Newbie, honwave3.8 10hp

pealeswoop · 22 October 2017, 18:26

Hi,
I'm sure this has probably been covered somewhere on the forum. I'm thinking of buying a 3.8 honwave air deck with a 10hp outboard. At most, there will be myself, partner and young daughter in the boat. My main concern is ,- will the boat be oversized with a 10hp? I think a 3.2 might be smaller than I want to go. Do I need to consider a 15 hp? Trips will be fishing and a bit of coastal sightseeing/fun etc. I'm open to suggestions of alternatives.
Help and advice appreciated in advance....
Thanks,
Nick

Fenlander · 22 October 2017, 20:24

My personal opinion is a 10hp will be fine as long as you accept performance limitations unless one up. A 15hp will give you a much easier time getting on the plane and working a difficult sea.

I wonder what OB your proposed purchase has? Some 10hp motors weigh the same as 15hp models for might as well get a 15hp if that's the case.

kaman · 22 October 2017, 20:43

Yup agree with a Fenlander's comments.
A lot of 10hp engine's share the same engine block as 15hp variants - hence the same weight.
However to complicate matters further a lot of 15hp engines use the same block and weigh the same as their 20hp stable mates.
I bought a brand new Tohatsu 15hp in 2010.
A year later I swapped the carb on it upping it to 20hp.
There's not a lot of difference top end but under load the extra grunt of the 20hp gets you on the plane much smarter.
I bought a second hand Honwave T3.8 last season I paired it with the 20hp Tohatsu - it can fly along.
Took it a 70 mile jolly around the Kyles of Bute few weeks ago.
Left after breakfast back after lunch.
The 15hp and 20hp are much more flexible than a 10hp on a sub 4 metre Sib.
As Fenlander says 10hp ain't gonna plane once there is more than one person aboard.

Mikefule · 23 October 2017, 06:08

As others have said, the 10 hp will be borderline if you want to get the boat on the plane with more than one person aboard. You can achieve a lot by moving the crew and gear around to balance the boat, but then a headwind or choppy waves may be enough to counteract that.

I have a 9.9 on a wooden-floored 3.1 and it will plane with 2 adults.

It s possible and enjoyable to use a SIB at non-planing speeds in which case even a 3 or 6 hp would do the job, but you would be missing out on the advantage of that V hull that the Honwave has. The boat is designed to plane rather than plod, and planing is fun, and gets you places more than twice as fast.

It is worth paying the extra for a bigger engine.

pealeswoop · 23 October 2017, 14:24

Thanks for the advice and info. I'm doing a bit more research, and as suggested, some 15hp up aren't too heavy, - i think the suzuk i comes in at about 44kgs? So that might be a runner, although a bit pricier. Good point about hull design and planing, that's half the fun. We spend a lot of time West coast of scotland, so many sea lochs and islands to visit, plus all the marine life. I'm sure having a SIB is the only economical way of doing this, doing away with trailers, towing, storage etc. Just want to try and get it right first time.....

Yabadabadoo · 23 October 2017, 14:28

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=77140

Fenlander · 23 October 2017, 14:51

>>> i think the suzuk i comes in at about 44kgs

The 15hp of samt's on the above link is a good start if you want a used 2-stroke. But you mention 44kg of the Suzuki 15 which is a 4-stroke. Then the leap-frogging starts as the 20hp Suzuki (like mine) weighs the same so might as well get that??

Mikefule · 24 October 2017, 06:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by pealeswoop

We spend a lot of time West coast of scotland, so many sea lochs and islands to visit, plus all the marine life. I'm sure having a SIB is the only economical way of doing this, doing away with trailers, towing, storage etc. Just want to try and get it right first time.....

Years ago, I did many miles cruising solo on the sea lochs in a 3.4 m SIB with a 3hp "egg whisk" of a motor. I had a lot of fun, but there were times when it would have been preferable to have a bigger engine and open up and cover some distance fast.

Sibbing isn't all about going fast, but it's nice to have the option.

Fenlander · 24 October 2017, 08:05

That's a very fair judgement Mike.

I've spent a fair bit of time in the past with 3.5/4/6hp motors which would not plane us and we still enjoyed the trips. But (unlike those that plan to wild camp and can stop anywhere suitable) with our family day out type sibbing always needing to return to our launch site we were restricted to where we could visit and felt at the mercy of the weather. Now if things look to be threatening that hour plugging away home in ever worsening sea can be a 20min dash to safety.

