Any one know what size motor you REAllY nead for a dinghy?

[Matt19020]

Matt I wish you were closer to me YOU.... NEED A BIGGER MOTOR and I would swap you my 6 hp off my bigger older heavier dink... it all depends on what you really want it to do.. I used mine to get from the boat on the hook ... to shore ...to the pier... TO THE BAR!!!
Wish you were closer...

Divecoz- We seem to want to use the dinghy for the same purposes! If I get stuck and have no options maybe we can fedex it...they ship up to 75lbs!

Ray - The dinghys capacity plate is rated at 9hp

I think what I am going to do is hold the 3hp for small trips and see if I can find a used 8-9hp over the winter for the "fun" runs and just drop it on as needed

I know this would look stupid but what about running twin 3hp motors...theoreticlly would it work?

HELP!! DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW MANY POUNDS OF AIR TO PUT IN A PVC DINGHY? I just picked up a foot pump with guage...Is 3psi (0.2bar) too much?

[mastreb]

Running two 3hp throttle tiller outboard motors would be difficult to control and possibly a little dangerous. Consider that any difference in fuel flow at all will cause steering on the dinghy with both rudders straight. So you'd have to be certain that your throttle rate on both engines matched pretty exactly or you'd have to counter this effect. Second, you have to steer both motors, and so they should be linked or else you're going to torque the stern motor mount any time they aren't angled the same way.

Now, if you had counter-rotating motors that were bolted on straight with the widest possible distance between them, with no tiller and had throttle remotes led to each side of the dinghy, you could use the throttles to perform steering and you'd have a really fun ride! You'd be able to do things like rotate in place, etc. Of course, you could also dunk yourself by reversing one motor at speed.

[Matt19020]

Well I was able to pick up a Mercury 7.5 hp 2 stroke for $450. on craigs list. It runs and has good compression so I feel good about it and parts are still available. Cosmeticly it can use some clean up but under the cowl it was pretty clean.
I will use the 3hp when we bring the dinghy with us and need to lift the motor on and off and drop the 7.5 on when we what to buzz off for longer runs from home port.
The 7.5 is a lot heavier about 55lb compared to the 22lb for the 3hp...thanks all for the input

QUESTION* DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW MANY POUNDS OF AIR TO PUT IN A PVC DINGHY? I just picked up a foot pump with guage...Is 3psi (0.2bar) too much?

[NiceAft]

Matt,

I don't think I would risk more than 2 PSI without feeling the stiffness of the chamber you are filling. Remember, in the sun, the chamber air will heat up and expand. It is cheep to produce (thus many PVC products), but difficult to repair a blown seam. Not many people have professional quality thermosealing machines.


Ray

P.S. I am now finished for the season. After two weeks in the amazing waters of Lake George, I can't get myself to put Nice Aft back in the Delaware.

[Matt19020]

Sorry to hear you are done..I missed this whole month we were in Ocean City with family..I inflated to 3psi to see if it would hold the pressure (it did now for two weeks) and based on what I was able to find out online thats recomended but I may drop down to 2.5lbs ...If you get the urge to head back out call me and we will take mine! Is a 3 gallon tank enough for running around on the dinghy?

[NiceAft]

That's plenty. I think I have a 2.5 gallon for my 6hp four stroke.

[restless]

Late in the post, however some thoughts.
We got ourselves a new tender that could double as a dive boat and explorer. We went for an inflatable vee air deck, and so far are very happy with it.
Our first motor was 4hp. Gets on the plane with just me aboard, otherwise struggles when loaded. So now we run it on the 8hp 2stroke. It is horribly heavy and I'm not looking forward to moving it around, however I can use my displaced backstay arrangement as an almost perfect hoist for moving it from the stowed - dinghy - auxilliary position. (see other post 26xc)
We took it out and we were zipping along at I reckon 15kts with the 2 of us and snorkeling gear + more gear. The sea was not smooth, and returned through quite a boisterous race coming back into harbour. We were not even splashed!



the flubber is a wetline 2.65, massive tubes. Will take alot of space on board... Just fits perfectly on the front under the lifelines (modded - raised) Will only take it when out doing extended cruising

[Fxwg80hd]

Like the dingy, but it has some interesting prop decoration. Guess that it why it is being rowed.

[NiceAft]

Restless,

Mentioned about the weight of the motor, and for those who may be thinking of getting a tender, that is an important point to take into consideration when thinking about what do you want to power your tender.

When we purchased our Achilless inflatable, I was going to get the motor which it is rated for, an 8 hp. The dealer told me not too. It would be too heavy to lift and control when attaching it to the inflatable. He recommended the 6hp. Both motors are Mecury four strokes, but the six only weighs forty pounds. I can handle that just fine. I don't want to think about how difficult the eight would be. When you are attaching the motor to the dinghy, and you are on anything but stable, dry land, you then understand why the weight of the motor makes a difference KERPLUNK, splash

Ray

[Catigale]

Has anyone on this Board ever dropped their kicker overboard or is this just a myth??

[NiceAft]

Not me, and I hope no one else either.

Ray

[Highlander]

Has anyone on this Board ever dropped their kicker overboard or is this just a myth??

Yep I do recall doing that more than once they were kicking & holwering all the way over & down the side but the wet t-shirt effect apon them returning to the boat made it worth the effort funny thing is they always keep coming back !

J