[C320-list] Dinghy Propulsion

[John Morrison]

My dinghy is a 270 Walker Bay which I mount on Garhauer davits. The motor is an 8 horse, I lift it off the dinghy using a Garhauer motor hoist and store it on a motor mount on the stern pushpit. You will not plane with an 8 HP and 2 folks in the dinghy as it won’t get up on step. With one person it’ll fly!! 
An 8 horse 4 stroke weighs about 80lbs so unless you’re a really strong guy with a really good back you won’t be able to manage the motor, especially if there is a lop on! I would look at an electric motor. Torqueedo has made major strides with their battery endurance. The motor and battery separate so it is very easy to handle. Of course you won’t plane with it but they develop a lot of torque so will push you against a fairly strong current. Other advantage is no gas to worry about and the electric has a solar charger. 
Lots to think about, but I’m seriously considering electric. 
JohnM 
1999#574

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 16, 2020, at 12:16 PM, Tom Grass <tgrass462 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Thanks Graeme - the HP Limitation on our current West Marine  310 RIB is 10
> HP.   The 2 1/2 HP motor  currently in use came from our previous dinghy -
> a home made 8' Eastport Pram with a max hp rating of 3.0.
> 
> Tom Grass
> 
>> On Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 11:07 AM Graeme Clark <cg at skyflyer.co.uk> wrote:
>> 
>> Tom
>> 
>> I cant help with most of your questions but worth noting that our own
>> dinghy has a maximum HP limitation on it. I dont know why and I dont know
>> what happens if you exceed that but you may wish to consider a new dinghy
>> as well as a new motor?
>> 
>> Graeme
>> 
>>>> On 16 Nov 2020, at 17:02, Tom Grass <tgrass462 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Currently Bucket List has a 2 1/2 HP Mercury 4 Cycle Outboard motor on
>> our
>>> West Marine 310 RIB - which we frequently tow behind our Catalina 320
>> with
>>> the motor raised..     This motor is fine for cruising back and forth in
>>> Covered Portage anchorage  in the North Channel (no wind) - BUT when
>> doing
>>> the LOOP we were unable to moor at the 79th Street marina in NYC - our
>>> little motor could NOT buck the current in the Hudson.  It also  is too
>>> small for the long distance dinghy trips required in the Bahamas..
>>> 
>>> We are thinking of repowering the dinghy in 2021.  We are considering
>>> either a Mercury OR Tohatsu 8.0 HP or 9.9 HP; 15" shaft length and manual
>>> start.
>>> 
>>> Questions:
>>> 
>>> Recommendations on Brand?  Tohatsu, Mercury, Yamaha, Honda, etc.
>>> 
>>> Recommendations on HP?  Can we plane with 8 HP (two adults aboard)?
>>> Could we plane with a 5 HP or 6 HP?
>>> 
>>> Motor Handling?  How do you lift the motor on and off the dinghy?  Do you
>>> use a special motor lift?  A halyard off the mast?  A line from the Boom?
>>> Note - Bucket List does NOT have dinghy davits installed;  When not
>> pulling
>>> the dinghy we keep the dinghy (without motor) secured to the transom
>> with a
>>> dinghy davit net.
>>> 
>>> Motor Storage?  Do you lay your dinghy motor down on deck?  Do you hang
>> it
>>> off the stern rail seat on a motor mount?  Other?
>>> 
>>> Dinghy Motor Starting - Do any of you have electric starters on your
>> dinghy
>>> motor?  We are all getting  older - is a pull starter still viable?  My
>>> wife especially is concerned about this.
>>> 
>>> Thanks for your help.
>>> 
>>> Tom & Tracy Grass
>>> S/V Bucket List
>>> 2008 Catalina 320 MK II
>>> #1135
>> 
>>