Having said that once we've reached the area we wanted to visit we spend a lot of time trolling about at low speed... something that's much nicer now we have a 4-stroke.

jeffstevens763@g · 24 October 2017, 10:23

totally agree with the guys my 25 spends most of its life at low rpm but when i need it my boat does 22 knots thats make me feel better if i need to get home fast.
you will just flog a 10 hp go 20 hp is my opinion

py6km · 24 October 2017, 13:31

I read this all with interest, as I'm in the same boat

i.e. narrowed down to a honwave 3.8, but not sure about outboard size. Two factors for me are i) being a cheapskate, and ii) being able to lug it about in and out of the boot of the car (so size also a factor as well as weight).

I'd like a 20HP 4-stroke, but may well end up with a 15HP due to cost. Is there generally a simple (ish) mod that can be done to up a 15 to 20HP if some/most blocks are the same, just tuned differently? I'd probably not want to fiddle with it that much, but could cope with replacing a part or two if it didn't require much nowse!

Have to say, as another newb to this, I didn't realise that outboards were so expensive. Getting the boat isn't the hard part it seems!

jeffstevens763@g · 24 October 2017, 13:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by py6km

I read this all with interest, as I'm in the same boat

i.e. narrowed down to a honwave 3.8, but not sure about outboard size. Two factors for me are i) being a cheapskate, and ii) being able to lug it about in and out of the boot of the car (so size also a factor as well as weight).

I'd like a 20HP 4-stroke, but may well end up with a 15HP due to cost. Is there generally a simple (ish) mod that can be done to up a 15 to 20HP if some/most blocks are the same, just tuned differently? I'd probably not want to fiddle with it that much, but could cope with replacing a part or two if it didn't require much nowse!

Have to say, as another newb to this, I didn't realise that outboards were so expensive. Getting the boat isn't the hard part it seems!

Ron Hale Marine Ltd - Mercury F20 Four-Stroke

most 15 hp are the same weight as the 20 hp have a look on this site to compare suzuki,yam & tohatsu are the same but vary between company suzuki being the lightest at 44kg

kaman · 24 October 2017, 20:19

From experience a carb change on my 2010 Tohatsu MFS 15hp was all that was needed to up it to 20hp.
The same will be true for the relevant Mercury and Mariner engines of this era.
Tohatsu now going EFI route so might be a remap job now?
Each engine / manufacturer is different if you want to up the HP retrospectively.
I'd just buy the amount of horses you require from the off .

smallribber · 24 October 2017, 22:07

44 Kgs is a huge amount of weight to carry for one person is it not

Highland Haggis · 24 October 2017, 22:18

I manage mine Suzuki 20 go on honwave T40

pealeswoop · 25 October 2017, 18:07

Thanks for the opinions. upping the hp comes at a price... Not checked the price of 15/20hp obs in detail. I haven't tried lifting an awkward 44kgs yet either. A 3.5 si b might be a better bet, but honwave don't do the inflatable sib at 3.5. Any other suggestions? Second hand package might be the way to go, but as it stands, I've no real working knowledge of outboards. Also, I've got to get camping gear in the car for some of those trips...

jeffstevens763@g · 25 October 2017, 18:24

Don't be lifting outboards no need get a sack barrow same as gurnard does on here when you see him do it it's a piece of pi$$

Highland Haggis · 25 October 2017, 19:37

Honwave do a 3.5

Rib Tickle · 25 October 2017, 20:46

I take my Yam 3.8 and 16hp suzuki in the boot of my 5 series estate, by the time you have boat, floor, outboard, life jackets, pump, fuel tank, oars etc in the boot there's barely room for a picnic let alone a sack barrow!

Andy JC · 25 October 2017, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rib Tickle

I take my Yam 3.8 and 16hp suzuki in the boot of my 5 series estate, by the time you have boat, floor, outboard, life jackets, pump, fuel tank, oars etc in the boot there's barely room for a picnic let alone a sack barrow!

Inflatable boats with all the accompanying ancillaries do take up alot more room in a car than you would initially think.
If OP wants to take camping gear too I would suggest a trailer, either for the boat or a box trailer for the camping gear. Speaking from experience, trying to do both with just a car ain't gonna happen!