Dinghy Engine mounting

jmauld

Well-Known Member
Jun 9, 2020
2,843
Carolina Beach
Boat Info
2010 Sundancer 390
2016 Sea Hunt Ultra 211
Engines
Twin 8.1l of gas guzzling iron
Okay so we transported our dinghy deflated and rolled up on the swim deck. The 2.5hp Suzuki engine will fit under one of our cockpit seats. BUT we are looking to upgrade to a motor that can get the dinghy on plane so that it’s more useful.

Do you guys have any photos of mounting these engines on the rail or bow or?????
 
New to the dinghy experience - we just picked up a 10ft fiberglass bottom with an older 6.5hp merc. It will get on plane with one of us, but not both. Looking to upgrade already, to a 15hp. The 6.5hp is heavy enough, I cant see us removing the engine if we upgrade. For reference, new 9.9hp are 85+ lbs, and 15hp are like 110+ lbs. I cant see how I would get that off the dinghy and onto the boat - so now I'm looking at those expensive davit systems. What size motor where you thinking of?

From what I've see, you can rail mount it; if you have enough height, use an outboard bracket; mount it on the transom; and finally, a davit system that accounts for the engine (tilts/supports engine, or holds the entire dinghy off the water).

Let me know what you end up going with in the end.


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--rail-mount-outboard-bracket--8232381

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/mari...teel-max-12hp-max-85lb--17381534?recordNum=34

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=699599
 
Personally I'd be concerned with mounting that heavy engine on a rail. How high is your platform off the water's surface?

I'm 19" to the platform and the davits add a few inches on top of that. Look at the Nautley Dinghy Ramp or www.dinghydavits.com.

My two 9.9s weigh 94 and 84lbs (one electric start, one manual). The 15hp I just grabbed is 106lbs. 10' air floor dinghy is around 100lbs.
 
I used a bracket mounted to the swim platform for a couple years. Once nice thing about the platform mount is that you can store the outboard right underneath the dinghy if you store it "flipped up" using Weaver style davits. Keeps everything nice and clean.

48495497367_da0b2d3e9a_b.jpg
 
So I have a 390 with the center door that swings out. It makes carrying a dinghy a pain.

On top of that, my slip is a 40’ slip and the boat takes up almost all of that space. If I hang a dinghy so that it makes the boat longer I will have to pull in to the slip instead of backing in.

I might just have to suck it up and live with the 2.5hp motor. It is easy to stow under a seat as well as take on and off the dinghy.
 
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I had one of these mounted on the swim platform for a 15 hp 2 stroke.

upload_2021-8-17_7-58-9.gif

https://www.davit.com/motorBracket.html

The motor was 74 lbs. I could just move it around and mount / stow it on the dingy if I was careful. I would not try it with a heavier motor. A now have a 15 hp 4 stroke that’s 108 lbs. it’s too heavy to mount by myself on land let alone when on the water.
 
I have seen sail boats mount motors on the railing. They use a winch and rope attached to the mask.
 
I used a bracket mounted to the swim platform for a couple years. Once nice thing about the platform mount is that you can store the outboard right underneath the dinghy if you store it "flipped up" using Weaver style davits. Keeps everything nice and clean.

Are you using a stand off bracket to keep it flipped up? Any issues with water over the platform hitting the dinghy while on plane? I've got a 10' zodiac w/ fiberglass bottom, maybe 100lbs -- trying to figure out how to store it.
 
Are you using a stand off bracket to keep it flipped up? Any issues with water over the platform hitting the dinghy while on plane? I've got a 10' zodiac w/ fiberglass bottom, maybe 100lbs -- trying to figure out how to store it.

I never used the standoff brackets even though my boat had them. I preferred having the dinghy cover the outboard whilst underway. I secured the dinghy in the down position with one line on each end, very simple. I was also running a 10' Zodiac (Cadet 310) at the time though it was a soft bottom. I think the dink was 70lbs all-in. Another 45lbs for the outboard I had at the time.

I've never had issues with water coming up that far. I ran with my dink like this all over the place, in a lot of different sea states. It was great for this size setup.

FWIW I still have these davits, the standoffs and the outboard bracket. I'd sell you the whole shot if you're interested.

46863301405_4b00e54d9f_b.jpg
 
I have the earlier version of the same boat as you.

I have an 8hp 2 stroke Yamaha and it fits in the port side transom locker. Fuel tank, anchor, etc fits under the port side cockpit seating.
 
Where do you keep your fenders?
 
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You have to lift your engine hatch to get the fenders out?
 

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