Hi all, I'm Ian and I'm new to ribbing but not boating, I have just bought a 3.3M hydroforce and although it states it can take up to a 15hp I'm wondering if a smaller engine would be adequate, lets say 6-8 hp, and are there any secondhand 4 stroke short shafts available not a million miles away, I'm in Essex.
Hi & welcome. Unless you specifically want to go slow my advice is to get the largest engine your boat is rated for then you can always go slower by using less throttle. Smaller usually equals lighter but if you want to plane easily with a bit of weight in the boat you need the power to get it on the plane. I was wrestling my Tohatsu 20 hp 4 stroke about at the weekend and nearly gave myself a hernia compared to my old Mercury 15 hp 2 stroke but the extra power certainly makes a difference 5 up in my Honwave 3.5 AE.
Hello Ian, welcome to the forum. I wonder where in Essex you might launch? We live in Cambridgeshire but our launch location of choice is West Mersea.
Engine power requirements do depend very much on load and how you'll use the SIB. For example where we are on holiday at the moment the estuary mouth tide can run at 5kts so unless you time going out in the short period around slack water then the max rated OB size is a good idea. But if you were just on the river 4-6hp would be fine.
Re load we are two adults plus teen, dog and gear. 15hp is the minimum we can get away with and our 20 is far better. But yesterday I was watching two light teen lads with no extra kit whiz about the estuary in a SIB just over 3m with only a 6hp and it went really well.
Weight is a big consideration as Paddlers says. Our 20hp is light for its power at 44kg but even so it's much more difficult to move about than previous 35kg 15hp and 26kg 9.8hp (which was a breeze).
Re where to buy you have to decide on size then get looking. There are loads of good ones (plus the odd duffer) on eBay, gumtree etc. Seamark Nunn at Ipswich have quite a few.
Hi David, West Mersea like yourself as it has the added bonus of lovely seafood, or Heybridge basin up the river. I do have already an electric motor that's good for the rive so like you say better to get a bigger outboard for the sea, but not one that weighs a ton as most times it will be with just my wife and I and you know who will be holding the petrol can don't you haha
Had had the exact same boat a few years ago with a 9.9hp 4 stroke on it. I used to get 16knts with 2 adults on board which seemed fairly quick in that boat!
Sula
spy-sea-one
