Tohatsu 8hp or 9.8hp

[paulburton44]

I am buying an inflatable dinghy around 3m long and want an engine.....!

I have been looking at the Tohatsu range and see that the 8hp and 9.8hp look the same, same 209cc and are around the same weight.

Is the extra 1.8hp worth the extra £200.00 ???

What sort of speed do you think I would get out of these 2 engines with just one person onboard ?

 

[VicS]

Depends on the type of bottom the inflatable has. Should get 15 to best part of 20mph with a rib with 2 people up but only about 12 mph or so with a slatted floor or ply floor.Very wet with a wobbly floor and a round tail!

Avons do, or did, give expected performance figures for their boats with different sized engines. Therefore ask your boat manufacturer/supplier what you should expect.

 

[paulburton44]

I am looking at an air deck with air keel....

 

[Channel Ribs]

If you buy from the right place the difference is less than 200 pounds /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Unless you plan to use the boat a lot I would go for the higher power.

 

[Saguday]

We have a Tohatsu 9.8 on a 3.4m AB rib. No idea what the actual speed is but it planes easily with a family of four!

Excellent engines imho, I'd recommend getting the 9.8 as there is no weight penalty and in rough or windy conditions it's nice to have the extra push.

 

[cliffdale]

My 9.8 is brilliant. My 2.7 rib struggles to get over the hump but once on the plane I throttle off.
Worth the extra!
Cliff

 

[bazobeleza]

I have a tohatsu 9.8 with leccy start, on a 2.7 rib, absolutley superb. Would reccommend with no hesitation.

 

[JerryHawkins]

I have the 8hp version on a Quicksilver 270 airdeck. It can do 16 knots two-up with shopping (according to the hand-held gps)!

I didn't go the the 9.8 since it can only be a more highly tuned version of the 8 and therefore slightly more "stressed" with potentially shorter life.