Tender with 6hp longshaft?

[vodzurk]

Hey everyone,

Just approaching the end of my 2nd year boating, and loving every minute of it so far (aside from thinking it's on fire and gonna be vaporised when petrol explodes, or that one time we drove through a live firing range, but those aside...)

We're in the Bristol Channel, and bought a lovely backup/aux... a 6hp Tohatsu, long-shaft. We never expected to use it... but it got about 10 hours of use over 2 breakdown incidents (bladdy alternator belt + tensioner ceasing).

Our current boat is pretty tiny, just a 23 foot Sealine 195.

I'm wondering if for next season we could have a tender that doesn't need rowing, like Yellow Sausage (went on the canals, and needed to give it a registered name)...



So my question is... what options would you reckon I have?

Concerns I have:

• Size+weight of tender would be a concern as it'd need to compact into either the engine bay (there's a section which could fit maybe 2x4x2 (WxLxH) feet (though I'd have to work out how to ensure it didn't swing into the side of the engine). Alternatively, we could chuck it in the cuddy, and turf it out whilst sleeping..
• Most tenders seem to cap out at 4hp for appropriate engine size. The weight bumps up @6hp (something about dual cylinders i think) to ~30kg + fuel.
• Long shaft... should i be concerned? It needs to be long to function as our backup.
• Transfer - I guess there's little I can do about this... but @ 30kg, it's not an easy thing to transfer it to the mounting brackets, even tied up in our berth. This is probably the thing more than anything that will put me off until we get a bigger boat... but even with a 33ft... mounting 30kg of engine is gonna be awkward! Is this just something you get used to?
• I might just be being impractical for the amount of use it'd get. But it could open up otherwise-drying harbours (like Ilfracombe) in picking up a buoy, then zipping in and dumping it in front of the pub, or ferrying in fuel for the return trip.

Cheers everybody!

 

[BruceK]

Not cheap but a 3D SUPERLIGHT TWIN AIR 290 tender would fit the bill.

http://www.3dtender.com/FOLDABLE-TENDERS-148-61-0-0.html

The long shaft is a compromise and not ideal but it should still get you on the plane at a good pace however from my own experience a 30 kg engine is quite a handful when transitioning it to and off the tender and is probably the biggest compromise. I've eventually settled for a 3hp engine and 4knt speeds but do miss the sheer thrill of having a go-kart on water

 

[vodzurk]

Not cheap but a 3D SUPERLIGHT TWIN AIR 290 tender would fit the bill.

http://www.3dtender.com/FOLDABLE-TENDERS-148-61-0-0.html

The long shaft is a compromise and not ideal but it should still get you on the plane at a good pace however from my own experience a 30 kg engine is quite a handful when transitioning it to and off the tender and is probably the biggest compromise. I've eventually settled for a 3hp engine and 4knt speeds but do miss the sheer thrill of having a go-kart on water

Wow, that's a pretty sweet thing. Looks terrifyingly small for a 30kg engine though!... actually... maybe the vids are just promoting the tiny 160cm model, not the 290cm.

Pricewise they seem to go for ~£600 new (https://oceanfirstmarine.co.uk/products/superlight-twin-air-290)... so possible there might be some 2nd hand for half that .

Edit: Wow, that weight! For the 290cm, it's LIGHTER than our inflatable kayak!

 

[Bouba]

In two of my boats where I’ve used a long shaft outboard, I have raised the transom higher. They are usually made of a piece of plywood, so it doesn’t require much wood working skills to do this by a few inches.
I don’t think it’s ideal to have the propeller too low in the water

 

[BruceK]

... actually... maybe the vids are just promoting the tiny 160cm model, not the 290cm.

Yes. The video covers from the 160 to the 290. I have a 270 tender (not 3D) and it easily fits 4 (2 adults + 2 kids) plus picnic luggage and with a squeeze the family dog... provided it's tiller control

edited to correct. My tender is 270

 

[TQA]

Almost any dink will manage with your 8 hp just don't open the throttle full I used an 8 hp Yam on a tiny Avon the one with the curved bracket that fitted on the back tube when my 2 hp Johnson went sick

I would see if you can fit a swiveling outboard crane to manage the transfer from mother ship to dink. I could muscle my 8 hp in my 40s but don't even try with my 18 hp nowadays.

In your position I would strongly recommend that you consider buying a 2 hp 2 stroke to go with the small inflatable. It can be managed 1 handed. If tempted by the small aircooled Honda OB make sure you have a trial putter on the water with one before buying one as they are very noisy.

 

[[2068]]

Wrestling 20kg of engine around is bad enough (5hp two stroke).
The discs in my spine are already compressing at the thought of lifting 30kg of engine.

Have you thought about mounting a small tender on some sort of snap davits at the stern?
Might be easier than inflating / deflating each time.
Our first small tender had a 3.3hp two stroke which was fine for bimbling around.

 

[Tranona]

The 6hp is not suitable for a small inflatable for exactly the reasons mentioned. Too powerful, too heavy and long shaft is wrong for 2 reasons. First the thrust is too low in the water and may create steering difficulties and will also restrict use in shallow water. If you expect to use the dinghy for longer journeys, buy a proper short shaft 2.5 - 3.5hp or row.

 

[Firefly625]

I had a small merry fisher with a 6hp L/S auxiliary, used to put it on the back of a Seago 240 dinghy. Getting it on the dinghy used to be OK, as from the auxiliary bracket to the back of the dinghy was not far, however what was always a bit alarming was the very little freeboard the dinghy had for the few seconds I was standing at the back of it with a 30kg engine my hands. Once engine on the back of the transom and I had moved my bulk forward it was fine, but every time I prayed nobody went past and caused a wash as it would have all come straight over the dinghy transom... but it worked, it enabled us to carry an auxiliary & tender motor in one. I seem to recall the seago 240 was rated for up to 5hp.. so was overloaded with 6hp so probably something nobody should actually recommend..