream and float back down. I'll just have to mind the water level...it's quite low this year.
I popped by a marine repair/sales kinda shop this afternoon and got set up with a really great price on a 7.5hp 2 stroke Mercury. Older model but not too out of date. And it runs great and had full warranty. Seems like a good little operation - Im certain I'll do more business with him in the future. We'll see how it all shakes down next time I can find myself by the water. Certainly larger than we need but the weight isn't bad and he's sure it'll get us upstream handily. Might as well have a multipurpose unit I guess.
I popped by a marine repair/sales kinda shop this afternoon and got set up with a really great price on a 7.5hp 2 stroke Mercury. Older model but not too out of date. And it runs great and had full warranty. Seems like a good little operation - Im certain I'll do more business with him in the future. We'll see how it all shakes down next time I can find myself by the water. Certainly larger than we need but the weight isn't bad and he's sure it'll get us upstream handily. Might as well have a multipurpose unit I guess.
I'd go with a large trolling motor. Less cost and easier to handle. "Starts" every time. Makes for easier docking as well. I just bought a 86 lbs thrust on Ebay and use it on my RL24. So much more practical than a gasser. You can set yourself up for less than 400 bucks. Less yet, if you go with a 55lbs thrust. It will also "ghost" along much more peacefully.
This is an age old question; argued many times and primarily concerning weight, power and usage.
I have used rubber boats more than 40 years. Mostly for diving and running up on step as well as a tender. I would still prefer to use a 12 ft. with at least an old 2cycle 15 hp omc….. This is why I still own a 12.4 ft. with 15hp + 25hp, 10.2 with 9.9hp and also a smaller roll up type with a 6hp and sometimes use 3.5hp … it’s all about weight and how you can handle the weight without hurting yourself or your back…… You can’t beat the 12ft boat for exploring off shore islands, the 10ft. with 9.9 is great for two adults doing that as well….. But in the end I mostly sail a 28 ft. boat and the rollup smaller tender is the easiest to stow aboard when it gets rough off shore…. We all compromise our wants and needs in the end. Your boat your compromise….
Fair winds,
brian
I have used rubber boats more than 40 years. Mostly for diving and running up on step as well as a tender. I would still prefer to use a 12 ft. with at least an old 2cycle 15 hp omc….. This is why I still own a 12.4 ft. with 15hp + 25hp, 10.2 with 9.9hp and also a smaller roll up type with a 6hp and sometimes use 3.5hp … it’s all about weight and how you can handle the weight without hurting yourself or your back…… You can’t beat the 12ft boat for exploring off shore islands, the 10ft. with 9.9 is great for two adults doing that as well….. But in the end I mostly sail a 28 ft. boat and the rollup smaller tender is the easiest to stow aboard when it gets rough off shore…. We all compromise our wants and needs in the end. Your boat your compromise….
Fair winds,
brian
I have a 10 foot Walker bay with a inflatable rim around all but the stern.
I use a 55 pound thrust Newport($199) saltwater model, with one 12 volt 33 ah marine battery(which weighs about 25 lbs).
Getting to and from the sailboat 200 yards out from the dock it does nicely, and it always works. Total cost for the battery and the trolling motor is $276 US$.
And also I put it on my sailboat to feather into the mooring or into the dock, or out of the water and on to the trailer. No speed movements.... but works nicely for its purpose, and the price compared to a gas motor is great. I have lots of sailboat expenses and saving 1400 bucks for other things is great.
I use a 55 pound thrust Newport($199) saltwater model, with one 12 volt 33 ah marine battery(which weighs about 25 lbs).
Getting to and from the sailboat 200 yards out from the dock it does nicely, and it always works. Total cost for the battery and the trolling motor is $276 US$.
And also I put it on my sailboat to feather into the mooring or into the dock, or out of the water and on to the trailer. No speed movements.... but works nicely for its purpose, and the price compared to a gas motor is great. I have lots of sailboat expenses and saving 1400 bucks for other things is great.
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If I had to put money on it I'd say it's somewhere around the 40lb mark. Definitely not 50. (Compared it against a 40lb case of apples.) Good to hear about the electric options. I could see us giving that a go once we get our solar system expanded on the boat maybe. The primary determinant on biting on the 7.5 was the warranty the guy offered and the fact that I'll have an ancillary use on our river through the city and I'd like to be able to head upstream.
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Where we live (Puget Sound) the majority of dinks fall into 2 categories: 2 hp or 20. Most folks use the Honda 2 or 2.3. I have a 2 that I used for the dink on our Mac 26D and so I mounted a spare motor mount on it to carry the motor. In event of a motor failure the 2 hp would push out boat at 4 plus mph. Plenty to get her home as well as working great for the dink. It weighs 27 pounds and so can easily be lifted with one hand. No external tank. No mixing of fuels (4 stroke.) It powers the dink just fine for our purposes.
Ken
Ken
I bought a 9.8 tohatsu for my avon air a couple years ago. It was said to weigh under 80 pounds and i thought. Well i can muscle that ok. But i can't and it needs 2 to put it on and off the rail mount. I leave it on the dingy on the davits now when sailing but wish i had gone with a lighter motor. Just sayin..
If getting to or from the boat, and speed is not critical, why not just row your tender. Work off the extra beer from the night before. No DUI issues. No special license classes or permit fees for the "power craft".
Seems an easy fix. And you can buy more sailing fluid with the money you save. Win-Win-Win.
Seems an easy fix. And you can buy more sailing fluid with the money you save. Win-Win-Win.
Yes... I have a 60 pound Honda 5 HP. I thought it could be muscled, and maybe when I was 25 it could have been. But at 66, it cannot be, and recently I had to move the motor mount down on the WWP19. It took two of us: one to life the motor up, one to slide the mount down.
2 strokes are nice, but unless they are electronic fuel and oil injection, you can no longer buy them in the USA---so all the small ones are out. Not a big deal if you can drive to Canada.
I also have a Torqeedo 1003L. I've not used it yet on the boat since I don't have an auxiliary motor mount yet. But I could, with two people remove the Honda if it died, and put on the Torqeedo. One battery give 3 knots for 2.5-3 hours on my boat. 30 minutes at 5 knots; two batteries double that. I suspect that when I change my main mooring next summer to a more sheltered part of the bay, I will not be using the Honda at all. Torqeedo only weighs in a 30 pounds; even I can manhandle that.