My 15 HP 78 pound engine goes on in March/April and off in November or December. I have never even thought about trying to remove it and take it aboard. My RIB tows just fine with an engine on, although there is a fair amount of drag. My engine theory is this.
1. Stick to two strokes, 4-strokes are very heavy and have issues with being stored at certain angles. 2. Go big or go small, don't go for the middle. I can do 18-20 knots in the dinghy with a load of people and supplies. If I got a different type of dinghy I could not tow with the engine on, I would get a 2-3 HP 2-stroke I could pick up with two fingers. If you aren't planing anyway, the difference in speed between a 2 HP and 4 or 6 is minimal. If you just can't make yourself scavenge Craigslist for used engines, you can always subject yourself to the lawn mower noise of a 2 HP Honda. 3. This brings up another point, check the ratings of your dinghy for power and *weight*. My dinghy is rated for 25 HP, but also has a max engine weight of something like 125 pounds. I do not think any 4-stroke 25 HP engine will make the weight limit. Re the dates above, one year I decided to leave the dinghy in all year for bird photography at the wildlife park across the river. Not only does it concentrate the mind to be the only boat moving on a very cold day, it snowed while I was gone on business, then it got warm and rained, and then a cold front came through and I ended up with 3 inches of solid ice in the dinghy :( End of that experiment! Joe Della Barba Coquina C&C 35 MK I www.dellabarba.com From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of David Risch via CnC-List Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2020 10:30 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: David Risch <davidrisc...@msn.com>; Len Mitchell <xfireca...@gmail.com> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Stus-List Lifting an outboard This may be blasephy, but unless I am crossing the Gulf of Maine (or similar) I leave my engines on. Not worth all the rigging BS and my hurting my back. Never lost a rig, in too many to mention years, up here in the not always tranquil New England. Mind your weather and your painter. And if I do lose it? Thats why I have insurance. Sent from my Android. Please forgive typos. Thank you. on -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
_______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
