Largest practical outboard size for a tender

[madabouttheboat]

IMO you should buy @madabouttheboat's one off him and then this thread has solved two people's problems.

The problem is that I am still holding out on becoming younger and fitter again. I'm a long way from giving up on that dream

in reality, it comes out very occasionally, and for that reason, and because I know how difficult they are to get hold of, I will be keeping it and tucking it up carefully every night.

 

[TernVI]

Years ago I bought an old outboard from a mate of my Dad.
He'd bought a Yamaha because they were said to be the best and 'the biggest one I can run up the beach with'.
It was a 20HP 2 stroke twin.

 

[madabouttheboat]

Years ago I bought an old outboard from a mate of my Dad.
He'd bought a Yamaha because they were said to be the best and 'the biggest one I can run up the beach with'.
It was a 20HP 2 stroke twin.

I had a 20hp 2 stroke twin (Evinrude) on another little day boat and that engine is 53kg. I have, once or twice, lifted it on or off the transom, but it was a huge effort and pretty much ruined me for the rest of the day. . I swapped it out for a 30hp 4 stroke, and at 80+kg that requires either two people or a crane to get it on or off.

 

[TernVI]

I had a 20hp 2 stroke twin (Evinrude) on another little day boat and that engine is 53kg. I have, once or twice, lifted it on or off the transom, but it was a huge effort and pretty much ruined me for the rest of the day. . I swapped it out for a 30hp 4 stroke, and at 80+kg that requires either two people or a crane to get it on or off.

Just found the manual!
The short shaft model was 38kg. 25HP the same.
Model 20A.

Progress?

 

[Caraway]

Sack of dog food weighing 20 kilos is a handful for unfit pensioner,without added bending??

Doesn't go very fast either.

 

[LadyInBed]

What's the biggest realistic size of engine that can be practically lifted in and out of an estate car

Ah sorry forgot to mention. I won't be lifting onto the boat

If you are lifting it in and out of an estate car, how are you getting it onto the boat?

 

[KompetentKrew]

If you are lifting it in and out of an estate car, how are you getting it onto the boat?

I think he means he won't be lifting it off the tender and storing it on the mothership.

 

[catlotion]

I think he means he won't be lifting it off the tender and storing it on the mothership.

Yes, sorry that's what I meant.

Thanks for all the tips everyone. Will go and try a few when I can. In the meantime I might keep an eye out for 6hp on eBay... I won't be annoying people around the moorings but it would be nice to have a bit more power to push my beer supplies along... ?

 

[TernVI]

Yes, sorry that's what I meant.

Thanks for all the tips everyone. Will go and try a few when I can. In the meantime I might keep an eye out for 6hp on eBay... I won't be annoying people around the moorings but it would be nice to have a bit more power to push my beer supplies along... ?

Personally, we find the speed gain from a 6 HP over a 2HP is not that great, you can plane sometimes when conditions are right.
I reckon we either want the advantages of 'light as possible' or 'plenty of power'. Messing about in between is mostly disappointing.
The 2HP has the great advantage that SWMBO can reliably start it.
What we sometimes want of course is 15HP electric start on a baby RIB, and the 45ft yacht with davits to go with it.

If you are going to try and get more speed by going to 6HP when 10 would be better, at least make sure you can get alternative props to get the best out of the motor. it can make a huge difference! Remember a 6HP engine only gives 6HP when the prop/boat combination lets it work at its max power RPM.
My 2HP engine will keep my rigid dinghy on the plane if I can use a wave to get planing, but the engine won't go much faster.
Mostly it's better for us to take a couple more minutes crossing the harbour and know it will be no effort to lift the motor onto the yacht or into the shed, and we don't need to go and buy fuel so often. Quite often we'd be throttled back with the 6, to avoid getting wet when the harbour's not so flat.
Do get a tiller extension so you can sit forwards.
On balance, I was happy to let our 6 go when we changed boats. The 2HP is a keeper.

 

[madabouttheboat]

Personally, we find the speed gain from a 6 HP over a 2HP is not that great, you can plane sometimes when conditions are right.
I reckon we either want the advantages of 'light as possible' or 'plenty of power'. Messing about in between is mostly disappointing.
The 2HP has the great advantage that SWMBO can reliably start it.
What we sometimes want of course is 15HP electric start on a baby RIB, and the 45ft yacht with davits to go with it.

If you are going to try and get more speed by going to 6HP when 10 would be better, at least make sure you can get alternative props to get the best out of the motor. it can make a huge difference! Remember a 6HP engine only gives 6HP when the prop/boat combination lets it work at its max power RPM.
My 2HP engine will keep my rigid dinghy on the plane if I can use a wave to get planing, but the engine won't go much faster.
Mostly it's better for us to take a couple more minutes crossing the harbour and know it will be no effort to lift the motor onto the yacht or into the shed, and we don't need to go and buy fuel so often. Quite often we'd be throttled back with the 6, to avoid getting wet when the harbour's not so flat.
Do get a tiller extension so you can sit forwards.
On balance, I was happy to let our 6 go when we changed boats. The 2HP is a keeper.

