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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Dinghy outboard - forward/neutral or forward only

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Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/25/2005 : 22:33:12

I've been looking at outboards for my inflatable dinghy and I'm leaning toward the 3.3hp Tohatsu. It's available in a model that's always in gear or one that has a shifter that allows it to be put in neutral. The shifter adds about $130 to the price. Does anyone have any experience with these models that are always in gear? I assume when these things are at idle, the prop is turning but not pushing very much. I'm just wondering if this complicates maneuvering along side the sailboat or a dock...

Dave & Deb

Frayed Knot
C-250wk #270

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2005 : 22:52:42

Always buy what makes you glad you spent the money. Yes I have had an in gear all the time twist around OB and it takes a great deal of zen. With the neutral you not only have the ability to idle without drive but you can reverse it (spin it) in neutral and then put it in gear to reverse, a far more relaxed event.

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Rich G
Navigator

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226 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2005 : 01:59:45

My dinghy outboard is an always-in-gear model. It's almost as old as I am (1969 Evinrude). Sometimes I think it's going to outlast me. I have no complaints with my motor.

However, if I were buying a new one, I would spend the extra money for neutral. You'll survive fine without it, but $130 seems well worth it to me for the extra control.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2005 : 06:27:59

I used a friends forward only last spring, and didn't like it. I just bought the 3.5hp 2 stroke tohatsu with shifter from internet outboards.

If you are planning on buying this motor, you better find one fast and get it as they are no longer allowed to import it by the EPA. Only folks who have it in stock will sell you one. When I bought mine a month ago the shifter models were hard to find.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2005 : 10:20:09

>"they are no longer allowed to import it by the EPA"

Yep, I guess they reckon all those 3 hp outboards are what's smokin' up the planet. Heck, one run-of-the-mill forest fire puts out more smoke than all the two stroke outboard engines in the world will for the next hunnert years.

Oh well, the folks in Washington gotta have something to do.

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2005 : 14:24:23

Defender.com shows them in stock.

I am still saving for a bigger one on the transom.

Tom.

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2005 : 16:26:19

Dave,
Spend the extra money for the neutral. I have a 2hp Johnson I picked up off E-bay earlier this year. No neutral,spin it around for reverse. I have it for my inflatable, you can manage it okay takes a little practice, but the neutral would be nice. Can't complain to much, only paid $150 for it and it runs like a top.

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glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2005 : 21:13:15

Bubba,
Just last weekend I happened to be at the dinghy dock when a couple of seasoned sailors just started their dinghy outboard (always in gear) with a bit too much throttle. If I had not by chance been standing right there I'm sure they would have plowed underneath the dock possibly injuring one or both of themselves. That one incident convinced me...neautral is worth the cost.

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glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2005 : 21:20:54

ClamBeach...just for the record, its the age of the carbon that counts; that in forests is on the scale of a several decades old and can be thought of as simply part of the Earth's circulation system. Carbon in "fossil" fuels is on the scale of ten to hundreds of millions of years old that has long been out of circulation....putting that carbon back into circulation is humanities legacy...imho

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2005 : 06:59:17

I'm going to use my 3.5 Tohatsu on my dinghy, not my 25 transom. I figure that if you have to let it warm up first for a few minutes in order to make the engine last longer, I want it in neutral, and not have to control it like Mister Toad's wild ride.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2005 : 12:05:21

>'putting that carbon back into circulation is humanities legacy...imho'

Point taken... the point I was trying to make was that the pollution created by 3 hp outboards (or probably all outboard motors in the entire world) is likely inconsequential in the big picture.

The inhabitants of this planet have bigger stuff to worry about.

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2005 : 14:06:05

Polution is going to get us eventually.

I Fly Navy a Navy P-3.
14 flights a day in my Squadron.
3500 gallons per flight.

= 49000 Gal a day.
= 245000 Gal a week.
= 11,600,000 Gal a year!

I have to believe a 3 hp 2 stroke is not going to do anything to the planet.

Just an opinion.

Tom.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2005 : 18:35:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by glivs
 ..putting that carbon back into circulation is humanities legacy...imho
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
All species ultimately render their habitat untenable, its ok it is the circle of life.

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seastream
Navigator

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USA
242 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2005 : 21:39:20

I have the Honda air cooled 2 hp four stroke on my dinghy, no neutral. A centrifugal clutch is used to engage the prop when the throttle is advanced. It took a few trips to master, but I'm pretty good now at 'tickling' the throttle for low speed maneuvers. That said, it's only used for the 1/2 mile run to our mooring. When we get a larger boat where we'd take the dink with us on long trips, we'll probably upgrade to a larger engine with FNR controls.

Bob

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