Plan B for a dinghy motor failure?

Had a problem with my dinghy motor about 20' from the dock when returning from an extensive run at Isle Royale a week ago. No problem, rowed to the dock. Contacted the manufacturer and received a replacement carburetor under warranty. Installed it today; ran great for 50 minutes and then died.

Not going to disclose the manufacturer as it's not relative to the thread. What I do regarding the current motor (repair or replace ), also isn't relative to the purpose of the thread.

Rowed and let the wind push my RIB back to the mother ship. An hour to go maybe a half a mile. I think I could row a cast iron bathtub faster.

I use my dinghy to go exploring off the beaten path. Getting towed back or having cell service may not be an option (wouldn't have been available at Isle Royale). So as I was struggling to get back, my mind is going, "The first one was easy. This second one is your wakeup call. Hey stupid, what's plan B when you're 5 miles away? "

So I'm open to suggestions.

Ted

I would suspect bad fuel.

WesK said:

I would suspect bad fuel.

Click to expand...

And you would be wrong.

That's why it's not about why it failed, but what is plan B for a dead dinghy motor. Some failures aren't preventable.

Ted

A small kicker off to one side on the transom or laid down on the sole? Takes up crucial space, but even a back up electric trolling motor would be better than having to row a rubber ducky. Been there, done that several times and in any sort of breeze ...!

Yep Ted....scares me too in temote places.

Majorie often asks and most of the time I have had wind and tide with me back to the boat if something went wrong and that calms her.

Other than rowing, there is no good plan B when all alone. The hassel of a trolling motor is about the only option and a crappy one at that if you have many miles to go.

Its like spraining an ankle on a wilderness hike. Row till you drop.

psneeld said:

Row till you drop.

Click to expand...

If that's the answer, then I'm getting something rowable. Mine isn't for any meaningful distance.

Ted

I rowed my duckie once.

Now it's a lifeboat.

If you have great expectations from your duckie you may be disapointed.

dwhatty said:

A small kicker off to one side on the transom or laid down on the sole? Takes up crucial space, but even a back up electric trolling motor would be better than having to row a rubber ducky. Been there, done that several times and in any sort of breeze ...!

Click to expand...

A rubber ducky with a wing engine.

Ted

Dump the one you have and/or get a back up. After 2 failures my confidence would be shot. Our dinghy is our car/truck. When we're cruising, I want dependable transportation.

I lay on the bow and pull with one paddle. I can go faster that way than rowing with the POS oarlocks.

I am not sure there is a good "plan B". If you want to use a dinghy to explore further afield, then you are risking the situation where you could get stuck. There are other options of course, but they won't necessarily give you the same features of a RIB with a moderately sized outboard.

A RIB with a 20-40 hp engine gives you capacity, stability, range, convenience, and speed. There are options which would give you better options if you have an engine failure, but none of them that I can think of will have that same combination of capacity, stability, range, convenience, and speed.

Options:
- A good rowing dinghy. If the engine quits, you can row home more easily than in a RIB. This will give you range and convenience, but you will sacrifice the stability of a RIB and likely speed and capacity.

- You could opt for an electric outboard such as a Torqeedo. This would be much more reliable but you would sacrifice range and speed.

- Carry a spare kicker in the boat. This works but you sacrifice convenience and some capacity since space in the dinghy would be taken up by the kicker.

There was an Active Captain article about this around the start of this year. Not so much on how to get it started again, but what you needed to have on board a dinghy until you could get help - which could be some time in remote places.

Do you carry a hand held?

As was mentioned earlier, how about something like this stowed in a bag until needed. It weighs 30#.

https://marine.honda.com/outboards/motor-detail/BF2.3

menzies said:

Do you carry a hand held?

Click to expand...

I go places where the hand help won't reach anyone or I don't have cell phone service. Always travel with a PLB or an EPIRB, so ultimate rescue isn't the issue. Let's call them plan C. Still trying to figure out a self rescue plan B.

Ted

O C Diver said:

I go places where the hand help won't reach anyone or I don't have cell phone service. Always travel with a PLB or an EPIRB, so ultimate rescue isn't the issue. Let's call them plan C. Still trying to figure out a self rescue plan B.

Ted

Click to expand...

