6 hp Set up?

[MEK]

After a recent fishing trip with my Father in law he has expressed an interest in getting a new boat. We discussed his needs and settled on a 12 foot air floor inflatable and a 6hp 4 stroke outboard. The main consideration on the outboard was weight and the small size of the new 60lb 6 horses fits the bill for something he can handle without too much trouble. My question is would you still put a hydrofoil stabilizer on a motor this small? If so any suggestions on a model?

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

A 12" uses 9.9 minimum to 15 HP, 6 HP is a poor performer with an air deck, a hydrofoil won't do any good, better distribute weight from middle towards bow to achieve the same effect, but doubt to plane that combo with 2. If affordable go for a Tohatsu 9.8 HP, still portable and with better punch & overall performance than with a 6 HP.

Go for a alum pannel 12" sib instead of an air deck, air deck floors rocks no matter how well you have that sib inflated to, it's the nature of that beast and nothing can de done. Or it's a portability/assemble issue instead of bottom rigidity ?

Happy Boating

 

[MEK]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

It all comes down to weight in this case. My Father in law is almost 70 and a very small guy, combined he and his wife make about 250lbs. I used to plane with 2 in my 10 foot/8hp set up and I'm a very big guy. I realize the 6hp is a poor performer at this size but I think it should work for them with proper weight distribution. I has hoping to squeak whatever little bit more performance we could. I just don't know if a stabilizer will cost too much of the already too little power. I will talk to him about the 9.8 though, we had been looking at the 9.9's which are another 10-20lbs. If he can handle the extra 20lbs it would make a huge difference. It came down to a comfortable weight for him to lift and if it's convenient he'll use it more. The air deck was chosen for portability and ease of assembly since he wants to RV with it. I suggested a 12 foot over the ten foot since he wants to take the occasional trip out in the ocean near his home. The extra 2 feet of length, 6 inches of width and 2 inches of tube diameter make a big difference in terms of seaworthiness. He won't be going fast but he'll still be coming home comfortably. We'll have to disagree on the air/hard floor debate, I'll be selling my hard floor model in the spring to go back to an air floor. I agree they perform better but they're not worth the hassle if you're not always trailering.

 

[MEK]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

If the extra 24lbs of motor weight is too much for him, do you think he should stick to a 10 foot model boat instead of the 12 I suggested?

 

[lncoop]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

He should be fine with the six horse as long as he doesn't expect too much of it, which doesn't appear to be the case. IMHO adding a whale tail would be a waste of time and money.

 

[CapeAnn]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

I had a pal with a Tohatsu 6 HP on a 10' + inflatable. The Tohatsu 6 is a very nice motor. It was adequate for putting around, but not so much for carrying extra weight/people around in a ten footer. That said - I guess it all comes down to a matter of how much muscle and hassle a senior person might want to put up with vs. ditching the idea all together. I know I feel that way sometimes when I have to haul out the 15 hp and get it mounted on the transom (single-handedly) + put the inflatable on a trailer. It can all be too much of a bother.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

He better stick to a 12"" footer, will have more deck space, the weight difference from a 10" to 12" is minimum; if a 9.8 is out of budget, could go for a Tohatsu 8 HP, both weights and have same CC, 8 is the restricted younger brother to the 9.8 model. If portability and less weight is a must have compared to a wooden or alum panel floor, definitely an air deck will be the right choice. A 12" footer with a 9.8 HP will make a difference compared to same 6 HP combo.

Happy Boating

 

[MEK]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

Funny thing, unlike most of us the money is not a concern for him. Hence me telling him to buy some toys and have some fun while he can still get out to enjoy them. It's strictly a weight issue, the boat can be wheeled on launch wheels to the back of his truck easily and flattened. Rough roll it and throw a tie down strap around it. A piece of plywood can be used as a ramp to skid it up into the back of his truck via a cheap ATV winch. The motor (and boat too potentially) can ride on a hitch carrier since his box is carpeted. The only parts that really have to be lifted are the fuel tank and the motor. If he wasn't going on the ocean I'd get him to have a look at that new 16 foot Kaboat Saturn has out. It's basically a freighter canoe with more stability and a 6hp would be plenty but the part of the ocean he goes out can turn quickly. I can actually see him getting an aluminum flack deck if he starts taking out regularly but for the rest of the time it has to be light for take down and loading into the RV.

