Dinghy Outboard - Recommendations? - Page 2

remetau · #11 04-20-2010

I have a 310 with a folding transom that I store on the foredeck below our staysail boom. Once deflated and the transom folded down, it fits quite snug, and then I have space to even stow stuff underneath it.

As for the other question, I don't know about using a halyard to get it on to a stern rail. I have a solar stik that we modified to have a dinghy engine lift. I then use a 2:1 block to reduce the weight of hauling my 9.9 long shaft up (don't be jealous of my long shaft, just admire it - ;-))

Gene T · #12 04-20-2010

You could get a motor lift from Garhauer.

Towing doesn't really create much drag if you have enough speed to get it plane. Less than 1/2 knot.

Gene

sailingfool · #13 04-20-2010

For lifting the OB, something like this works. You can leave it permanently on the engine.
DAVIS INSTRUMENTS | MOTOR CADDY Outboard HOIST HARNESS | 430 from the ShipStore.com ™ on-line catalog.

Tie the inflatable to the aft quarter of your boat, attach the main halyard to the strap, then guide the engine on a stern rail mount as one of the kids hauls on the halyard.

CaptKermie · #14 04-20-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSMacG

Thanks all! The RIB was my first choice as well, but with my club foot boom and deck configuration, it was going to be simply impossible to store on deck, and even though I expect to tow much of the time, being FORCED to tow was a deal breaker (another thread, perhaps, but if my dinghy is "plan B", isn't having it inflated and towed better anyway...?).

Most of my cruising will be off the shores of British Columbia, so shells and rock are a bigger concern than coral (sniff), but it'll still just require me to be willing to get wet going ashore, be extra-cautious, and bring plenty of patch kits. It's not perfect, but limitations are limitations...

I'm in Canada, so I can still get the 2 stroke. Based on the recommendations above, I'm leaning towards the 6hp Yamaha 2-stroke (YAMAHA MOTOR CANADA | 6 HP. It's heavier than I'd like at 60 lb, but if someone can point me to a thread as to how to lift it on to the stern pulpit using a halyard (I warned you I was new...) I'd be grateful (pics anywhere)?

And now I'm thinking more seriously about the 310 - only slightly larger when deflated and stowed... should I be concerned about drag when towing a dinghy this size?

I knew I came to the right place...

Being FORCED to tow is a deal breaker is it? Well it is you who will point a gun to your own head and FORCE yourself to tow. Deflating and inflating and hoisting a 60 lbls engine up & down is going to get old really fast. You will give up on that idea after the first few times.
Stay away from PVC inflatables I have one and it is already starting to deteriorate, get hypalon. If you don't want a rib and decide on a soft bottom, get one with a high pressure air floor and inflatable keel. The inflatable keel helps the dinghy track better under tow and more easily too.
I sail BC waters too, out of Point Roberts with the rest of the Canadians there. It can and does get rough out there and rip tides are a regular occurance so 6 hp is your minimum, I wish I had 9.9 hp instead of 5 hp but it was a deal I could not refuse.
If you are hell bent on carrying the dink and engine on board then stay away from big dinks and heavy engines and settle for a small inflatable and a light 2 hp engine that you can lift with one arm and use it only for dinghy dock service.
If you like the idea of a dinghy for double service as another play boat with a stronger engine then suck it up and get used to FORCED towing or have one heck of a good set of dinghy davits and hoist. Your most economical bet is to accept the idea of forced towing and then get out there and enjoy yourself. Above all else, don't be getting any stupid ideas that you will be swinging a 60 lbs engine over your shoulders, it isn't going to happen, those suckers are heavy and unweildy, you'll see. Oh, and one more thing, those infaltables are not feather weights either, wait untill you try to manuever one those things around, even deflated it will be like lifting the heaviest hockey bag you ever got your hands on.
The best part is your sailing venue, we have one of the worlds premiere sailing destinations, you're going to love what we have in our back yard.Too bad about the weather conditions though. happy sailing!

