Mounting heavy dinghy outboard on E27 rail

[Jarod]

Hello All,

Any opinions as to whether my E27 stern rail will be up to the task. I have already purchased a Mercury 9.9 four stroke for my new Walker Bay inflatable. I wanted a motor that would plane two....so this was my best option. Unfortunately the thing weighs 85 pounds (one of the lightest four strokes). I had a 40 pound outboard on the rail previous and that seemed fine but this is quite a difference. The E27 has just the one rail across the top and not the double rail like some of the other models. So what say you...should i beef up the rail with some stainless tube/strapping etc or would i be ok with the stock configuration? By the way I have already purchased/installed a Forespar outboard crane so I have that issue covered.

Does anyone else have a 9.9 four stroke on the rail?

Thanks Jarod

 

[Rhynie]

Jarod,
Thats a lot on the stern of a 27. However, that being said, maybe think about a regular outboard transom mount placed up high directly on the transom.

Just a thought,
Brian

 

[Jarod]

Thanks for the reply Brian....that thought had occurred to me as well, but then there are the usual concerns with asthetics etc etc. I suppose a big outboard is a big outboard regardless of whether its on the rail or on a transom bracket. If I do go with the transom bracket it would make sense to have it low enough so that I could lower the (short shaft) outboard into the water and use it as a get me home motor should my old atomic have any issues. I will have to find a bracket with alot of travel.

 

[jkm]

Jarod

I had a 9.8 Tohatsu four for a summer. Great motor and made my inflatable fly.

Sold it three months later-just too heavy. Bought a 2 Honda. 27 lbs is just the right weight. It was a deal or I would have gone for a 3.5 Tohatsu/Mercury.

Honestly one of my fears was having the 9.8 on the stern rail and hitting a good swell-I could just see it ripped off.

Wish I had a bigger motor, but safety came first.

John

 

[Jarod]

Hi John,

You are no doubt right on the money...but the need for speed has taken me. Funny how its a thrill to sail at 6 knots but I still want more power for the dink. In any case i have already purchased the motor so will have to make do for now. I am thinking I will mount a Fulton or Garelick bracket on the transom as high as possible but low enough so I can get the prop in the water if I need to use the outboard as a get me home motor.

 

[treilley]

Too bad you already own the motor. I have 2 Johnson 4hp 2 strokes that weigh 33 lbs and they get my 9' RIB up on plane.

 

[Loren Beach]

"ironing board" dinghy alternative

This thread started out with having a planing dinghy and then wanting enough motor for it...
It seems worth mentioning that a sailing friend of mine (who owned an Ericson 27 a long time) bought a Porta-Boat for his larger cruiser. He tried a hard frp dinghy on the current boat but thought that hoisting it to the fore deck was a bit of a handful.
He is the first to admit that the Porta-Boat is homely, but notes that it stores folded flat against the stanchions and is light weight.
http://www.porta-bote.com/performance.html

The cool part is that his planes with a 3 hp motor. He sez that a 2 hp might even plane it with one passenger.

We have been considering something like this to someday replace our old human-powered Zodiac.

Fair Winds,
Loren

 

[Rhynie]

There are a couple of inflatables in our marina that have those little air cooled Briggs & Stratton outboards on them - might be worth a look.