Advice please. Old age boating advice and 115 HP outboard servicing

[tom52]

The big 70 and the wifes dodgy knees mean we are giving up big boat cruising . But we want to try and keep boating for another 10 years .
The plan is to simplify and downsize. The current plan A is..................
a 17/18 foot cuddy fast fisher with a 115 hp outboard kept on a Tetradock in the marina, for fine weather pottering /fishing in Torbay, donut ring rides for the grandchildren and occasional blasts to Dartmouth on balmy summer days.

The Tetradock should mean easy single handed docking and a forever clean bottom so no annual liftouts or antifoul. But what about servicing the outboard motor ?
For the last 30 years I have always DIY serviced my small sail boat or big motor boat inboard diesels and my little 2 stroke O/B.
I have no experience of big 4 stroke outboard practicalities. Can they be serviced afloat or semi afloat on a Tetradock ? I was hoping not to need a trailer.

Or will I need to bring the boat ashore for the big 4 stroke O/B to be serviced and thus need a trailer ?

Any advice or thoughts on the plan gratefully received.

Plan B is............... give up, buy a set of bowls and swallow the anchor.

 

[Kawasaki]

Modern 'big' outboards as you call them
Are relatively maintenace free
Just get it out once a year to do all the other boaty stuff/maintenace you need
'Servicing' is easy, need to come out to change the impeller now and again
If it was me doing what you suggest
I'd get about a 7 metre RIB

 

[Kawasaki]

Oh yeh
Bit older than you
Knees and ankles are very dodgy
Nicer ride in a RIB, even jockey seats
Cuddy? waste of time, ends up as junk box
Women/kids mike think seats in a cuddy fisher/flyer look more 'comfy'but in reality a RIB is smoother and safer if and when it chops up. Thing is it aint like your gonna do a 6 hour passage etc
Like you say its quick blasts up the coast, doughnuts etc
Kids like to move around
Swap seats etc etc
Done the small hard boat thing, exactly like you propose
Now nick a training rib now and again (7.2) or nick my mates similar thing
Wife is on walking sticks but can 'bounce' herinto the rib more easily than a hard boat
We have an hour, an hour and a half. Boat cuts through the slop, no slam banging
Find a rib much better

 

[stelican]

It would well be worth speaking to Anthony at Birchell Marine Torquay.
Hes the ideal person to speak with regarding servicing these modern engines.
He also sells the type of boat you are looking for.