Hi Gene,

Years ago, I started out cruising in my own boat with Avon rollup and an 8hp Yamaha 2 stroke… Beyond my young nephews having a lot of fun with that combo as a water toy, I quickly came to appreciate it was WAY more than I needed, and a major PITA to deal with when cruising. I eventually switched to a 2 HP Honda weighing only 29 pounds, and have never looked back… Everywhere I've been, between Guatemala and Newfoundland, I have never felt the need for anything more…

When I first showed up at Mario's Marina in the Rio Dulce, for example, people said "you're really gonna wish you had a fast dinghy, that's gonna be a LONG ride into town…" I just don't get that mindset, so maybe it took me 20-30 minutes to make it over to Fronteras at a nice sedate pace that closely matches that of the mother ship, I really don't see the need to do it much more quickly… What, so I can spend even MORE of the rest of the day doing nothing? (grin)

Now, if you're traveling with a larger family, or are a serious scuba diver heading off to distant reefs in the Bahamas, perhaps that's a different matter… However, I think the vaunted 'range' of more powerful tenders is something vastly overrated, and goes against my #1 Rule of dinghy safety, especially in a remote area: Never venture further away from home base than you are prepared to row back…

For me, the ease of dealing with a smaller motor so far outweigh the disadvantages, it's a no-brainer… No need for a remote fuel tank, though I usually tote an extra gallon… My 2 hp just sips gas, I've done entire trips down and back to the Bahamas during the winter, using less than 3 gallons, total… With gas prices on some of the Out Islands up over $6/gal, that's no small consideration, for me… The ease of getting the engine on and off the tender, and keeping the whole package light enough to easily hoist the dink clear of the water at night using my spinnaker halyard… I HATE putting stuff on the stern rail, especially outboards, and my 2 HP easily stows in my cockpit locker… And, there seems an added value in using an engine that will not be the target of many thieves. Sounds like you'll eventually head for Mexico, where a larger, more 'useful' engine might be tempting to some…

For a boat as small as mine, after having experimented with an assortment of tenders, a hard bottom inflatable with a folding transom, a pair of 7' oars, and a lightweight 2hp motor is what I've come to regard as the best all around solution, for me…

best regards,

Jon