Shaft Length for Ranger Tugs 8'6" RIB Tender

[mlanger]

I'm taking delivery of my 2019 R-29 CB after Labor Day. It has a Ranger Tugs RIB tender that takes a 6 HP motor. It currently has no motor and I want to buy one before picking up the boat. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the boat until pickup so I can't answer this question:

What shaft length do I need to buy for this RIB dinghy? 15" or 20"?

Also, any recommendations on a lightweight gas-powered motor for this boat?

 

[Red-27]

It will be a short shaft or 15 inch. I use a mercury 6hp that seems to work very well but i think most brands are similar in reliability for small outboards. some have small differences in weight

 

[dbsea]

15” or 17”, depending on the motor hp and manufacturer. I went with an 8hp Yamaha two stroke from the 90’s that I found in mint condition, because it weighs less than the 6hp 4 stroke equivalent. 56lbs! I installed a Garhauer crane on my swimstep to manage lifting the motor in bad conditions. I do it by hand when it’s calm. Now my dinghy goes 18kn. 🙂

 

[Bobby P.]

You will want a short shaft. Suzuki makes a 6hp 15" shaft that comes in at 52lbs. This engine has a fuel reservoir on the engine itself, but you can also use a remote take.

Congratulations on your new boat!

Bobby

 

[mlanger]

Thanks, everyone for your responses. I’ll be sticking with 6 hp — no need to have me wondering down the road if dinghy troubles are related to too much horsepower. That Suzuki sounds good; will look for one.

I’m looking into the possibility of installing a Weaver Leaver on the dinghy, but am worried that the swim platform’s rails might get in the way. Anyone have experience with those?

 

[dbsea]

Thanks, everyone for your responses. I’ll be sticking with 6 hp — no need to have me wondering down the road if dinghy troubles are related to too much horsepower. That Suzuki sounds good; will look for one.

I’m looking into the possibility of installing a Weaver Leaver on the dinghy, but am worried that the swim platform’s rails might get in the way. Anyone have experience with those?

You might be able to get away with a weaver lever or seawise equivalent, I’ve seen it done with the railings kept intact. Typically though when I see those a portion of the rails has been removed.

 

[mlanger]

You might be able to get away with a weaver lever or seawise equivalent, I’ve seen it done with the railings kept intact. Typically though when I see those a portion of the rails has been removed.

I expect this would be the case. I'll make the decision on whether to try after I've gotten an idea of whether I can handle installing and removing the engine. 55 lbs (on average) is a lot for me to lift, let alone handle with some precision.

 

[gswearin]

If weight is an issue some folks have installed motor lifts. There's also the electric option. My ePropulsion is about 43 pounds, but the battery and motor are separate so I'm only lifting 20# at a time. They are quite a bit more expensive.

 

[mlanger]

If weight is an issue some folks have installed motor lifts. There's also the electric option. My ePropulsion is about 43 pounds, but the battery and motor are separate so I'm only lifting 20# at a time. They are quite a bit more expensive.

I was on a cruise with the captain who had an electric motor on his dinghy. Maybe it was the motor he had, but the range of that motor was extremely disappointing. I like to go exploring and I don’t want to have to be worried about battery power when I’m away from the boat.

I suspect that weight will be an issue. I’m not getting any younger and I’m already having trouble lifting the 50 pound bags of chicken feed I use to feed my chickens. I’m hoping I can find a good solution; I suspect that when I’m traveling without intention of stopping at marinas for overnight stays, I’ll just tow the dinghy behind me.

 

[mlanger]

You will want a short shaft. Suzuki makes a 6hp 15" shaft that comes in at 52lbs. This engine has a fuel reservoir on the engine itself, but you can also use a remote take.

Congratulations on your new boat!

Bobby

Just a quick update and thanks -- I ordered the Suzuki. It's a few pounds less than all the others AND cheaper. I bought online at OnlineOutboards.com and will have it shipped right to Roche Harbor where I'll be next week for the Rendezvous. Thanks for the suggestion.