Selecting a dinghy outboard

[Robert Sheridan]

We had a protracted problem with our main engine this year.  Fortunately we had just bought a engine for the dinghy and were able to use it to move Mango (T30); however, we had bought a short shaft engine for the dinghy, which is normal, but it cavitated badly on Mango if there was a chop so we would have been better of buying a long shaft for the dingy to give us a good back up engine for Mango and put up with the inconvenience on the dinghy of a deeper prop. 

[Ann and Neville Clement]

Hi there!

Nev and I no longer own Peace IV and have had to downsize to a 30 foot monohull with all roller furling and all lines led aft so Nev can sit in his arm chair at the nav station in the wheel house and handle everything to do with sails from there.  Sometimes you can get around the problems of old age (80 years old) with architectural changes.  In my case, the problem I have is pulling the outboard motor cord because they sometimes kick and that wrecks my wrist.  Since I usually am the one at the helm, that is a real pain that lasts and lasts over many days.

So we just bought a Torqueedo electric powered 1003 for the dinghy with a 24 inch shaft.  But that company makes a long shaft and also many larger engines and all can be recharged with solar panels. We expect delivery of our little 3 hp equivalent engine and will report here.  

Looking at these electric outboards, we are thinking they are very light weight but expensive, however they will not require us to buy fuel or do maintenance,  they are water proof, the battery is fully enclosed and I might even be tempted to look at a larger Torqueedo for some of hte small Wharrams like yours.

We plan to sail south in Peace at Last over the winter and will look for Wharrams along the way.  Nev has been upgrading this thirty year old boat all summer and redoing electrics, windlass, anchors, putting on davits, and generally Nevillizing her.  She is strong and will help us in our more advanced old age.

Everybody be safe out there with all these hurricanes!  Help reduce global warming!

Ann and Nev

[Robert Sheridan]

My step daughter and partner saw Peace when they were tranditting the panama canal earlier this year.

We looked at a totqueedo at the boat show but were put off by the price and battery capacity but had not thought about easy of starting.

VERY pleased to here you are back sailing, bet Nev enjoyed doing the refit.

Robert

Ann and Neville Clement said:

Hi there!

Nev and I no longer own Peace IV and have had to downsize to a 30 foot monohull with all roller furling and all lines led aft so Nev can sit in his arm chair at the nav station in the wheel house and handle everything to do with sails from there.  Sometimes you can get around the problems of old age (80 years old) with architectural changes.  In my case, the problem I have is pulling the outboard motor cord because they sometimes kick and that wrecks my wrist.  Since I usually am the one at the helm, that is a real pain that lasts and lasts over many days.

So we just bought a Torqueedo electric powered 1003 for the dinghy with a 24 inch shaft.  But that company makes a long shaft and also many larger engines and all can be recharged with solar panels. We expect delivery of our little 3 hp equivalent engine and will report here.  

Looking at these electric outboards, we are thinking they are very light weight but expensive, however they will not require us to buy fuel or do maintenance,  they are water proof, the battery is fully enclosed and I might even be tempted to look at a larger Torqueedo for some of hte small Wharrams like yours.

We plan to sail south in Peace at Last over the winter and will look for Wharrams along the way.  Nev has been upgrading this thirty year old boat all summer and redoing electrics, windlass, anchors, putting on davits, and generally Nevillizing her.  She is strong and will help us in our more advanced old age.

Everybody be safe out there with all these hurricanes!  Help reduce global warming!

Ann and Nev

[Budget Boater]

Realistically, primary propulsion outboards for a sailboat should be an extra long shaft (25") with taller gears and different propellers. These are not well suited to a dingy. You can always hip tie your dingy to the quarter for back-up propulsion of the mother ship. I have done this many times and with many different boats.

[Robert Sheridan]

Agreed but it is a bit tricky single handed :-) and not easy for getting in out of a Mediterranean mooring where you have boats on either side.

[Ann and Neville Clement]

Torqueedo makes a long shaft elecrric engine in the 3 horse equivalent which is 29.5 inches.  They also make larger engines.  Yes, expensive.  But for me, starting a gasoline powered engine with a pull cord is not possible.  I have the strength, but my wrist cannot cope with that kick.  They all kick.  We won't be buying fuel.  And without a dinghy and motor, we will not be safe to anchor out in remote areas.  There are larger batteries now with greater range and faster charging.  In our case, we gotta pay the money in order to get back on the water.  Easy decision for us!

[Andy Best-Dunkley]

I saw that Torqueedo have brought out a much larger "cruising" model, I think it is equivalent to maybe 8hp. I'd love to have a pair of those for our Pahi 42, but I really doubt they'd be powerful enough - and I'm never going to afford the motors + batteries! And how to get enough range or charge them? For Ann and Nev it makes perfect sense - reliable, quite, low maintainence, easy to start. I'm sure in a few years prices will come down and power and range will go up, so the rest of us will have to wait!