I've been there with portable outboards. Started with a 4hp Evinrude twin (excellent engine and should have stopped there). Then tried a 9.8hp Mercury as I thought it was the same as a 9.8 Tohatsu. It wasn't. Then went to 15hp, weighed a ton. Went and bought a Brand new 4 stroke 6hp Suzuki when it was first launched on the basis that it was the most power for the weight. It was, but not much good. Slower, in fact, than the original 4hp Evinrude. Obtained a 4hp 4 stroke Johnson (basically another Suzuki). Uprated it to 5hp but didn't really see much difference. Bought a 9.8 Tohastu. Love everything about this engine, but still just a bit too heavy for everyday use. Bought a 3.3hp 2 stroke Mercury. Very light and almost as good as the original 4hp Evinrude. I have since bought 2 more to keep in stock as good 2 strokes are getting hard to find. So I went a long way around and ended up almost where I started. (just with a few extra outboards in stock)

 

[TernVI]

I've been there with portable outboards. Started with a 4hp Evinrude twin (excellent engine and should have stopped there). Then tried a 9.8hp Mercury as I thought it was the same as a 9.8 Tohatsu. It wasn't. Then went to 15hp, weighed a ton. Went and bought a Brand new 4 stroke 6hp Suzuki when it was first launched on the basis that it was the most power for the weight. It was, but not much good. Slower, in fact, than the original 4hp Evinrude. Obtained a 4hp 4 stroke Johnson (basically another Suzuki). Uprated it to 5hp but didn't really see much difference. Bought a 9.8 Tohastu. Love everything about this engine, but still just a bit too heavy for everyday use. Bought a 3.3hp 2 stroke Mercury. Very light and almost as good as the original 4hp Evinrude. I have since bought 2 more to keep in stock as good 2 strokes are getting hard to find. So I went a long way around and ended up almost where I started. (just with a few extra outboards in stock)

One of the very few engines I've ever bought new, I had a 3.3 Mariner, which I think was the same as the Mercury at the time?
Worst outboard I've ever known, I hope whoever stole it hated it as much as I did.
I think it had somesort of untraceable intermittent ignition fault.

 

[madabouttheboat]

One of the very few engines I've ever bought new, I had a 3.3 Mariner, which I think was the same as the Mercury at the time?
Worst outboard I've ever known, I hope whoever stole it hated it as much as I did.
I think it had somesort of untraceable intermittent ignition fault.

Yes, one of mine is branded Mariner, but exactly the same engine. Same, I understand, as the 3.5hp Tohatsu, which is basically what they are. Mine have been very reliable so far and they are sooooo simple that I cannot understand how an untraceable fault could develop. There is literally so few bits to go wrong.

Hate to blow my own trumpet, but I am very confident that I could have fixed it, or at least traced the fault before working out if it was cost effective to fox it. They can be had for a couple of hundred quid, so any serious problem is probably not worth fixing while they are still reasonably easy to obtain.

 

[TernVI]

Yes, one of mine is branded Mariner, but exactly the same engine. Same, I understand, as the 3.5hp Tohatsu, which is basically what they are. Mine have been very reliable so far and they are sooooo simple that I cannot understand how an untraceable fault could develop. There is literally so few bits to go wrong.

Hate to blow my own trumpet, but I am very confident that I could have fixed it, or at least traced the fault before working out if it was cost effective to fox it. They can be had for a couple of hundred quid, so any serious problem is probably not worth fixing while they are still reasonably easy to obtain.

It got to the point where the only option was to replace the electronic ignition.
That was a lot of cash and the fault was so intermittant it never got to the point of making that decision before it was stolen.
The dealer couldn't find anything wrong with it, but he'd previously replaced the carb. after which it was never as easy to start.
A new engine with a warranty seems a nice idea, but the warranty was not much help when it leaves with half a mile to row against the tide.
I wouldn't buy another Belgium-made outboard if I could avoid it.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I'm half thinking of getting a bigger outboard to replace my Mercury 3.5hp when I change to a bigger dinghy. Really just to speed my journey to the swing mooring (and back when I invariably leave something in the car).

What's the biggest realistic size of engine that can be practically lifted in and out of an estate car and rolled down a slipway on a 3m Honwave alu deck (with transom wheels)? Any experiences?

I'm not a body builder btw...

You are missing the point, surely. I think you need to deal with the actual issue, not the size of the outboard. Some information that may inspire you: -

https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/filebank/sticky_forms.pdf

 

[KompetentKrew]

You are missing the point, surely. I think you need to deal with the actual issue, not the size of the outboard. Some information that may inspire you: -

https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/filebank/sticky_forms.pdf

Not sure this is helpful.

Surely the desire to leave at slack water - or even a little ahead of it, depending on the length of the passage - will dictate arriving at the boat on the rising tide?

Whilst I understand that it might be ideal to arrive at the boat one tide early, to enjoy a Fray Bentos pie and read the newspaper, ready to depart well rested, I hear many people suffer from an affliction called "employment", which limits their leisure time. Hence, for these poor souls, there are going to be occasions when one must travel against the tide, if they wish to maximise their time under sail.