Outboard weight?

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melandnick

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I just ordered a 2.6m airdeck to act as a back up tender for next years cruise.
£299 from Gaelforce seemed too good to miss.

Already have a couple of 3.5hp tohatsu motors but was looking to sell one of them to put money against something that will plane the boat with two of us in.
Thought a Tohatsu 8hp 2 stroke looks good, they seem to weigh in under 30kg.
Not having tried, can anyone advise how easy it is to lift something like this from dinghy to mothership? etc
And has hanyone got this sort of set up? I assume it will go well.

Nick
 
30kg..... how easy it is to lift something like this from dinghy to mothership?
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As far as I am concerned freaking near impossible.

I used to be able to just lift my 27.4 kg 6 hp on board from the dinghy or on and off its bracket But it has got so much heavier over the years that I now get someone to help me lift it on its bracket before the boat is launched and there it stays until someone helps me lift it off again when the boat is hauled out again.

A recipe for nasty things happening to your back unless you are particularly strong and fit.

I don't know if 8Hp will plane an airdeck dinghy that size with two people. Just about I think but if you really want to plane I think something more powerful would be required 10 - 15 hp perhaps.
What does the dinghy manufacture say about speed and hp?
 
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no dont do it, it is a nightmare!

we have a 3.3m tender and a 23kg yamaha 4 stroke 4hp and its a total pain, just about managable (and im young, strong a fit!) but im selling it and have just bought a 2 stroke one at 18kg as its too much hassle.

I have rigged a "crane" off the backstay with a block and rope to help lower it onto the tender, but thats only an option with 2 people.
 
30kg is quite a lot.
The trouble is, you either lift it on a rope from above, or try to hand it up from an unstable dinghy. It's awkward, especially as soon as there is a bit of chop.
I am resigned to the sedate pace of my AX3 and 2hp yamaha until I can afford a yacht big enough to have a tender on davits.
 
Interesting responses.

We are going to be cruising in the Caribbean so I wanted something I can dive from and we can zip around in and do a little exploring.
The 3.5 is not enough to do anything other than head to the beach and back.
Was thinking anything up to 25kg ish would not be too difficult to lift on/off with two of us and a spare halyard? and should not cause a problem on the pushpit.
The dinghy can apparently take up to 10hp.
My 220 Plastimo with a flat bottom will just about plane with my 3.5hp with me on alone ( if I don’t eat breakfast ) so I hoped 8hp would be enough with an airdeck and two of us on board.
The Tohatsu 8hp seems to be the same as the 6hp ( I know there are threads about this ) and it looks like the lightest decent size motor at 27kg.
Will welcome more input.
Nick
 
If you will be cruising the Caribbean you really need a workhorse of a dinghy/outboard combination. It's your car!
I don't think an 8HP 4 stroke is over the top by any means. If I repeated my Caribbean adventure I would have a RIB (or actually a hard bottom inflatable), probably a Caribe, of about 10' with a 8/10HP Honda. Of course you have to be able to handle dinghy and outboard and davits are certainly the best way. I wouldn't rate the ability to plane too high on the agenda, just accept plodding performance, you'll be on island time.
On a commercial note, you will need our Motor Lift, or similar, to hoist the outboard on a halyard.
 
I have a 2.8M airdeck Avon with a 5Hp 4stroke that must weigh 30Kg + it would be nigh on impossible to safely lift it off the dinghy onto the bracket probably a 4 foot lift. I have a crane with 5 :1 purchase that makes it possible to easily lift single handed from the dinghy even SWMBO can do it.
It won't plane by the way but is comfortable and dry in most conditions.
 
VicS said:
As far as I am concerned freaking near impossible.

I used to be able to just lift my 27.4 kg 6 hp on board from the dinghy or on and off its bracket But it has got so much heavier over the years that I now get someone to help me lift it on its bracket before the boat is launched and there it stays until someone helps me lift it off again when the boat is hauled out again.

A recipe for nasty things happening to your back unless you are particularly strong and fit.

