outboard for the Dingy

[psneeld]

My Yamaha had similar experiences being dunked...plus may salvaged sunk outboard boats I helped refloat had the engines of many makes cleaned up and running the next day.

The big manufacturers of outboards pretty much have had that part of sealed systems down pat for a bit now.

 

[rslifkin]

There are many, many old 6 hp Evinrude/Johnson Fisherman engines out there from freshwater lakes for sale on Craigslist for about $350 that start on the 2nd pull cold, 1st pull warm that will not stop even running on crap fuel with water in it. Yep they smoke a little on startup but are 2 cylinder / 2 stroke smooth and as simple as it gets. 52# for a short shaft.
More power? Same with old J/E 9.9's but weigh more. The 7.5s are a nice compromise.

Those are solid engines, but with the downside of the 2 stroke smell and higher fuel consumption (which means you have to carry more fuel). And until you get up towards the 10hp range, there's not a big weight advantage. A 4 stroke 6hp is only 3-5 lbs heavier for most (and the Suzuki is the same 52 lbs).

 

[grahamdouglass]

When I switched from my 2 stroke Mercury motor, 9.9 hp to my new dingy and 25 hp 4 stroke Tohatsu it was a maintenance nightmare.
With my 2 stroke Mercury, made in the USA, one of the last made there in the early 2000's I did absolutely NO maintenance. It hung on the back of my boat forlorn and forgotten and always started, always ran. My Tohatsu on the other hand has had in the last ten years over $2400 of maintenance, I have to baby it, stabilize the gas, run it dry so gas doesn't sit in the carburetor. What a nightmare.
I'm thinking of chucking the whole fast Walker RIB tender and getting a smaller rowing dingy, with a small old 2 stroke motor.
Or better yet get a small rowing dingy with an electric Torqueedo. You have to watch the following youtube video on You tube about Torqueedo electric motors

 

[rslifkin]

When I switched from my 2 stroke Mercury motor, 9.9 hp to my new dingy and 25 hp 4 stroke Tohatsu it was a maintenance nightmare.
With my 2 stroke Mercury, made in the USA, one of the last made there in the early 2000's I did absolutely NO maintenance. It hung on the back of my boat forlorn and forgotten and always started, always ran. My Tohatsu on the other hand has had in the last ten years over $2400 of maintenance, I have to baby it, stabilize the gas, run it dry so gas doesn't sit in the carburetor. What a nightmare.
I'm thinking of chucking the whole fast Walker RIB tender and getting a smaller rowing dingy, with a small old 2 stroke motor.
Or better yet get a small rowing dingy with an electric Torqueedo.

At 25hp you'd be better off with something fuel injected. They're much less fussy than small carbs.

 

[Cold Duck]

My Yamaha had similar experiences being dunked...plus may salvaged sunk outboard boats I helped refloat had the engines of many makes cleaned up and running the next day.

The big manufacturers of outboards pretty much have had that part of sealed systems down pat for a bit now.

Yup, the key is those "O" ring sealed connectors so later on the corrosion diesn't
gets ya.

 

[psneeld]

Yup, the key is those "O" ring sealed connectors so later on the corrosion diesn't
gets ya.

My Yamaha had mostly simple bullet connectors buy were slathered in enough what I am guessing was dielectric grease that water never penetrated. The terminals were nicely done....including the slathered terminal block.

Amazing how some companies just get it. Just bought a motorhome and not one of the heat shrink connectors under the hood were properly done.

Not planning to dunk it in salt water though....

 

[hollywood8118]

The right outboard depends on the situation, a few common points:
Planing vs displacement speed
Weight the user can handle vs. Davit use
Average distance of common use
Location of service shops or user serviced
Fuel availability or type
Mechanical ability of the user


My go to for our normal dinghy is a 10' Avon RIB with 15hp 2 stroke outboard, I don't mind the minor smoke or its fuel use. I always buy premix motors, dirt simple to use/maintain and easy to find good used freshwater motors. I have a coveted non
US edition Yamaha Enduro 15 with side shift and a Johnson 15 with tiller shift. The Yamaha is a powerhouse but the Admiral prefers the Johnson because its compression ratio is less and easier starting, she also doesn't like to reach around the side to shift. One of the Nordhavns I cruised on a few years back had a Suzuki 4 stroke that I fought with between San Diego to the Caribbean. Service centers couldn't fix the issue. When he got to Florida he dumped it and found a 2 stroke that he fell in love with. The new 4 strokes are great until it quits in a remote place where it can't be fixed.
I know many here don't cruise far from their home base so service isn't an issue. If your doing Mexico, Caribbean, South America, South Pacific or Alaska dependability vs user serviceability really counts

Hollywood

 

[BruceK]

Our Merc 3.3 is miserly on fuel, if I think the 5L capacity container of mixed(and stabilized) 2 stroke fuel onboard is getting a bit old I take it home to use in garden equipment and mix some more for the outboard.

