dinghy motors

S

starcrafttom

Active member
So I am thinking about getting a dinghy and a small motor. I re read a lot of old post on the subject and i think that a 8 to 9 fter will do the trick and keep the weight under 75 lbs. I should be able to manage that. So now to choose a motor and after looking around I see that yamaha has the lightest 2.5 at 37 lbs but thier 4 and 5 weight the same at 60lbs. So if you can get more hp for the same weight why not? any down side and is 60 lbs to much to move around. I think that i could use my pot puller to lift and lower the motor in to the boat.
 
Hi Tom,

An 8-9 foot inflatable should work well for you. We have had up to 4 people in ours, but generally it is a very comfortable 2-person + 1 cat dinghy. I don't have any kind of a pot puller or davit; our 28 pound 2.5 hp Merc is as much as I care to lift over the side of the boat to put on the dinghy while in the water. I had a 5 hp Honda that we used on another dinghy and it was a beast - 58 pounds. I was younger then. :wink:

Our dinghy is a flat floor with slats. It rolls up relatively small and the flat bottom works well on top of the boat. I generally pull it up there from the bow by myself (it's easier with two people).

Good luck with the additions.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Tom, I just bought a Suzuki 2.5 for my dinghy. It replaced the Honda 2hp that was too loud, and would not allow me to troll (without a sea sock) at low speeds on one of my other boats.

The Suzuki is very quiet, has N-F, and I believe it is lighter than the Yamaha. I have not put it to use yet, but I think I am really going to like it.
 
I too prefer as light as possible. Mine is a 2-stroke Mercury 3.3 HP that weighs about 30 lbs. I would not want to lug around anything heavier.
 
The new Yamaha 4 and 6 look like nice motors- good luck getting one. Unless the dealer has one in stock (and we only got one 6 horse long shaft of the four motors we ordered) there won't be any until fall at the soonest. Yamaha is having a huge problem right now with availability of product.

Suzuki also makes a 6 that weights 55 pounds and it has been a great motor for us. Those we have in stock and availability is good.

Tohatsu / Nissan / Mercury has a 4 and 5 that are pretty lightweight as well.
 
I had one of those. 3-4 HP (depending on model.) One of the best motors I ever had. It went everywhere and powered a 9' Avon. Has F-R, light dependable.

Finally wore out and I replaced it with a 6 Hp Johnson.

Boris
 
I BELIEVE the pictured Johnson 3.5 is a single-cylinder, made-in-China example. I tank-tested a new one at a dealer.
This motor is a VIBRATOR and the throttle is on the control panel, not the tiller. Water cooled.
 
The link to Criag's list shows the listing moved. I have owned the 3.3 Merc 2 stroke and the 2.5 hp Suzuki. For displacement speeds I would vote for the Suzuki--very dependable, quiet. We used a Garhauer davit (I have bad back problems). I think that 60 lbs is OK--and I have horsed 80 to 90 lb motors when I was much younger. But with 60 lbs, you are better using the puller with a block and tackle --or the puller motor.

The slat floor will not plane, so it is not reasonable to have more than the 2.5 hp. If you get an air floor (we have a 9 1/2 footer which will take a 9.9 hp and will plane--but when you get a lot of load, you need more hp).

We had a 12 1/2 foot RIB and 15 hp was OK for two adults and a couple of labs. But 4 adults or dive gear, we had to use a 25 hp (we had davits for both of these motors).

My personal preference is with the Japanese motors currently (I know--they are made in china). I would stay away from the older very low hp OMC motors (but the 4.5 on up were good.)
 
After using a Honda 2h around the San Juans, I sold it and bought a 5h.
The 2h did not have enough power and was stopped in some of the currents during tide change.
 
I have a line on a 9 ft Aquapro dinghy for $500. They list new for 1800. does anyone know of this brand?

Also the local marine store is carrying the "Anchorlift" line of windlass's. has any one heard of these. thier 600 model list new for $650 with all the switches and breakers. real good price compared to the lewmars 600.
 
Tom,
If it is the version with the high pressure floor, it would be a great deal. I note that the boats are "optional" Hyalon"--Hypalon is a more UV resistant and durable fabric. If you will keep the dinghy inflated all of the season, it is worth going that way. If you roll it up and store it in the bag, then as long as the seams are well glued the PVC fabric will be OK. 10 yers down the line, the Hypalon boat will still be good. The PVC may not last as well.

The Anchorlift company claims headquarters in Norway and USA, but there are some items that lead me to believe that the product is built in China (may be ture for the above inflatable). We have to accept that lots of our products are made in China--so it may be OK....

Be sure that you get the G4 chain gypsy--not the DIN metric unit.

The current draw is listed at 10 amps--which is low--so that is a bit puzzling. They give a 5 year warantee, but will the company be around in 5 years? I don't know. Not much about the company on the internet.

Their anchors are knock offs of the Delta Quick Set and "Bruce" Claw type.
 
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