What size outboard are you running

[no excuses]

90hp yamaha 2stroke

on a avon 5.4m sea rider, with 3-4 divers and a couple of tanks each, 32mph tops out, cruise at 24mph and get around 4 mpg

 

[Mr.X]

Quick update on motors - seems Suzuki is backlogged with their small outboard production in Thailand. Seems political unrest is the culprit. Also, Suzuki is supposedly not the best 15 hp outboard out there as it is really a 9.8 carbureted up to 15 hp. That being said it is the lightest 15 hp outboard.

So, it seems Tohatsu/Nissan/Mercury is the motor of choice, but lugging 114 pounds up and down a transom with only my wife a little dog as helpers isn't going to be great for my back, or bowels. I might give the used market a look and maybe I'll score a 2 stroke out there that gives me the ummph I want without the weight. I've attached a .pdf about 15 hp motors for your information.

Cheers,

X

 

[DennisS]

How many times are you going to have 4 divers in the boat, it's a really cramped way to dive.

I had a 12 ft achilles with a 25 hp Johnson 2 stroke, the only time I took it past half throttle was when I wanted a speed rush. I wouldn't do it too long for fear of being bounced out of the boat.

I cursed that 25 every time I loaded, unloaded, carried it up stairs and felt my back twinge when I got into some awkward position. I offered several people with 15's an even trade, nobody took me up. Pick up a few motors and move them around. Portability is the main advantage of an inflatable. Motors are an awkward load to handle, think of what a pulled back would do to your day or week.

 

[Mr.X]

How many times are you going to have 4 divers in the boat, it's a really cramped way to dive.

I had a 12 ft achilles with a 25 hp Johnson 2 stroke, the only time I took it past half throttle was when I wanted a speed rush. I wouldn't do it too long for fear of being bounced out of the boat.

I cursed that 25 every time I loaded, unloaded, carried it up stairs and felt my back twinge when I got into some awkward position. I offered several people with 15's an even trade, nobody took me up. Pick up a few motors and move them around. Portability is the main advantage of an inflatable. Motors are an awkward load to handle, think of what a pulled back would do to your day or week.

There is no way this little inflatable is going to be used as a dive boat. It'll be for putting around some estuaries, lakes and near shore stuff. As per the pulled back - that is a concern. Sucks to be laid up in bed. Worse when you know you could have avoided it.

For diving I would be looking at something in the 40 - 50 ft range and docking the boat at the marina where I could be entertaining all my blonde women folks like Tiger Woods.


X

 

[deepwater]

tiger woods is a blonde women folks ????? I've been so wrong for so long.


I run a 115 johns with a 125 pwr head on my 28ft toon.

 

[350xfire]

Why not do a 2-stroke for power and weight?

 

[Thunder Bay Minnow]

I am running a 15 horse Johnson on my smaller inflatable and it does fine with two divers and four tanks.

 

[Mr.X]

Hey Fellas - I wanted to thank you all for their recommendations.

My sparse time, numerous & fiddly regulatory policies (transfers/insurance) here in the Commonwealth of MA, plus general home repairs prevented me from launching my new inflatable & trailer. Bummer. :depressed: However, there is always next season! :blinking:

In the meantime the only real engine I put any time towards was my carido. The Cape Ann area of Ma. is cyclist mecca and there are numerous routes which never take a rider too far off the home path. So, here's a picture of the engine assistant - A new Carbon 2011 bike. Not quite 15 hp, but certainly easier to launch.

Again, thanks for all your assistance and I should have motor news in 2011!

Sincerely,

X

 

[Mr.X]

Follow up - just purchased a Tohatsu 15 HP. It is a big m-----r. Certainly a lot bigger than the 9.8 Tohatsu which I considering for weight savings. I chose the Tohatsu 15 HP for these two reasons - the Tohatsu 9.8 HP felt a tad underpowered for a 10' -11' boat and the Suzuki 15 reportedly has a vibration issue at full throttle. An outboard shaking itself to pieces on the transom is not something I want to deal with when I have to get out in a hurry. Will posts pics. soon.

Cheers,

X

 

[Nemrod]

The older Yamaha and Merc 25 horse two strokes would easily move that boat loaded. It is what I used on mine most of the time. The new four strokes are 60% heavier in the horsepower range and simply do not have the planning torque. If you could find a clean Yamaha 25 two stroke you would be golden, right at 100 pounds, plenty of go power.

N