 

[rslifkin]

I know many here don't cruise far from their home base so service isn't an issue. If your doing Mexico, Caribbean, South America, South Pacific or Alaska dependability vs user serviceability really counts

This goes along with my usual thoughts on equipment. It doesn't matter so much what the equipment is, it matters that you can get the information and parts needed to keep it working.

One of the first things I did when narrowing down options for a dinghy outboard was to confirm what models I could get my hands on a service manual and parts listing for, and to see how easily available a few common parts are. None of that seems to be an issue for the 6hp Tohatsu 4 stroke we ended up with. And while I'm due for some maintenance this winter, so far it's just needed gas and oil changes and it just runs.

 

[hollywood8118]

Our Merc 3.3 is miserly on fuel, if I think the 5L capacity container of mixed(and stabilized) 2 stroke fuel onboard is getting a bit old I take it home to use in garden equipment and mix some more for the outboard.

Exactly,
My 1950's Massey Ferguson tractor loves to run on old 2 stroke mix. Between out two RIBS I sometimes have 5-10 gallons of the stuff to go through in the fall.
Hollywood

 

[mike66]

I went with the Newport 12v electric and a 50ah lithium battery. Gives at least an hour or run time at next to top speed of about 5 kits. Full blast almost gets our 10ft Zodiac on plane. Perfect for a launch as we don't anchor or moor too far from shore in the Northeast. If I get my own mooring I may use my Tohatsu 6hp as an anchor. 4 carbs in 4 years and never running smoothly or being able to idle up to a dock was enough!

 

[hollywood8118]

I went with the Newport 12v electric and a 50ah lithium battery. Gives at least an hour or run time at next to top speed of about 5 kits. Full blast almost gets our 10ft Zodiac on plane. Perfect for a launch as we don't anchor or moor too far from shore in the Northeast. If I get my own mooring I may use my Tohatsu 6hp as an anchor. 4 carbs in 4 years and never running smoothly or being able to idle up to a dock was enough!

4 carbs in 4 years?
Was this a 4 or 2 stroke motor?
Did you run the motor dry of fuel when you were not going to use it for a extended time, did it get fresh fuel when you put it back in service?
I have NEVER replaced a carb in a outboard, the absolute worst case was spraying it out with carb cleaner.

Was the work needed done by you or a shop.. if it was a shop you had the wrong one.
I can see the advantage of a electric if the trips are really short. For us it doesn't work as we use planing speed often 15-20+ mph and often venture miles away from the boat.. especially when using it as a dive platform and loaded with lots of gear.
Hollywood

 

[mike66]

I put a fuel/water filter on my dingy, used fresh fuel every two weeks, ran the motor dry after every use, changed fuel tank and lines every year. The carb would somehow still gum up/clog up and have to be disassembled every 6-8 uses or so and soaked in a can of carb cleaner, then blown out. I replaced the carb yearly because I got tired of being stranded or not being able to idle around the docks. With the soaks I would get a season out of it. Took it to the dealer for a new impeller and had him check it over for proper timing, idle rpm, etc. Bottom line appears to be that the carb is factory set to be non polluting so is very touchy. I think they meet their epa numbers by having the motors out of service 50% of the time.

 

[rslifkin]

Small carbs are definitely fussy. I've generally had good luck with them though by doing the following: stabilize any gas as soon as it's purchased and keep it in modern, un-vented cans. If the engine is going to sit for more than a couple of weeks, fog it so the insides of the carb are good and oily. I never drain the carbs for the off-season and have yet to have a small engine (outboard or otherwise) not fire right up on the full tank of last year's gas the following spring (or winter for the snowblower).

 

[kthoennes]

Boy, this conversation is making me think I'm oddly lucky with my 1987 Yamaha 4hp two stroke. I did upgrade the fuel filter for easier flow, and I changed the carb gaskets once in the seven years since I bought it - but otherwise it simply starts and runs, including in the spring with last fall's gas (no ethanol).

