Let me underline one of Doug's comments. A dinghy is more or less
useless as a "get home" device. While theoretically a 25hp outboard
will move a 35' trawler along at 3-6 knots, the outboard's propeller
will be pitched to move the dinghy at maybe 20 knots and you'll lose a
lot in the towing, whether you hip tow or tow ahead.

You might make an outboard work if you change the prop and mount it on
the swim platform, but take a look at fuel consumption -- you'll need
a lot of fuel.

Jim Woodward
www.mvfintry.com

DSK wrote in message ...
Mark wrote:

I am researchig trawlers for a future purchase that will take me away
from sailboats. I have loacted several trawlers in the 38-40 foot
range that I may be interested in.

Last fall, my wife & I bought a trawler to cruise in. This has hardly
taken us away from sailing. I still have three sailboats and won a regatta
this past weekend. Getting a trawler has reduced the amount of time we
spend pretending to sail towards a destination, and at the same time it
has allowed us to get a more roomy & comfortable boat with shallower draft
that can also go under bridges... so it has opened up much wider cruising
grounds.

But I digress, sorry.....



I have found most to have twin
engines but a couple come with a single 120-135 hp engine uaually with
a bow thruster. Singles do not bother me because I am not in a hurry,
don't care for the extra maintance and will only be boating in the
Great Lakes. What I would like to know is if these singles would
provide adequate power to cruise at least 7 kph.

Yes. Easily. Our trawler has a 135hp single and cruises at 7.5 ~ 8 knots
at about 3/5 throttle. Our fuel consumption in this range is slightly less
than 2 gph. If pushed to max RPM, the boat will go about 8.6 in still
water.


I plan on a larger
dinghy with a minimum 25 hp outboard to provide emergency get home
propulsion.

You'd be better served IMHO to invest the same time & money in engine
maintenance, and get a rowing dink. The exercise would be healthier too.

See Jim Woodward's comments on engine reliability. Assuming even
half-compentent maintenance and operation, FWC marine diesels are
tremendously reliable. The usual cause of failure is fuel related...
either dry tanks or crud in the filters. Filter elements are very cheap
insurance, and if you don't want to go to the bother of changing them
often, then you shouldn't have a boat at all.

I would be interested in some of your thought on the
single engines.

More than what I've already said?!?

Fresh Breezes- Doug King