Kirk said:GeorgeC1 said:
Charter dinghy engines are about as reliable as a election year promise to not raise taxes. If the engine quits a dinghy is going where the wind blows. It can't be rowed into the wind. Keep that in mind when looking at a long dinghy run.
G
I always felt the opposite...I've never had the slightest problem with a dinghy engine. I figure since they're running a bit every day they're ok. I've had a leaky dinghy though, but never a spot of trouble with an engine.
Rented 40' cat from Moorings, in May of this year. WHile we are in Cane Garden Bay, my buddy and co-captain Dale can't remember if he closed the hatches just as we start dinner. Heads back in the dinghy (at this point it is pitch dark. 10 minutes go by, 20, 30. We are all worried by this point. I ask for assistance from a couple on the dock to bring me back to the boat (much sign language as they didn't speak much English and I zero Spanish). Get back to boat, dingy tied up to stern. No Dale. Starting to get really worried at this point. More sign language to get the nice Spanish couple to bring me back to the dock. Thankful to see a very sweaty Dale grumpily eating his dinner. As I get back to the restaurant find out that the dinghy outboard had died half way to the boat, had to hale a passing dinghy to tow him to the boat (the same Spanish couple that transported me to and from!), tried to get the engine to start but no luck, gave up and paddle-boarded to shore to finally eat his cold dinner!
So there you go. Moorings was good though. They were out the next mooring to swap in a new engine. All told delayed us by about 30 mins. Lucky that we were in Cane Garden bay and not Jost or Anagada though!
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