dhmeissner
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dink motor - what?
- Thread starter dhmeissner
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
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dhmeissner
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So I'm thinking 2.5hp, the max my dinghy is rated for. I'm really wondering of the Torqeedo live up to it's hype. The Mercury probably can't be beat for it's range, but not sure I want to carry petrol on board.
Pack Mule
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I'm selling my Honda 2.3 hp (I think that's what it is ) . It was just too awkward to operate from the aft seat and we kinda like not having any gas on board . It's just oar power for right now . But these little dinghies row pretty good .
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dhmeissner
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I just finished reading the reviews on the WM website. The little Mercury is definitely out of the running.
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dhmeissner
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I am a gasoline outboard guy.
You can easily carry enough gas for an hour's run at decent power which is more than the Torqueda can do. The Lehr seems like a bit of a gimmick to deal with ethanol in gas. I have pretty well figured out how to deal with that: Run the carburetor dry at the end of the day and if it does gum up, remove the carb and soak in a gallon of carb cleaner.
But it has to at least have a neutral which the Honda 2.3 does not. You have to go up to the 5 to get FNR and that weighs double. So there are no good solutions.
BTW the Lehr site noted in the first post shuts down Internet Explorer on my PC with Windows 8.1
You can easily carry enough gas for an hour's run at decent power which is more than the Torqueda can do. The Lehr seems like a bit of a gimmick to deal with ethanol in gas. I have pretty well figured out how to deal with that: Run the carburetor dry at the end of the day and if it does gum up, remove the carb and soak in a gallon of carb cleaner.
But it has to at least have a neutral which the Honda 2.3 does not. You have to go up to the 5 to get FNR and that weighs double. So there are no good solutions.
BTW the Lehr site noted in the first post shuts down Internet Explorer on my PC with Windows 8.1
Everybody has their own preferences. For us, we'd only have a petrol-powered outboard and the only make we'd get is Yamaha. Not because they're the world's best outboard-- Hondas are just as good-- but over the last 28 years we've had fabulous service from Yamaha outboards, 2-stroke and four-stroke-- and besides, we much prefer their color to Honda's.
Propane has advantages but range isn't one of them, and that happens to be something that's important to us.
Propane has advantages but range isn't one of them, and that happens to be something that's important to us.
Ski in NC
Technical Guru
My vote is to suck it up and get a gasser. Nothing can touch the range and ease of refueling. Gasoline is not that hard to manage on the deck. I keep a good quality can partially full on the deck and try to keep it in the shade. Never had any trouble with it.
caltexflanc
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So you trust your decisions to anonymous people you don't know on a small sample venue? Really?
Got this quote today: " Criticism is difficult to do well.
Recently, we've made it super easy for unpaid, untrained, amateur critics to speak up loudly and often.
Just because you can hear them doesn't mean that they know what they're talking about.
Criticism is easy to do, but rarely worth listening to, mostly because it's so easy to do."
Always bring a big bag of salt to any "crowd sourced", unaccountable information.
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RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
I'm with the gasser crowd and 2 stroke (for 8+ HP) while I'm at it. Just love the smell of 2 stroke oil in the morning. NOT a big deal to properly store gasoline and 2 stroke oil on board. Like everything else, handled and stored properly not really a safety issue any more than having one's main engines run on gasoline. We NEVER have gasoline anywhere inside either the cabins or lockers. Always on the FB or on deck in the open air and as Mr. Ski does or tries, in the shade.
I'm with the gasser crowd and 2 stroke (for 8+ HP) while I'm at it. Just love the smell of 2 stroke oil in the morning. NOT a big deal to properly store gasoline and 2 stroke oil on board. Like everything else, handled and stored properly not really a safety issue any more than having one's main engines run on gasoline. We NEVER have gasoline anywhere inside either the cabins or lockers. Always on the FB or on deck in the open air and as Mr. Ski does or tries, in the shade.
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My Honda 2 HP has a centrifugal clutch. The prop is stopped at idle, then rotates as you give it gas. IMO, better than a neutral lever.
The other feature i like is the flip-over tiller with throttle. Once you get accustomed to it, it's a very simple and comfortable transition from fwd to reverse and back. Just make sure you're sitting on the stbd side. I watched a guy sitting on his port tube struggle with it for a while before I offered a suggestion of changing sides. He was pleased.
My Honda 2 is also air cooled and I agree....it's a bit noisy, even compared to my Merc 2-stroke 15HP. But it's so efficient, it runs for more than an hour on a quart of gasoline. My 2 gallon can gets me 4+ hrs of running time!
I love this little motor. Lightweight, reliable, simple to maintain, efficient and cheap! What more could you ask out of a 2HP motor?
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Northern Spy
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Well caltexflanc would like it to be made by Mercury...
Nomad Willy
Guru
Small air oiled OB engine? I'd rather row.
