Which Motor for a 14' Inflatable

[Donnie1442000]

I use to have the same boat you do but a Zodiac you putt 4 divers in there and a driver I’m sure glad I had the 40 HP. But it depends on what you want to do are you going to do with it and if you are going to keep it on a trailer. If you are go for the 40 if not then I would go with something less than 100 pounds if you try to carry that 40 HP around you probably won’t have to worry about having kids. On a boat of that size I would stick with a 2 stroke because of their weight advantage usually about 20% less. Now that 20% is a very wide margin some are more some are less. As for being banded on inland lakes it depends on what one you get. My Tohatsu/Nissan TLDI is a two stroke but is allowed any where and burns cleaner then they mercury 4 stroke.

 

[stoddu]

Thanks for the information everyone! My boat will be on a trailer, but I'm still worried about a heavy motor doing damage to the transom when bouncing around while driving. Searching on the internet, I haven't seen any new motors above 30hp that have the 15" short shaft. Plus, I haven't seen any 2-stroke motors available that pass the CARB requirements in the size that I need.

Do you think a Tohatcu/Nissan 18hp would be enough to push around three divers and their gear?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Donnie1442000]

With 3 divers and seeing that you are in California I’m assuming you will be taking it out in the ocean I wouldn’t be comfortable with that combo for any thing less then short runs from the beach to the dive site. Keep in mind also that if you go with the smaller motor especially in a 2 stroke that if you don’t re-prop it so it runs in it’s RPM range you will burn up the motor a lot faster who ever you buy it from should be able to help you with this. You just won’t have much left in the motor to power out of anything if you need too. As for the transom that was a concern that I had and talked it over with the Zodiac people they said as long as you have the transom setting on the bunk of the trailer you are OK. Which makes sense you have 1 1/8” play wood only spanning the 4’ from bunk to bunk it can hold a lot more then that 200 pound motor. Here is a link to Tohatsu 40 HP motor which will pass all CARB requirements and has a 15” short shaft. Keep in mind that Tohatsu and Nissan are the exact same motor just different name. Nissan is only sold in the US. I had their carbureted motor on my 14’ zodiac and have 2 of their 90 HP motor on my current RIB and love them they are great motors. With that said when you purchase a motor make sure you have someone local that can work on them.

http://www.tohatsu.com/outboards/40tldi.html

 

[Wildcard]

The damge I have seen from leaving the motor mounted while trailering comes from the rotational stress from the motor bouncing and being stoped by the top seams. It's hard on them and I doubt other mfgs would recomend leaving a motor mounted.
You will not be happy with an 18 hp. Get a 25/30. 40 is too much IMHO.

 

[rjack321]

Thanks for the information everyone! My boat will be on a trailer, but I'm still worried about a heavy motor doing damage to the transom when bouncing around while driving. Searching on the internet, I haven't seen any new motors above 30hp that have the 15" short shaft. Plus, I haven't seen any 2-stroke motors available that pass the CARB requirements in the size that I need.

Do you think a Tohatcu/Nissan 18hp would be enough to push around three divers and their gear?

Thanks,
Steve

18hp is too small. You won't find new short shafts >25hp in stock. They are available by special order, but most new boats taking a 30 or 40 hp have long shaft transoms.

I have a 25hp on my 12.5 inflatable. I like Yamahas personally. Suzuki makes a nice light(er) weight 4 stroke in the 25-40 range though.

If this boat is for diving I'd get: 1st choice a 30 or 40 hp, 4 stroke, 2nd choice a 25hp 4 stroke. Most manufacturers aren't making small EFI 2 strokes, those are mostly larger 40+ hp models anyway.

 

[Nemrod]

I would not carry a soft inflatbile with the motor mounted on a trailer without rigging some sort of transom support that will prevent the motor bouncing on the fabric seams. It absolutely WILL reduce the life of the boat.

The current small engine market is a conundrum, small in horsepower, big in weight. What I am going to do is find myself another old Merc 25 and rebuild it--since I have such skills, know how to make fire and use sharp objects effectively. That engine is an excellent performer and will easily move the boat with three divers and deck hand.

Soft hull boats are not usually used for long voyages to distant dive spots over the horizon, for that you need a glass boat or a larger RIB. N

 

[saintsfan]

I recently got rid of a 14' achilles with a 2 stroke 25hp merc,I thought it was plenty of power sometimes too much when it wasnt loaded.the engine was probably the biggest engine that I would really call easy to handle . just for fyi I had the 11' baltic as a dinghy and it didnt handle the sun as well as my west marine,make sure to cover it.mine started to turn yellow very quick everything else was fine though

 

[rjack321]

granted I don't trailer my boat very far...

But I have good luck tying down the engine, not the boat. I put a racheting strap through the lower portion of the mouting bracket and pull the engine straight down (its not tipped up for travel). No or at least minimal stress on the transom seams - at least for the 4 years I've been trailering it this way. Its a 145lb 4 stroke Yamaha on a 12.5 ft Bombard. Electric start was a wise purchase for us. My wife could never start our previous pull start 15hp.

 

[RS]

I use to have the same boat you do but a Zodiac you putt 4 divers in there and a driver I’m sure glad I had the 40 HP. But it depends on what you want to do are you going to do with it and if you are going to keep it on a trailer. If you are go for the 40 if not then I would go with something less than 100 pounds if you try to carry that 40 HP around you probably won’t have to worry about having kids. On a boat of that size I would stick with a 2 stroke because of their weight advantage usually about 20% less. Now that 20% is a very wide margin some are more some are less. As for being banded on inland lakes it depends on what one you get. My Tohatsu/Nissan TLDI is a two stroke but is allowed any where and burns cleaner then they mercury 4 stroke.

Donny,

I appreciate your post but it's making me dizzy. I'm not sure if I should go for the 40hp 20% with or without not with the 100 pounds. The stroke is about 2 I guess or 4. Somewhere there?

I'm out on good behaviour. Obvious?

 

[rjack321]

I can plane 4 single tank divers in a 12.5ft AL floor Bombard with a 25hp 4 stroke. I only need to bring 3 gal of gas for the whole day which is nice too.

That's what I would get in your situation, the best combo of power, weight and cost. 40hp is bigger than you really need, 15hp is definately too small.

Any 2 stroke you buy in CA will be at least 5 years old. I consider the reliability of the boat/engine combo to be pretty important. So unless you know how to service an older engine yourself, go for new. And nowadays new means 4 stroke.