Outboard size for our new tender?

[SteveK]

Capt Rodbone. Right on best solution post 26.
Have a more stable tender for cargo carrying at faster speed, and have the other for a fun boat rowing or sailing in the bay (with or without an OB)

 

[rslifkin]

The other option might just be a larger hard dinghy. As they get bigger, they gain weight capacity and stability. And some are capable of planing for more speed, although a planing hard dinghy will typically not be one designed to accept a sail rig.

 

[Art]

Use a tow behind [side tie when correct to do so]. Then you have another "boat" to really do things in!

 

[Nomad Willy]

Like you’re boat and OB Art …..

 

[dhays]

I have a rowing/sailing dinghy as well. I love it.

I also have a Torqueedo electric motor that is wonderful. For that kind of boat, I honestly think you can’t go wrong with the small electric. No gas to carry, lightweight, easy to store, maintenance free, and it will push your dinghy at hull speed.

Don’t try to go any faster. A 8hp motor is way too much.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Dave ….. for how much money including batt?

 

[Art]

Like you’re boat and OB Art …..

Thanks, Eric! I know you'd love to tool around in this runabout. Fast, agile, seaworthy, comfortable, economical.

If you keep your eye close to CL these type of babies occasionally come available. We got this little jewel in 2009. She was like new and still is. Only prob with locating and actually getting to purchase a beauty like this: It needs to be located within very short time since it's listed... like within an hour at most - otherwise someone else gets it. I found this one for sale on CL one eve about 9 PM. Had only been listed for minutes. Called the guy then and set a time to go see the boat next morn at 8 AM. Dropped her in the water for 20 minute sea trial. Cashed her out. Been smiling ever since!

Have occasionally noticed others similar since. No need for me to call on those - we have the little tow behind runabout we want!

BTW - there are other small boat for-sale forums to look into. The best dollar deal is usually to locate one on CL. We were lucky to find this one.

Photos here are the sale photos in 2009 of the ad I saw in CL. What's not to love!

 

[backinblue]

That's nice if you want to have 2 boats, but not really what I'd call a dinghy. It must be a bit of a load to tow. Any concern in really rough weather. Not sure how a boat like that would survive in conditions some of us find ourselves in at times. Other than that, it's probably great fun to have 2 real boats to play with, but again, not nearly the same as a dinghy.

 

[backinblue]

Dave ….. for how much money including batt?

In the $2K+ range for motor, battery, and charger. Another $100 or so if you want carrying cases for both (recommended). As I've said several times, I think eProp is superior and cheaper than Torqeedo if you are shopping. There actually is a case to be made where they become cheaper than gas over time, though that's not why anyone buys them.

 

[FF]

The fit folks that love racing skulls claim 1/2 hp can be generated for a short period of time.

So if you have a displacement dink most any small OB should take you to hull speed easily.

As a small dink is small inside we have found oars to be the easiest compromise in modest sized harbors.Our 81/2ft Grumman Aluminum has 2 oar locations so in rough or choppy waters we can both row.

If we wish to just sight see the mast is stuck in , and no effort is required for miles and miles.


This is what one looks like , for easiest tender use a fabric rub rail saves paint .


Vintage Grumman 8 1/2 ft row boat - tender - dinghy - Aluminum - $1500 (Vineland, NJ)

1960's vintage Grumman "Dink" 8.5 aluminum hull, wood keelvery light, roughly 75 lbs or so. has front and rear lifting loops for use with davitno leaks, excellent condition. sold with hand written bill of sale, (too small to have a title)has four oar lock posts.

$1,500.00

South Jersey, NJ

3 years ago

 

[Art]

That's nice if you want to have 2 boats, but not really what I'd call a dinghy. It must be a bit of a load to tow. Any concern in really rough weather. Not sure how a boat like that would survive in conditions some of us find ourselves in at times. Other than that, it's probably great fun to have 2 real boats to play with, but again, not nearly the same as a dinghy.

b n' b - Correct on all points...