I don't know if 8Hp will plane an airdeck dinghy that size with two people. Just about I think but if you really want to plane I think something more powerful would be required 10 - 15 hp perhaps.
What does the dinghy manufacture say about speed and hp?
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and your long-head biceps connection
 
As well as lifting onto the boat, it's nice to be able to carry the tender and outboard up the beach, I guess that's less of an issue where tides are not a concern!
Don't forget an 8hp outboard will get through a lot of petrol (relatively) if you make use of the planing speed. That can increase hassle sometimes.
I met some real round the world sailors, they said their best investment was a rigid sailing tender, others they met in remote places were always worrying about petrol.

Bit different from the cruising I get to do at the moment.
 
Before I got a proper ie big, boat, I had a Honwave 3.2 air v-floor with a Honda BF 8hp o/b and one up, it would plane at about 8 kts, two up at about 11 kts, top speed one up 16kts, two up about 12kts. The BF8 however, weighs in at 47kg !! That was fun lugging that outa the car and onto the transom, I can tell you. 4 strokes, eh? However, I now have a Honwave 2.4 as a tender and with a Mercury 3.5, it'll just get on the plane one up at about 5-6kts, top speed about 7kts, if you sit well forward. V-floor inflatables do seem to get on the plane somewhat easier with less power, so if your airdeck has a v-floor, you may find that 6hp may just do it two up, if you distribute the weight carefully. Buddy of mine has a Honwave 2.8 (yes, with a v-floor) and will easily get on the plane one up and just two up. If you can find a 2-stroke around 6 hp which you can lift one handed, IMO it will probably do what you ask. Having said that, I use the mainsheet to hoist the Mercury (18kg) as it's easier and safer.
 
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I bought a Valiant 260 RIB with a Yamaha 6hp 4 Stroke.

Planed easily two up.

However, an utter pain shipping and unshipping and we resorted to towing the thing halfway around the Med.

I sold the engine last year and replaced with a 2.5hp Yamaha. Miss the planning but not the hernias.
 
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If you want the lowest weight new 4 stroke 6HP, then its a Mercury.

However, someone here says they vibrate too much... one cylinder. But so does my Honda 6HP 4 stroke.

2 stroke engines were far better... but polluted more.:(
 
Monique said:
If you want the lowest weight new 4 stroke 6HP, then its a Mercury.

However, someone here says they vibrate too much... one cylinder. But so does my Honda 6HP 4 stroke.

2 stroke engines were far better... but polluted more.:(
Click to expand...

Acording to my research: Mercury, Mariner and tohatsu are all the same and made by tohatsu and 6 and 8hp motors are basically the same so I would be going for the most powerfull.
 
whipper_snapper said:
I see one on their website for £329.95, is that it ?

Looks like a good deal - do you know what it weighs ?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Check the site under special offers as they are doing them at £299 to clear stock.
They are made in China by the same people who make pretty much all the budget inflatables now and imported by Marathon lesure.
The 260 is a rebadged waveline 270 airdeck but slightly shorter.
I had a waveline 270 and found it very good quality etc.
check this link for tech details:

http://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/CHANDLERY-CLEARANCE/Gael-Force-Inflatable-Tenders/

And a bit of research shows Avon tubes as 13.5" or 34cm diameter and the Gael one is 37cm !

Oh, and I should say I have no connection to them etc, etc.

Nick
 
I do have a connection to them, (Sales Admin) :) - all information if required as follows:

GF260AD

Weight - 35kg
Max Load - 486kg
Persons 3+1
Max Rated HP - 10HP
Max Engine Weight - 46kg
Tube Dia. - 37cm
Overall Width - 142cm
Internal Length - 168cm
Internal Width - 66cm
Shipping Dims - 88x38x24cm
Overall Length - 260cm
Chambers - 3+1

(The airdeck is just that, an inflatable deck, makes a rigid floor when inflated, no V-floor, just to be clear)

and Nick is totally correct, they are the equivalent to other budget inflatables - and the price is an end of season clearance price.

I can also backup Nick's information there on the Tohatsu as far as Mariner is concerned - same engine, the carb(s) are different, but I have been reliably informed from Tohatsu UK that Mariner and Tohatsu 6HP are the same engine.
 
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