Dinghy Engine - How Big?

[Nomad Willy]

Canoe was what I was thinking about. 19' square stern; moves out right smartly with the 5-hp 2-stroke. Quieter would be better. I kinda wonder if an electric trolling motor with some kind of solar charger would work over long-ish distances... but paddling, mostly, with the motor being more like an auxiliary... or an "I'm tired, but we gotta keep moving for a while."

-Chris

I thought of using my power freight canoe as a dinghy. She's 18' X 40" wide and 17" deep. Here it's shown w 3hp and 8hp. Work's well w either. With the 8hp one can chose quiet and fairly slow (8 knots ?) or much faster w wind in face. Three hp goes much much faster than a rubber duckie w 5hp.
It would be a bit of windage on the cabin top though.

 

[ranger58sb]

I thought of using my power freight canoe as a dinghy. She's 18' X 40" wide and 17" deep. Here it's shown w 3hp and 8hp. Work's well w either. With the 8hp one can chose quiet and fairly slow (8 knots ?) or much faster w wind in face. Three hp goes much much faster than a rubber duckie w 5hp.
It would be a bit of windage on the cabin top though.

Yeah, I've never figured out a way to carry our 19' 116-lb canoe onboard. I'm guessing yours is heavier? Ours isn't rated for anything more than 5-hp... and quick turns at full power can be a bit exciting

-Chris

 

[Nomad Willy]

Rated for 4hp? Mine is too (or thereabouts) but I heard through the dealer that some fool in Alaska was using a much bigger engine on his (not me at the time). After the 3 1/2hp I went to a 6hp Johnson and at reasonable speeds it was so pleasant (very quiet at half throttle) we used it instead. But it was a old engine (ran great though) and we thought it was a good idea to have a newer engine as we liked to venture into the wilderness. Bought an 8hp Yamadog. Same weight as the old 6. Same speed I think too.

I've been known to do "canogies" (tight figure 8 turns) at speed w the yellow ganoe. Yes .. must hold that tiller arm tight and move smooth and slow. Great fun though if ya like to show off and the mood strikes me every several years.

We went 2/3 of the way down Chilco Lake in interior BC w that canoe. Woulda gone all the way but a big wind blew up from the so end (you could see the white from the waves) and produced 3' seas. We just came all the way back. Too many BIG bears there to camp away from the camp ground.

The man I bought my Willard from is a professional photographer and has many pics of the bears. See his website .. Randy Kerr.

 

[BruceK]

Does anyone give their dinghy/tender a name by the way. My previous boat was named Amadeus and I couldn't resist calling the dinghy 'Wolfgang'

A friend`s sailboat called Xanthippe had a tender called Socrates.
Uh oh, the dinghy is adrift...

 

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by HopCar
Mark, Do you even have an engine for your pretty little Trinka?

"Nope (and no registration and no unsightly numbers), and the Coot has only one engine and no genset either. Life is complicated enough."

Mark if you ever feel the need for an engine try an electric trolling motor and battery. That somehow seems more in keeping with the character of a Trinka than an internal combustion motor.

 

[janice142]

Mark if you ever feel the need for an engine try an electric trolling motor and battery. That somehow seems more in keeping with the character of a Trinka than an internal combustion motor.

Side Note re Trolling Motors: Even though electric, I have to have numbers on Algae because of the trolling motor. At least in both Georgia and Florida.

 

[Boydski]

One of my favorite people was the Captain of a boat named Whistling Swan. The dinghy's name was Cygnet.

Sea Eagle came with two tenders, the larger 12' 40 HP tender (photo below) is named Eaglet and the small 8' 10 HP dingy is named Baldie.

The larger tender is used the most, but the small one is a lot easier to drag up and down the beach during large tidal exchanges.