 

[TrawlerAJ]

If you need to remove the engine from the dinghy, the 29 lb Suzuki 2.5 has been delightful for 2 seasons now. Starts first pull, my 7 year old can start it, light enough to store on a mount upstairs, pushes 7' air floor inflatable almost to the point of planing - no doubt would plane a hard bottom. Get a "No Spill" branded gas can, truly doesn't spill another drop after you let go of the button...


Edit, if buying new, I religiously do break in with conventional oil, and I put a magnetic dipstick in every small engine before running it. Can't believe the metal that comes off the tip of it after first hour of run!

 

[rpackard]

For the past 40 years I have used the 3.5hp two strokes sold by Tohatzu, Nissan, Mercury and I don't know who else. The advantage is that it weighs just 28lbs, starts on the first pull and, after storing over a season, can be easily cleaned of any unknowns left in the carburetor. Until recently I owned three of them one for each boat.

While cruising in the Sea of Cortez, a common request on the morning VHF nets was from people looking for a similar small motor to trade for their 9.9-6hp heavy motors. Those are a PITA unless you need to go fast and far. We normally only need transportation for a mile or two, just to each the shore or dock. We drive the dink ( light weight inflatable ) at displacement speeds, just like the mother ship.

I have never understood why boaters drive their dinks at 20mph to travel the 1/2mile to the beach. It may be a testosterone thing.

If you watch the flea markets you can find these motors.

 

[mickand]

I anchor a lot, so a reliable dinghy motor is important. My 11ft dink and Mercury 15hp 4 stroke were both new in 2015. In the 7 years until I went to electric, the motor was very unreliable (small carb) despite an annual going-over by a professional.
A fuel injected outboard would be a must for me if I was ever to go back to gas. If your usage is sporadic and just for general getting around and to shore and back, I would go electric, no anxiety.

 

[thataway]

Various motors

Torqeedo, 1103 owned for 15 years, used regularly, no issues. Advantage no one piece more than 12# weight--total weight about 30 #--easy to put on the dinghy even from a small boat. Also used as back up motor for 18' catamaran center console. Charged both 12v DC and 120 V AC. We ran it full out, with two persons in an emergency situation and got about 14 miles out of it. (9 1/2' air floor inflatable)

Merc 3.5 HP 2 stroke owned for about 25 years--always reliable . Used as kicker on 12 1/2' RIB dinghy--for long trips. About 30# weight--always drained carb or ran out of fuel.

Suzuki 2.5 hp--4 stroke about equal to the Merc above, Used as primary dinghy motor on 7 to 9' inflatables with slat floor. Light (about 30#) dependable. Use for kicker for the Catamaran CC--moves at 3 to 4 mpg.

25 HP Johnson- 2 stroke. I have owned 2 of these for 12 1/2' RIB used if 4 in the Rib or diving gear, heavy load. or 13' heavy duty wood floor inflatables / RIB--enough power to waterski or tube for kids. Very reliable motors. Used daily in Med, Baltic and Alaska/ PNW.

15 hp Evinrude 2 stroke as primary motor for the 12 1/2' RIB if only 2 of us and dogs. Also used on 14' and 12' aluminum dinghies--planed nicely with these light boats.

4 1/2hp. 1978 Evinrude 2 stroke. A work horse--used as kicker for larger 13' heavy inflatable, as primary motor on 1941 "Wizard" fiberglass dinghy in daily use. Only 35#. Too bad these light 2 stroke motors went away.

For a small dinghy motor, I am sold on one of the electrics. I like the Torqeedo because of the light parts which are easily moved to the dinghy.

Alternate gas motor: 2 1/2 Hp 4 stroke Suzuki.

 

[C lectric]

Depends upon your intended use. I can get decent gasoline for my Yamaha 2 stroke very easily and with a 1 gal. jug tossed into the dingbat along with the 3 gal gas tank we are good for running of up to 4 or 5 hours at full tilt.

Some electrics may do that too. I don't know so no comment on that.

But my wife and I often , less now, will head out for several hours running time.

My caution is simply look at your intended use and the needed range for that use and choose accordingly. You likely could scrounge a gallon of gas but not so a battery.

 

[tomstjohn]

I got rid of the Gas outboard and went eletric.

I decided to get rid of gas on my sailboat and went electric and could not be happier.

https://www.epropulsion.com/spirit-1/