RSMacG · #15 04-20-2010

Thanks ... by "forced" I mean not that towing will be my usual MO, but simply that I won't ever have another choice. I fully expect to tow as a rule, but not even having an option to bring the tender on deck or stow wasn't attractive. Unfortunately, davits aren't in the cards - my boat has a canoe stern and the yard said, while it's possible, it would be a bigger project that I'm willing to take on (or afford).

I'll re-measure the deck this weekend and see if I can't shoehorn a RIB under the boom, though.

Appreciate all the responses. Cheers.

remetau · #16 04-20-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSMacG

Thanks ... by "forced" I mean not that towing will be my usual MO, but simply that I won't ever have another choice. I fully expect to tow as a rule, but not even having an option to bring the tender on deck or stow wasn't attractive. Unfortunately, davits aren't in the cards - my boat has a canoe stern and the yard said, while it's possible, it would be a bigger project that I'm willing to take on (or afford).

I'll re-measure the deck this weekend and see if I can't shoehorn a RIB under the boom, though.

Appreciate all the responses. Cheers.

We have a canoe stern and moutned davits on our boat quite simply.

Dinky Duck

We do have a push-pit and stern rail though. I would not do a crossing with the dinghy on the davits, but I wouldn't do one towing it either unless it was decent weather and a short run.

RSMacG · #17 04-20-2010

Thanks, remetau. Your boat is fantastic... actually a pretty similar design to ours, it appears. Back to the yard... hi ho, hi ho...

KindOfBlue · #18 04-20-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSMacG

Thanks ... by "forced" I mean not that towing will be my usual MO, but simply that I won't ever have another choice. I fully expect to tow as a rule, but not even having an option to bring the tender on deck or stow wasn't attractive. Unfortunately, davits aren't in the cards - my boat has a canoe stern and the yard said, while it's possible, it would be a bigger project that I'm willing to take on (or afford).

I'll re-measure the deck this weekend and see if I can't shoehorn a RIB under the boom, though.

Appreciate all the responses. Cheers.

If you fully expect to tow as a rule, then buy a rib. When you need to haul on deck, buy or borrow a different dinghy for that trip. First check the ribs with the folding transom. If that fits on your deck then you found your dinghy.

TQA · #19 04-20-2010

An 8 hp is the minimum that will plane two people. Get the Tohatsu 2st or the Yam. Both are bulletproof.

A RIB is the way to go IMHO. See is you can get the baby Caribe on your foredeck but remember that the big tube dinks are MUCH dryer.

I used to have a soft bottom dink with an inflateable central spine/keel and a 8 hp Yam it did the job. I now have a C9 Caribe and a 15 hp and it is much better all round.

Bene505 · #20 04-20-2010

We explored Martha's Vinyard last summer - 2 adults + more than 3 kids + cooler + 2 beach chairs. As a family, we all piled forward to help get the dinghy up on plane. Then we went to a beach 3 miles from our mooring. It was a blast. 11.5' Achilles with a 20 hp Tohatsu. $5,500 from defender last year.

On the return trip, I put the engine up on the push pit outboard-holder. At 117 lbs, it was tough, but I used one of our davits to get the outboard onto the sugar scoop step of our Beneteau. From there it was a lift of a few inches. It was heavy but possible. How many long trips do you really take? Also we tow the kids behind it on various things like surfboards. That is a blast. We've gotten a lot of enjoyment out of those 20 horses. By the way, the Tohatsu 15 weighs the same as the Tohatsu 20. It's just a different carburator (and $300 more).

One factor I considered in getting a RIB was that a leaky tube would not mean the dink bending in half. This I learned after borrowing a friends leaky RIB - it worked fine.

If getting a RIB, get a single floor model. The level floor that you get with a dual floor isn't worth the extra weight, IMHO. I plan on adding traction stickers (or paint if stickers won't work) to areas near the back where I'm frequently stepping in after pushing off from the shore.

In NY, if you buy the dinghy and the motor together on the same receipt, you don't have to pay sales tax on the dinghy, just the motor. (I may have that backwards.) Defender will refund you the tax that you paid after you register in NY.

Not sure there's a good place for our dink on deck. I'm thinking about strapping it to one side for any long trip in the ocean. Not sure how well that will work yet.

What ever you choose, good luck.

Regards,
Brad