Best very small dinghy motor

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potter water

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1997
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R-21 Tug
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Poopsy
I need to buy a good, but small, very small dinghy motor. I already have an electric troller that I use, but I think I'd like a small two or four stroke.

I'm talking 1.5 to 2.5 horsepower.

Anyone have a strong opinion on any of the brands available?
 
Honda 2

On the plus side, it is air cooled so you can run it "dry", it is light, and it uses very little fuel and it is very simple.

Negative (slightly) Noisy, centrifugal clutch needs getting used to, no reverse (turn whole motor).

Even though is uses very little fuel, you will need to take a spare tank or modify it to run on a bigger tank.

Overall, quite satisfied.

hope this helps

M
 
I just bought a new Suzuki 2.5hp at the SBS. It is light, 29 lbs and has a neutral lever. I have yet to try it on the dink, but have run it in a tank. It is very quiet and starts easy. I really like the looks of it. I tried a Honda 2hp, but did not like the clutch and noise of an air cooled engine.
 
The Honda is a neat little motor but after giving one a chance, we swapped it out for a Tohatsu 3.5. They also make a 2.5 but the weight would be the same for the 3.5. The addition of a transmission for Neutral-Forward engagement was worth it alone but the quiet of the 4 stroke really seals the deal. The weight penalty was more than 10 lbs over the Honda but I would do it again and again.

Greg
 
We had a Honda long shaft and I was unhappy with the noise. We used our tender for taking the dog to shore, putting around and exploring once we were on the hook. The noise was in my opinion significant. In addition the motor gave off a good amount of heat in the summer. At the same time I noticed water cooled motors on tenders were less intrusive. My vote on the next is going to be a water cooled for the tender.
 
Tohatsu-read the writeup on the EQ Marine site. Both EQ and Wefings sell them.
 
I'd go with that 2.5 hp suzuki. I ordered one and after getting jerked around via the internet we bought a Yamaha locally for 800 dollars.At 27 pounds the Suzuki is one of the lightest and they have a decent reputation. We have a 2.5 HP Yamaha and although it is a tad heavier than the Suzuki it has been great little motor, easy to start. We have local service on Yamaha's if we need it. On Yamaha you have go to a 4 hp before you get the option of having a reverse gear and to be able to hookup to a remote separate gas tank.
D.D.
 
Suzuki 2.5hp
Click to expand...

Ditto. Will easily push Meredith & I along in our 7'11" dinghy but it will not plane it. I'm about 190#, she's a petite 100#. Starts, runs quietly, light weight, internal fuel tank, water cooled, has F/N but no reverse...
 
I have a Honda 2. It is noisy and the gas tank is small but I've had it for 10 years including a 3-4 year period of inactivity and it started up after that on the first pull. Yes, you do have to swivel it for reverse but I've gotten used to that. The best part: it is so very light; I can carry it with one hand. I've always wondered about using it for blended margaritas....


Honda.....trun it on, use it, turn it off.
 
We bought the Honda also. Yes the air cooled is a bit noisier but the advantage is that you don't need to flush it with fresh water after use in salt. To my mind, that's a big advantage as for my style of boating the dinghy motor gets used infrequently most of the time or on anchor (with limited fresh water availability) the rest of the time. It's nice to be able to just hang it on a bracket in the cockpit and not worry about it. Also, you can run it once in awhile in the winter without having to worry about hooking muffs and water to it. Running an engine a little every now and then is the best way to assure it runs for a very long time.
 
I am another vote for the Suzuki 2.5. I had the Honda 2 in a long shaft with centrifugal clutch, but didn't like it at all. If you want to troll from your dinghy, the Honda has to wind up too fast to get the clutch to engage. It's also noisy.

I bought the Suzuki 2.5, and although it is noisier than I would like, it idles down nicely. The Fwd/Neutral is nice.
 
A note on the Tohatsu, We had that 3.5 model because we needed the longshaft. I would say it is a great choice if you need a small longshaft but...... If I only needed a shortshaft, I too would go Suzuki or Yamaha 2.5 and save a bit of weight.

I also have a 4hp Yamaha longshaft but it weighs 62lbs and is in another class above the little units. I think it would be significantly harder to transfer to a dinghy on the water and would rather stay under 40lbs for that type of use if possible.

Don't forget about Torqeedo electrics. Pricey but could meet the needs of some folks.

Greg
 
Just ordered a 2.5 Suzie to complement my twin 50's on Still C-razy. Of course it will be pushing the dinghy. Although...........

Surprised at the price, only 679 bucks.
 
Honda 2hp, use it on my moore 24 sailboat, moves it no prob. 2000lbs.
 
I would at least rinse off any motor if it had contact any with salt water air cooled or not. To flush ours we just stand it up in a bucket of fresh water and start it up, shut off the gas run it till it stops simple stuff.
D.D.
 
What do you need?


Simplest, lightest:

Single cylinder, 2 cycle, air cooled, no shift, swivel for reverse, internal tank >

(to)

twin cylinder, 4 cycle, water cooled, full F-N-R shift, external tank capable

heavier, more complex, easier to operate (but not carry)

or, how about

an electric trolling motor and small battery?

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
If I were buying now I would get a small 4 stroke. It's great to read what some have been able to buy at a good price.

I purchased a 2003 Mecury 3.5hp 2-stroke back in 2004 with the Fwd/Neutral lever. The engine has it's own contained fuel tank (1 g) and it has proven incredibly reliable. It has been fully submerged in salt water twice (something I don't want to talk about :D) and after my own cleaning it came back and ran like a champ. I fill the tank at the start of the season and don't usually have to add fuel until late September.

After the first dunk I brought it to the dealer where I bought it. They said it was not worth the cost. I was not willing to give up that easily and decided to clean it myself. One afternoon in the shop and she fired right back up and ran great until the next dunk. Once cleaned she again ran like a champ. Starts first or second pull all season.

Good luck with your research.
 
I had an older Merc 3.3, two stroker, F-N and swivel for reverse. Loved it, usually less than a gallon of fuel for a season - (used on my Montgomery 15 sail boat) and it never missed a start, and never died. It ran pretty quiet and very reliable --- over 6 years. (Probably the same a Capt Matt's, just older, from 1998 I think).

I sure like the idea of the Honda 2, being air cooled, but they seem at least twice as loud as my Merc was.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

Forks_and_Friday_Harbor_2009_057.thumb.jpg
 
I just came across a post on the TrailerSailer web site under the Montgomery Forum about a 2.5 and a 5hp outboard that runs on propane. It uses the 16oz bottles or can be connected to a bulk bottle.
Looks interesting, but they said it is about a year from hitting the market.
 
Anyone have a strong opinion on any of the brands available?
Click to expand...

Since I was asked, my preference is for 90s vintage JohnnyRude twins in 3&4 hp.

33#s
Twist-grip throttle.
Smooth idling twin-cylinders.
F-N Gearing. Simply spin for reverse.
Parts & service everywhere.
Integral/external & external only fuel tank configurations.
Cheap. $350 for this as-new motor on Craigs List.

Herezzzz Johnny...4hp w/integral/external fuel tank

74_Quart_Sterlite.jpg

And herezzzz Rudy...4hp w/external fuel tank

ZZZ.jpg
 
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