- "That's nice if you want to have 2 boats, but not really what I'd call a dinghy." Simply great to have a tow behind that can easily carry four persons and some cargo. For just Linda and me it's a gasss to leave Tolly anchored on a calm day and lope around at 25 knot cruise to visit places. Top speed on gps at slack tide with just me aboard reads at 39.6 knots. At 25 knt cruise I guestimate 15 to 20 +/- nmpg. She's got 2 - 6 gal gas tanks... plenty of range; don't need to fill up often. Summer 2013 our then 90 yr. [she turned 98 last month] matriarch had heart attach emergency 100 miles from where we were [Tolly was anchored just a few miles from where we always dock under covered berth in SF Delta]... Anyway - We had daughter, hubby and 6 month baby aboard that weekend [with luggage]. So, to get them and wife back to marina ASAP [to rush home] we four adults with baby in arms and with some luggage jumped into "Minnie Me" [nick name of our tow behind] and she jumped up and hit plane for fast run to get to dock. They drove back in the kids vehicle and I went back to the anchored Tolly. Pulled anchor and docker her the next morning. Drove home in our vehicle.

- "It must be a bit of a load to tow." At slow cruise in Tolly [6 +/- knots; hull speed calcs at 7.58 knots] the friction load is not bad at all. At plane speed [16 to 17 knots] it requires increased rpm = more fuel cost. I keep her 50 hp. Johnson o/b locked in straight ahead up position.

- "Any concern in really rough weather?" We don't experience "...really rough weather" in SF Delta. So, yes having spent years towing a 13'3" Boston Whaler [with 40 hp. Johnson] while coastal cruising from NY to Maine I know what it's like to get caught in steep seas with a runabout in tow. And, yes towing a "funabout" in rough water can become a real problem. I would rather not be caught in that crap again [such as we were a couple times... decades ago - i.e., 1960's].

- "Other than that, it's probably great fun to have 2 real boats to play with..." YUP!!!

- "...but again, not nearly the same as a dinghy." Sure ain't!!!



BTW: I've had dinks in tow, dinks on davits and dinks on deck. Wood dinks, glass dinks, inflatable dinks and sailing dinks. Dinks are dinks... Tow behind "Funabouts" are kick assss.....

 

[backinblue]

No argument for me. It's a great idea if it works for you and sounds like it does. Enjoy!

 

[dhays]

Dave ….. for how much money including batt?

No idea. I think when I bought mine over a decade ago now, it was about $3k all in. That included a flexible solar panel to charge it as well.

FWIW, the solar panel has worked great. On longer trips I would last the flex panel to the top of the dodger and it would recharge the battery as we traveled from one anchorage to another.

I have no idea what the cost would be now, more or less.

 

[backinblue]

No idea. I think when I bought mine over a decade ago now, it was about $3k all in. That included a flexible solar panel to charge it as well.

FWIW, the solar panel has worked great. On longer trips I would last the flex panel to the top of the dodger and it would recharge the battery as we traveled from one anchorage to another.

I have no idea what the cost would be now, more or less.

Easy enough to look up but if you are talking about a torqeedo + battery + charger + solar panel, $3K is probably still about right.

 

[Blues]

I have a Cape Dory 10.5, just like the one in the video and greatly prefer it to an inflatable. The stability is pretty good for a big, old guy (72). Shaw and Tenney advised their large spoons and so equipped it rows nicely, haven’t sailed it yet as I have other sailing toys.
To the OP; have you ever built a center board? I built a 15ft lap strake sailing dingy and far and away the hardest part was making the center board. FWIW I enjoyed the process. One benefit of a small boat is you can lavish attention on them.
Some day I’ll put an electric outboard on the Cape Dory. If you’re going to keep the 8 footer I’d keep the 2hp.

 

[rsn48]

I don't mean to be rude but I'm having a tough time imagining a 6 foot plus and a 5' 11" person getting into that dinghy without issues, particularly if weight is a factor. If you have friends who have a swimming pool, why not take it there and you and your wife get in it.

With you and your wife in it, the skiff will sit lower in the water. It will be twitchy when the both of you enter and when you exit. I think for what you want it to do, its too small and not stable enough for two large people getting in and out of the craft.

 

[markpierce]

An eight-foot, fiberglass/wooden dinghy is adequate for the typical middle-age/older male.