CapeAnn, I used to not like lifting my 15hp either onto my 11 foot. Now I have a 14 foot and a 30hp I despise lifting. Funny the guy I bought the motor from was a little older than me and was down sizing to a 20hp. I see now not only was he a little older he was a little wiser too.

 

[jspringator]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

Let us know how it does. I have a 6hp Johnson that weighs 55 pounds. Sometimes the 85 lb 15hp is a little much to carry.

 

[MEK]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

He won't be picking anything up until he snowbirds this winter so it will be a while. Here is decent video of a 12 footer with a 6hp, solo rider mind you. I found with you tube you can find all sorts of Hp and boat sizes to get an idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZfN7hlWlRA&feature=related

 

[MEK]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

Thank you Sea Rider, spoke to him tonight and he sounds pretty keen on the 9.8. He said who ever comes along can help mount it.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

Definitely money when you have worked all your life won't be an issue, all mentioned HP are tiller models, portable & affordable, great water spirit to enjoy outings untill he is able to, go straight for the 9.8 model, will be in the middle of the 6 and 15 HP. Tohatsu has done a great job making the portable 9.8 and having the weight down compared to 10 & 15 models. If you can get a 2 strokes version, the better, much lighter. And there's always someone to lend a hand to place that 9.8 inside RV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gjIncVkvRs&feature=related

Happy Boating

 

[fbpooler]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

There is a big difference between 60 and 80 lb motors to manhandle. Remember the story of the straw breaking the camels back? If he can find a 9.8 Nisson or Tohatsu two stroke, it will do a good job for him. We enjoy ours.

Handling a hard floor boat vs an air floor in the bag is different also. The hard floor can be carried separate from the boat fabric which makes it easier for one man to handle dissassembled. Once assembled, the 12 ft hard floor can be a bear to carry unless it is fitted with wheels. That is why we do not own one to use on our camping trips.

We carry a 9 or 10 ft inflatable from the camp site to the launch area on the top of a toneau mounted on the pickup truck. It would not be good to leave a motor home at the launch site in many areas.

Hit 71 this year and the days of hauling the 80 lb motor are a thing of the past. The 118 lb 25 HP was doable several years ago, but darned if gravity did not increase over the past few years.

 

[scarface]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

I searched Craigslist and found a 10.3' foot RIB by Avon with trailer and a 9.9 Yamaha 2 stroke all for $460. Total weight of boat and motor combined is about 160#. Look around, there are some great deals out there! This thing will jump on plane and top out at around 20 MPH. Will go faster with my 9.8 4-stroke which has a higher pitch prop. Don't see how you could go wrong with this setup as long as you stay away from oyster banks and sharp objects around docks.

View attachment 119879

 

[fbpooler]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

Interesting that prop pitch came up. We have two props of different pitch for both our 9.8 and 15 HP motors. The props are valuable for different loads in the boats, and perform well as long as you keep the revs proper for the motors. Without using a tach, you never know if you are using all the power designed in a motor. Don't be sidetracked by comparing motors based on what prop is used on a prospective motor unless you tach the engine at speed to see how well it is performing. The gear ratio of the foot gearing makes it impossible to compare two different motors by prop pitch alone.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you are not getting satisfactory performance from a boat/motor combination, changing the prop pitch is an easy way to improve performance. We find that it is a good thing to check, especially on an inflatable. Motors are sold with props matched "for standard service" whatever that is. When we purchased the 15 HP, the standard prop was way high on pitch and would not allow the motor to reach recommended RPM. It would probably blow the doors off of a 12 ft jon boat, but a 14 ft fiberglass bogged the motor down.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: 6 hp Set up?

Higly agreed, don't play with prop pitches unless you have a tach and know the correct min/max rpm parameters for your engine, you could ruin or blow that engine. 20 MPH for a 10'3 rib and a 9.9 engine sounds too much....

Happy Boating