Hi all,

I am going to get an 10 foot Avon RIB.  The question is, what size motor
should I get.  The boat will take a 15 hp motor that weighs 84#.  The next
smaller motor is 9.8 hp but it weighs 82#, almost the same as the 15 horse
motor.  The next smaller is 8hp and it weighs 59#.  I would like the boat to
plane but the heavier the motor the more hassle it is to wrestle with it.
So what do you think?  Is the 8 hp motor enough to make the boat plane?  Is
the weight reduction worth it?

All of the above numbers come from the West Marine catalog.

Thanks,

Nick Kluznick
K-39 Sea Horse
Palo Alto, Cal.

Nick wrote, amongst other things: >>Is the 8 hp motor enough to make the
boat plane?  Is
the weight reduction worth it?<<

The 9.9 and 15 hp motors have the same block, so weigh the same.  I found
also that there is a difference between engines with the same rating (which
may have to do with vintage).  I have a 10' RIB that planes quickly with one
aboard and not too badly with two aboard with a new Evinrude 9.9.  My older
Force 9.9 would cause it to just barely plane with one aboard (of course,
the one was me, with the weight of 1.5 <g>).  Don't know how to tell you to
tell the difference, but my guess is that the weight reduction doesn't
amount to much in the grand scheme of things, since it's but a few pounds.

et al.,

Please excuse this interruption to Nicks fine questions.  However, after
watching the Dingy Size Saga for these many weeks we wish to make a simple
observation.

Your dingy is your car.  This is to say, when you reach your destination the
dingy is your transportation for fun and exploration, fishing, diving,
sightseeing, shopping and so forth.

Further, statistics show that crusiers are at anchor more than 80 percent of
the time.  Here again, the importance of the dingy is focused.

Assuming the above to be true, the question is; "Why not get the largest
dingy you want?"  It appears that the primary consideration is what will fit
on the parent boat.

Consequently, tenders our being chosen that seriously limit all those
activities that you have paid hundreds of thousand (for the parent boat) in
order to get to places you can enjoy.  Seriously, have you ever tried to
scuba from a small dingy or pickup groceries when the seas are more than a
foot.  We recall going to a dance on one of the islands in a friends tender;
when we arrived we were all soaked.

The other consideration seems to be, "Will it fit aboard?"  We must admit it
is good to have everything aboard and dogged down.  Nevertheless, we have
traveled thousand of miles through most types of weather including hurricane
force and have always towed our "car."  As matter of record we have long ago
done away with bridles and what not, tying hard to the front  D ring.  Of
course, during close space maneuvers the tow line is tended, which has never
been a big problem.

Whenever, we start thinking about bringing her aboard we watch others
perform this task.  For example, not long ago we watched a 70 ft sport fish
bring their sixteen foot tender aboard.  Believe it or not it took  a crew
of 4 to wrestle theirs aboard while using a huge electric wench and jib
crane.  We recall numerous times we have seen damage that owners tell us was
caused while shipping the tender.

Again, we hope you do not object to this intrusion to Nick's questions and
hope we have provided something worthwhile to think about.  We have a
fourteen foot Achilles with a forty horse power Johnson that makes our life
tremendously more enjoyable.

Len Brunotte
lb@myguardian.com

P.S.  God forbid but should we ever need the tender in an emergency it is
ready.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com
[mailto:owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com]On Behalf Of Nick Kluznick
Sent: Saturday, January 16, 1999 2:09 PM
To: Trawler World List
Subject: Outboard

Hi all,

I am going to get an 10 foot Avon RIB.  The question is, what size motor
should I get.  The boat will take a 15 hp motor that weighs 84#.  The next
smaller motor is 9.8 hp but it weighs 82#, almost the same as the 15 horse
motor.  The next smaller is 8hp and it weighs 59#.  I would like
the boat to
plane but the heavier the motor the more hassle it is to wrestle with it.
So what do you think?  Is the 8 hp motor enough to make the boat plane?  Is
the weight reduction worth it?

All of the above numbers come from the West Marine catalog.

Thanks,

Nick Kluznick
K-39 Sea Horse
Palo Alto, Cal.

FWIW:

The 43 footer I bought this year has a hard top over the sundeck.  The
previous owner made a good modification to the boat.  Shoring the sundeck
hard top with a metal brace (4" diameter hollow pipe) from main deck to
sundeck top, and then on the top of the sundeck roof, just above the brace,
placed a swinging arm davit next to a dinghy stowage rack for the 11'
Alliance inflatable hard bottom dinghy.  The davit has a DC electric motor
with wire for raising and lowering.  It is a one person operation to pick up
the dinghy, swing the davit arm out and lower to the water on the strb
quarter.  The dinghy has a 4 point attachment with chain that is easily
hooked to davit wire.  It is also a one person operation to raise from the
water to stowage.  I've done this in 1.5 foot chop .. no problem.  In
heavier seas I would need more tending lines and another person.  The 11'
Alliance has a 25 hp outboard that moves us quickly and comfortable.  It
holds 4 people without problem and is rated for 6.  I have not noticed any
negatives except it reduces the visibility aft when docking.  This was
overcome by installing a mini-camera on the stern.

Phil Bolin
43' Vista, Apolonia
Stafford VA