The article was based on needing to overnight until another boat or dinghy passed by, maybe two overnights. And what you need to have in the dinghy bag when exploring remote places.

Worth a read.

LarryM said:

As was mentioned earlier, how about something like this stowed in a bag until

Click to expand...

That's an option. Decades ago I ran a 4 pack charter boat with a single outboard and a "come home kicker". Ran the kicker every trip the last 100 yards down the no wake zone harbor. Only way you're sure it works is to run it regularly. Used it twice, blown lower unit and dead power pack (spark generator).

Ted

menzies said:

The article was based on needing to overnight until another boat or dinghy passed by, maybe two overnights. And what you need to have in the dinghy bag when exploring remote places.

Worth a read.

Click to expand...

Certainly worth adding, but still want plan B.

Ted

O C Diver said:

Certainly worth adding, but still want plan B.

Ted

Click to expand...

Plan B?

Get out and feckin' swim!

Know what you mean....

Even dingies drive us crazy with compromises like the big boats.

I guess a stidy of electric trolling motor and battery capacity might tell if feasible and for how long/far...thete are the kind that bolt onto the transom or outboard so they are less in the way.

I went with twins! The first one is 12 years old and started to act up. So I bought an identical for spare part inventory etc. Now the old one runs great. I also use the new one as a kicker on my larger aluminum skiff.

Although in all the jungle river and outer reef exploration, if I had a failure, I don't think it would have been too long for rescue. Maybe would have had to leave boat for later, and get a dug out canoe ride back!

If you get a tiny outboard to store in a bag, remember the gasoline will go bad. Propane doesn't go bad and they make some nice little propane powered outboards now. LUHR is the brand IIRC. You just screw one of those green camping propnae bottles into it. I'm thinking of the tiny 2hp model for plan B, not the high hp units.

I am going to start playing with an old windsurfer sail and mast on our tinny soon and steering it like a windsurfer or using an oar as a sweep.

Not expecting good results but it may be fun and it may be better than rowing.

Simi 60 said:

I am going to start playing with an old windsurfer sail and mast on our tinny soon and steering it like a windsurfer or using an oar as a sweep.

Not expecting good results but it may be fun and it may be better than rowing.

Click to expand...

A kite is actually not a bad idea.

For me, plan A is an outboard I have confidence in

Plan B is a few tools and spare parts.

Plan C is a handheld and or visual comms with passerby's

I would do a PLB or Epirb on the dinghy if I was likely to be out of range of anyone with the Vhf for more than a day, which is basically never.

I think a spare engine for a dinghy is going too far. I'm surprised a handheld wouldn't be able to reach the mother ship but that's not the focus of the thread. To me, and my free opinion on this isn't worth what you're paying for it, but if you need extra security I'd suggest a sailing dinghy that's got an easy rig to assemble.

Life is not without its risks, but carrying a spare engine on a dinghy seems an extreme measure, suggesting one would be better off staying on the couch.

I want to know what motor you have . One of those Chinese copy's LOL

markpierce said:

Life is not without its risks, but carrying a spare engine on a dinghy seems an extreme measure, suggesting one would be better off staying on the couch.

Click to expand...

I agree with you, Mark.
Generally you aren't in a life threatening situation if your dinghy motor fails.
It may be inconvenient that you can't get back to the mothership but your're not going to die; especially if you carry a small anchor to keep you being blown out to sea.

Bought a dinghy with a locker for a reason. In that locker are stored a handheld
VHF radio, flashlight, tools and an anchor with 75 feet of line.

As Larry implied our dinghy and those of the other cruisers are our lifelines, used all the time. With a hundred dinghies in any anchorage someones outboard stops working frequently and we cruisers are quite familiar with towing each other back to our respective boats. In the last six years it has happened to me twice.

The VHF and anchor are important as we frequently make several mile runs at night. We rely on the ability to stay put (the anchor) while we wait for help.

"If that's the answer, then I'm getting something rowable. Mine isn't for any meaningful distance."

"Certainly worth adding, but still want plan B."

A second boat ? Or dump the condom boat?

Many aluminum skiffs can be rowed , are fast under power and can be dragged up on the shore.

Most are 1/2 or less the weight to handle.

My tender is a twelve foot aluminum boat that is very easy to row, such that I often don't put the outboard on it, I row. Long oars help a lot.