The only acceptable dink engine IMO is an OMC 3hp twin cylinder OB. Quite old now. Had too many mechanical issues w the little twin (mostly water pump) so I bought a 3.5hp 4 stroke. Too much vibration. Too heavy. And I hate avoiding setting it down wrong so the oil runs out.
Now I suppose I may consider the smallest propane OB.
The only acceptable dink engine IMO is an OMC 3hp twin cylinder OB. Quite old now. Had too many mechanical issues w the little twin (mostly water pump) so I bought a 3.5hp 4 stroke. Too much vibration. Too heavy. And I hate avoiding setting it down wrong so the oil runs out.
Now I suppose I may consider the smallest propane OB.
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First I have to say I'm a Lehr dealer. That said, I bought a Lehr 2.5 a couple of years ago to replace a Suzuki 2hp. I got tired of rebuilding the Carb every time I wanted to use it. I like the 2.5 so much I recently bought a Lehr 15.
I also sometimes use an Electric trolling motor to push my dinghy and a canoe. I use two small batteries. Don't know the size but they are smaller than group 24. When the first battery dies, I hook up the second battery and head for home.
I also sometimes use an Electric trolling motor to push my dinghy and a canoe. I use two small batteries. Don't know the size but they are smaller than group 24. When the first battery dies, I hook up the second battery and head for home.
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For a small dink, I reckon you can't go past the wee Honda 2-2.3hp 4 stroke. No-one has mentioned the best feature of being air cooled is NO NEED TO FLUSH THE THING AFTER USE, and…you can do a quick start while still mounted on the bracket before putting on the dink, so you can know it will go 1st pull. Which function is almost guaranteed anyway, (unless the gas is way too old), because of not having oil in the fuel (Eric), so no plug fouling, and being so light, it's a snip to put on and off, so what's not to like..?
ranger58sb
Guru
Generic thoughts. Choice of dinghy and propulsion is largely dependent on:
- how would you use it (pax, distances, etc.)
- how would you carry (or stow, or tow) it
- how would you handle the weight (of each, dinghy and motor, if separated)
- how would will feed it
- etc.
I'd say each of those propulsion choices has pros/cons, dependent on answers to questions like that.
Sometimes answers to one question will help answer another. For example, 4 pax and long distances suggests a larger/heavier dinghy, which in turn suggests more horsepower. If you can carry the weight, or two the dink, etc.
And so forth.
-Chris
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Marlinmike
Guru
I think on the spec sheet I agree, its just I can hear them coming and going for miles, that noise would drive me crazy, but everyone makes their choice.
) that's one neat way to go!
thomasonw
Veteran Member
We have a 3.3hp 2-stroke (Merc branded). Do not like the mixed oil/gas feel on my hands, but do like the very light 29lbs weight. It works just fine and will tell you is a LOT quieter then the little Honda's! (Really, take a listen some time - not sure what is up, but Honda missed the mark on that one I think)
And do take note that these days most all small outboard motors (15hp and less) are re-branded Tohatsu’s - Honda being the exception. This has been true for some time now.
If I had a proper hard rowing dinghy would go oars in a heartbeat. But these darn RIBs row about as well as a garbage scow IMHO – so small outboard it is. If the Honda’s were less noisy, would look hard at one of them - even if they are 2-3lbs heavier.
And do take note that these days most all small outboard motors (15hp and less) are re-branded Tohatsu’s - Honda being the exception. This has been true for some time now.
If I had a proper hard rowing dinghy would go oars in a heartbeat. But these darn RIBs row about as well as a garbage scow IMHO – so small outboard it is. If the Honda’s were less noisy, would look hard at one of them - even if they are 2-3lbs heavier.
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Nomad Willy
Guru
thomasonw,
Is this a variation of the 4hp single cyl Merc? That would probably be over 40lbs.
Or is it a Tohatsu, Nissan or other brand engine.
In other words who made it?
Is this a variation of the 4hp single cyl Merc? That would probably be over 40lbs.
Or is it a Tohatsu, Nissan or other brand engine.
In other words who made it?
thomasonw
Veteran Member
It is the little brother of the 4hp 2-stroke. Tohatsu 'made' it, it is branded Mercery. The SAME engine was sold under the Nissan brand, as well as Johnson and others. Stickers (and at times the plastic cowling) is what differs.
It was also available as a 2.5hp version as well, with the HP difference being a metal stop that prevented the throttle being opened all the way. (I suspect there is a like relationship between the old 2-stroke 4hp and 5hp models as well - but have not confirmed it)
The little lightweight engine I am talking about is 13Kg (or 28.6lbs) - no longer sold new in the USA:
Mercury | All Models 3.3hp
Here is the spec for the 4hp 2-stroke (20Kg, 44lbs) one:
http://www.mercury-marine.eu/mercury/en/Products/Products.aspx?Model=TwoStroke 4
-al-
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