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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Is neutral gear needed for 3.5 hp dink OB?

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sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/10/2004 : 17:32:46

I recently bought a small inflatable dink, and I'm looking at outboards, Figure I'm going with a 3.5 because of the 28 lb light weight. My question is this, is it worth the extra $70. to have a neutral gear? Being the engine is so tiny I was wondering if it is needed. Thanks!

Suzie, Tropical Sleigh

WB #619 Sarasota FL.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/10/2004 : 19:48:26

Hi Suzie,
I used to own a 3hp johnson that had no neutral or reverse. I know several people with the little 3.5s with neutral and forward. Spinning a motor is an odd behavior, you need to be very deliberate without a neutral. I think it is a proximity thing which can be mitigated with time. In a dink you are sitting almost on top of the motor and spinning it will seem fairly natural, you should get very comfortable with it quickly. The keel boats that use them require you turn around and stop looking at the front of the boat just to be sure you are grabbing it correctly, it just makes it less natural, but people get used to it. They are beloved at our club by the Capri 22 people and one guy pushes his Cat 25 with one on race days. Bottom line, the neutral helps to prevent hitting things while the engine is still running and allows the spin to be a little more casual.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 08/10/2004 19:52:00

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 08/10/2004 : 20:00:42

I have a 2.5 Honda and sure wish it had neutral

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/10/2004 : 21:19:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by sailgal
 ...is it worth the extra $70. to have a neutral gear? Being the engine is so tiny I was wondering if it is needed.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I think it'll be the best $70 you've spent in a while. Reverse you can do without--spinning the engine works fine--but you want to be able to start it without taking off.

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Gary B.
Admiral

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USA
969 Posts

Response Posted - 08/10/2004 : 21:45:30

I have a 3 hp OB I bought from Douglas a couple of years ago. I love it. No neutral, but I give the boat a little push, give it a pull and away you go. It is very easy to hold the boat next to a dock or your own boat while it idles away. Yes, a neutral would be handy once in awhile, but don't miss a good deal on a small OB without it. It is a nice "feature", but NOT a necessity, IMHO. But I still roll up my own windows in my car, too. I am not one for "features", I guess. KISS works for me...

Gary B.
s/v Encore! #685 SK/SR
Vice Commodore

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oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 08/10/2004 : 22:39:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by sailgal
 ...is it worth the extra $70. to have a neutral gear? Being the engine is so tiny I was wondering if it is needed.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I think it'll be the best $70 you've spent in a while. Reverse you can do without--spinning the engine works fine--but you want to be able to start it without taking off.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I agree, and I feel the ability to run the engine without the prop spinning is a safety feature well worth the 70 bucks.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 08/10/2004 : 23:57:54

I ran into a fellow up at Lake Tahoe last summer who had a Honda 2 on his dinghy, and he said the lack of a neutral got really tiresome. Approaching any kind of landing means you have to shut the motor off in the last few feet so you don't ram the dock hard, but if you shut down too soon, or a gust of wind pushes you off course, you have to start the motor again. He said he wished he had bought the Yamaha 2.5, which has a gearshift, it was the same price as the Honda, but the store didn't have one in stock the day he needed it.

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sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2004 : 01:03:22

Thanks fellas for the input, you all raised interesting points which makes the decision a lot more black and white for me. I think I'm gonna go with the neutral feature. Thanks again!

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.