Carrying Tender Engine on BRE

[Myth_Rob]

We use a 6hp engine on our BRE when kept on a mooring, but also need a small motor on the tender as there can be swift tides running between the club and the buoy.  We use a 2.5hp Suzuki on the dinghy, and it does the job well.  The problem is that it's not really prudent to leave the tender and engine on the mooring, other than for a very brief sail.  The tender is old but the motor is likely to attract thieves.  Towing the dinghy with the motor on isn't safe is it could flip in any breeze.
We were hoping to carry the engine in one of the cockpit lockers, but even a 2.5hp is surprisingly bulky and won't fit through the opening.  Has anyone already solved this problem by some sort of transom mounting or some other means that doesn't interfere with the rudder and mizzen?
Thanks
Rob H

[jonno]

Hi Rob

If you're going to transfer the little Suzuki from tender to Bayraider, you could use it to power both.  We used the 2.5hp motor in our BR20 for six or seven years.  It was quite powerful enough.

John

[Graham W]

If money's no object! https://www.temofrance.com/en_GB/shop/product/t450-43-temo-450-104#attr=

[Sea Simon]

I have a similar problem, but have taken a different approach.

My very scrappy 9ft grp tender is undesirable, partly on purpose (I have made several very one-off mods, including over-plating the transom with 5mm alloy) partly due to the fact that I paid  £100 for it about 20 years ago.
Let's say it's "unique".
It lives full time on the beach in the middle of the village, next to a road. It's therefore vulnerable.

To access my BRe on a strongly tidal river I need a motor (particularly when accompanied- its unrowable against a strong ebb, with 2 aboard) and so have a Honda 2.3. This will not fit in my lockers, but I also worried about the damage it could do if it came free in a sea way.
This happened to me with a small Mariner i was carrying as a back-up auxilliary/trolling motor, stored mounted on a bracket on the transom of a large fast Dory we used to have. The boat fell off a wave at speed, and the bracket pulled out of the transom! Swamping the (fortunately stopped) motor, and damaging the hull!

So - the difficult bit - I decided to make my lovely little Honda 2.3 as un-attractive as my dinghy! I beat the cover up a bit, and engraved my postcode into it with my trusty Dremmel. Also pcoded the frame, fuel tank and leg.
I aimed to age it 10 years, without affecting function/reliability.

I then secured the Honda to the dinghy with the best quality outboard lock I could find, motorlok,small slot lock (£55)
(I also have the bigger version on my main Honda 6).
https://outboardmotorlocks.co.uk/pages/slot-locks/95

And also changed a few of the engine's securing/mounting bolts for nyloc nuts (with added threadlock compound).
And finally, secured the whole thing to the reinforced transom with a Bike lock cable.

My rig has been ok now for 5 years or more.

Although I live closeby, its a very steep hill up to the house, and I didn't fancy carrying the wee Honda home.

This last summer a rash of immaculate, apparently brand new outboards belonging to various holiday makers were pretty much left lying about for the taking. Was a weird season in that respect, all sorts of tempting new gizmos apparently left lying about unsecured. Several expensive items disappeared, but mine was left alone.
Works for me!

Ps. Id have a TEMO if it was affordable, but that's almost 4 times the price of my Honda 2.3 (with essential accessories!).

The 2.3 has proven to be JUST enough on the BRe (2-up, at sea), I've tried it. It's also bl00dy noisy when working hard.
Now only used in Regatta week or similar (and only then if I can't borrow a Torqueedo!)

[Myth_Rob]

Thanks for all the input folks!
We tried using the 2.5 on the BRE when we first got the boat but there were occasions when it wasn't up to the job.  My son took the boat out fishing with four mates and coming back he had to get up a narrow channel against the wind with a strong tide sluicing out... only just made it.
If money was no object we might go for one of the modern electric outboards, but they're way out of our budget.
Our 2.5 is about ten years old but looks immaculate, so I might follow Sea Simon's approach and make it look really trashed.  It wouldn't be difficult!  A few loops of 3/8 galvanised chain around it would also look more secure in addition to the proper O/B lock.  We've been using an old inflatable but I'm on the lookout for a rough hard tender instead.
Thanks again!
Rob H

[Jonathan Stuart]

This probably doesn't help, but another option would be to buy a small 2-stroke engine. I had a similar issue on another boat and bought a Suzuki 2.2hp 2-stroke because it is significantly smaller than 4-strokes. It's been a while since I had a BRe but I suspect a 2-stroke 2.2hp (or similar) would fit in the cockpit locker. Being a 2-stroke, it also wouldn't mind which side up it was laid. However, this does involve buying another motor so is probably not a helpful suggestion...

[Graham W]

I had thought that sale of brand new 2-strokes was banned.  However, if you look on eBay, new ones of 3.5hp (of dubious provenance?) are available, especially from another non-EU country, Switzerland.  There are virtually no small secondhand ones available.

[Matthew P]

I owned a 3.5HP 2 stroke Tohatsu nicknamed "Little B".  It was well maintained but seemed to be particularly vulnerable to bio-petrol gumming-up misery.

Hopefully it is not in the hands of someone using it to propel a rubber dinghy full of vulnerable souls across the Channel.

Matthew
BR20 Gladys

[Sea Simon]

I had thought that sale of brand new 2-strokes was banned.  However, if you look on eBay, new ones of 3.5hp (of dubious provenance?) are available, especially from another non-EU country, Switzerland.  There are virtually no small secondhand ones available.

I enquired of wholesale dealers a while back....

"31st December 2006 saw the deadline for the manufacture of carburettor two stroke outboard motors to be sold in the EU for the Leisure Market.
However, certain makes and models of two stroke outboard motors are still available to the Non Leisure Market. "
The Barrus SPD pages show that the Mariner 3.3 & 2.5 are still manufactured and available as two strokes.

Excuses, sorry I mean valid reasons...for commercial use of your Swallow Yacht needed!

Reminded me that I still have my Mariner 3.3 (LS) 2T in the back of the shed somewhere. I had to partially strip it due to loss of water flow out of the tell tale...which was one reason for buying the air cooled Honda 2.3....probably still in bits?

[Jonathan Stuart]

Yes, my comment was on the basis of buying a secondhand 2-stroke rather than a new one. Good, small 2-strokes are getting hard to find. I bought what I thought was a reasonable one a couple of years ago, only to find multiple issues. By the time I've fixed it I might have a good outboard on my hands!

[Sea Simon]

Unlike Matthew P, I never had any issues with fuel in my Mariner 3.3 2T, brought new in about 2005?

I believe the non availability (to us, in the UK) of these small 2T engines is a Euro RCD "thing".
Perhaps an unintended benefit of brexit could be the re introduction of new small noisy smelly engines?
There are plenty of British Seagulls still doing Stirling duty hereabouts?

Slightly back on topic?
.. but as mine is long shaft, ok for tender, but no use for BRe. It couldn't trim and stow up. The powerhead is about 2/3 the size of Honda 2.3 (slimmer), so it would probably fit in side lockers?

My grp tender would, just, plane with the 2T 3.3, no chance with the heavier 4T 2.3.