(Tim Synge) wrote in message . com...

Hi Simon,

It's the old story of compromises - just as there is no single car
that will meet all the needs of the average family (I want an
Espace-sized vehicle with Lotus performance that I can park easily!),
there's no boat that will do all these things.

Within the parameters you set, it seems to me that you really won't
get much in the way of sailing performance - certainly not with more
than one or two occupants.

But the thing that I would be most wary of is using a small light boat
of the type you describe to visit neighbouring bays - a small
inflatable four-up is likely to be at risk if you are in a swell or
waves on the open sea. Four in something smaller than a Mirror is not
ideal for this kind of use. Presumably there is no way that you can
store/moor at sea level rather than at the top of the cliff?

Sensible comments indeed. I used to have a 16' Fletcher Arrowsport
with 80HP on the back which was moored just off the coast within the
shelter of an offshore reef, but the water-skiing days are gone.

I'm looking for something much smaller scale, mostly for messing
around in and teaching the children some basic sailing. Fantastic
sailing performance is not important really, and I certainly wouldn't
expect to be able to sail with more than 2-up. It'd be nice to get
four in when rowing or motoring though.

You're right that small boats and big swells don't mix of course, but
the idea would be to get something that could be used to round local
headlands if/when the sea was sufficiently calm.

Maybe I'll stick with the old Mirror, though she needs a little TLC.
I'm still interested to know what size outboard a Mirror's rated for,
and what the effects of using more power on the back would be.

Thanks,

Simon.

Simon Langford wrote:

Maybe I'll stick with the old Mirror, though she needs a little TLC.

Seems the best idea to me for what you want to do, except that obviously you
won't be able to get it up the cliff (not easily, anyway). If there's some
way you can keep the boat on the beach it becomes ideal - I'd much rather
leave a slightly knackered Mirror lying about than a new dinghy I'd just
bought.

Pete

Unless you are really really strong and fit I'd go for one of the
light 2+hp 2-strokes. I just bought a Mercuriy 2.5 - I think about
14kg. The Suzuki2.2 is even lighter at 11kg - quite amazing - you
could almost buy 2! I've been hauling a Yamaha Malta up and down stone
steps to my dinghy. It's not that it's heavy so much but with the
extra weight it's real hard to control it - you hit stones, steps and
scratch, dent things, feet slip etc.. But the small engines are
clearly a compromise on performance..

(Simon Langford) wrote in message . com...
Regarding outboards, we've had a Mariner 2HP in the past but I found
it a little weedy. I was looking at a Mercury 6HP 4-stroke. But...
- are 4-strokes a bit of a liability regarding oil leaks?
- what is the effect of using a more powerful engine than the boat is
rated for? I think Walker Bays are rated up to 4HP - what would a 6HP
do to it?

"Nghost" wrote in message ...
I had the same problem, in the end I went for the Tinker and a set of
wheels, I use a Mercury 4hp 2 stroke, but the 3.5hp I had was incredible
light and seemed as powerful as the 4. It would JUST plane the tinker with 1
adult and a 10 year old.
I did have a Honda 2HP 4 stroke but it was a bit weedy compared to the 3.5
and spilled oil all over the boot when one of the kids moved it!.

I think that's 'cos 4 strokes are only supposed to be laid down one way.



He never did care for the river, did Montmorency.

On 8 Jun 2004 06:43:14 -0700, (Simon
Langford) wrote:

Hello,

I want to acquire a lightweight dinghy and outboard for use on the UK


Just over a year ago I bought a 9' Fibrocell sailing dinghymade from
GRP. I now use also as a tender to my yacht which I keep on a buoy in
a river. It rows better than my previous tender and is slightly
lighter. I have successfully put a 2hp Seagull on the back, and it
moves along very nicely with that on. I have rowed it with 3 adults
including myself out to my boat in less than desirable weather.
It has a gunter rig, and a small jib, and is fun to sail but is no
racing machine. While I have only sailed it single handed, I could see
I could fit 2 small children in at the same time if I wanted.

However while it is very manageable being pulled up the slip and
flipped onton its back in teh dinghy park, I would not like to pull it
up a narrow track up a cliff.

all the best,

SK