SIB tender/ENGINE advice needed pls

[willk]

I have noted (with blighted eye) that you SIB lot have been having altogether too much fun, so I want a go too

I am looking for a "super-tender" of 2.7M LOA or smaller, with a motor capable of planing her with two big lads OB, but able to carry three adults and some kit as a slow tender. This seems to point to an airdeck and a motor of 5-6HP? The plan is to use her as a tender sometimes but for bay hopping at others.

This is the time of the year to go deal hunting for packages so I'd appreciate some advice:

1. Guessing no hypalon - what's the next best fabric?
2. What are the best regarded small motors? Liking the new Yammie F6A as can be transported any which way up (good on a RIB). Pricey though
3. Other than launch wheels and a tiller extension, what other SIB specific kit would be good to include in "the deal"?
4. Who's making middling inflatable tenders? Those SIBs from Gaelforce look ok but they don't ship here. The Wetline 265AD kinda caught my eye, and there's a local Yammie dealer sells 'em. He has a cheap F4 on sale now but I don't know if it would have the power to do what I want.

Any other advice, observations or smart arsed comments warmly welcomed

[Mollers]

I'm no sibbing ex-spurt, but we do have a 2.3m dinghy. 5/6hp wont plane with more than oneget person onboard. Our 2.3m Quicksilver with a 5hp Tohatsu (simple, well built motor) will do 12knts one-up, chuck in an additional small child and she wont plane.

Not sure what max hp is on a 2.7, but it's got to be 8-9ish. IMV, Wetline dinghies are cheap and chearful, Avon and Zodiac are better, QS (Brunswick) are decent middling.

As for OB, go 2st and as light as poss.

[Nasher]

The smaller Nashers have a 2.8M Zodiac, that I've converted to an airdeck, with a Merc 4HP 2-stroke on the back. We call it an XR1.5

The lads are 11 and 13 and reasonably big for their ages, and the little boat gets up on the plane easily with both of them on board. It also manages it with me and just one of them, but not with all three of us.

Nasher.

[willk]

Reading between the lines - it sounds as if the airdeck is a must. Mollers, does your yoke have an airdeck?

I want a fairly fresh engine - when did wee 2 strokes get the chop? 2006?

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by willk

Reading between the lines - it sounds as if the airdeck is a must. Mollers, does your yoke have an airdeck?

I want a fairly fresh engine - when did wee 2 strokes get the chop? 2006?

Our's is wood slat/canvas. Steering is fun when on the plane.

http://www.tohatsu-uk.net/ 9.8hp still available to a select few I think.

If not, go light with a stroker.

[John Kennett]

Quicksilver 270 Airdeck with a Tohatsu 9.8 2-stroke.

The QS boats are good value. Not as heavy duty as an Avon, but decent quality and competitively priced.

I'd definitely go 2-stroke, and that Tohatsu is a corker. Mine will just about get my 340 Aerotec on the plane with 2 adults and 2 kids - on the 270 it should be great.

[willk]

Sorry if I'm labouring this point, but is it still possible to buy 9.8 Toohotsus new or are they readily available secondhand? I'm a bit isolated over here when it comes to used engine shopping

How much does one weigh?

That's a couple of votes for QS, thanks guys.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by willk

Sorry if I'm labouring this point, but is it still possible to buy 9.8 Toohotsus new .

Yeah, check out the website. 9.8 and 50hp 2st are available new, to commercial and race users. I'm sure that you could slip one through RB.

[jambo]

Hi mate just PM'd you
B

[Bigmuz7]

I dont understand all this ' 2 strokes are banned stuff' .. is it just that few people make them that meet the current emissions regs ? or what ? which means only optis and etecs meet the criteria for example (sorry to digress .. split off as you see fit matron) ....ooohhh a bit Kenneth Williams

[willk]

It's all emissions. TLDIs are cool too. I guess the wee premixers are verboten.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by willk

Sorry if I'm labouring this point, but is it still possible to buy 9.8 Toohotsus new or are they readily available secondhand? I'm a bit isolated over here when it comes to used engine shopping

How much does one weigh?

They are not available new for leisure use, but as Mollers says they may still be available for commercial users. I managed to find a barely used second hand one after a bit of searching.

They weigh 26Kg - nice and easy.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

I dont understand all this ' 2 strokes are banned stuff' .. is it just that few people make them that meet the current emissions regs ? or what ? which means only optis and etecs meet the criteria for example

It's just the old school carbed 2-strokes that are affected. New technology motors are fine.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

It's just the old school carbed 2-strokes that are affected. New technology motors are fine.

But there are no (?) new tech 2 strokes in the <10HP range, and new tech 2 strokes seem to be heavier than old tech which means that the "portability" benefit is going to be lost if/when they do eventually go that small.

[Bus_Boy]

OP, if your considering 6 hp, then you might aswell look at higher HP models. Most manafactuers use the same block between 6 and 15 hp, meaning they are the same wieght, or near on.

Any extra hp won't upset the boat (within reason obviously) at normal speeds, all it will do is allow you to cruise at whatever your desired speed, at lower revs, and provide enough power to get up on the plane when you have more weight in the boat.

SIB's can be difficult to plane sometimes, requiring you to often shift your weight forward, and once on the plabe, they prefer centre or rear biased weight.

[lightning]

My 2.85m Zodiac (solid floor with air keel) planes easily with my Mariner 6hp 4 stroke, achieving 14-15mph on the GPS.
That's with two of us on board, combined weight about 20 stone. However with three people it won't get past 6mph.

I looked at the Tohatsu 9.8hp but it weighs 36kg, and to be honest the Mariner is not easy to manhandle on and off the SIB and into the car at 26kg.
If you (and the boat) can cope with the weight then I reckon the Tohatsu would be the way to go. They are easily available on ebay at £1600 new.

[willk]

Originally Posted by lightning

My 2.85m Zodiac (solid floor with air keel) planes easily with my Mariner 6hp 4 stroke, achieving 14-15mph on the GPS.
That's with two of us on board, combined weight about 20 stone. However with three people it won't get past 6mph.

That's a useful bit of info. Thanks. Weighwatchers for Mrs willk perhaps ;-)

The Toohotsue in question here is the old 2 stroke, which weighs in at 27kg. Same as yours when the fluids are added. So it looks like JK is finally talking sense

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Bus_Boy

OP, if your considering 6 hp, then you might aswell look at higher HP models. Most manafactuers use the same block between 6 and 15 hp, meaning they are the same wieght, or near on.

Which manufacturers have 6hp and 15hp motors that weigh the same?

You're more likely to find 6-8hp at 25-30kg and 10-15hp at 35-40kg. The Tohatsu do 6/8/9.8 at 26kg and 9.9/15/18 at 41kg. Yamaha do 6/8 and 10/15 at similar weights. I haven't checked, but I would guess that most manufacturers are similar.

[willk]

OK guys, good info so far. Can anyone tell me if the above motors are the same or closely related? There is a suggestion in Google-land that they are, with perhaps a different throttle (not so good on the Mariner )

At 27kg and almost 10HP, either engine seems well matched with a decent 2.7m airdeck and so I'm looking around...

Incidentally, I'd never have come up with that combination without SIBnet, so thanks all!

Edit: A bit more looking would seem to refute this idea :-)

[lightning]

I see from the UK Tohatsu website that the 2-stroke 9.8hp (27kg) is still available new for "racing and commercial use". How would I be able to buy one of these engines? Tell them I race my SIB? That I intend to "use it commercially"?

Would I need to prove it?