Re: 12ft. tinnie. boat with a 20hp chrysler on it...
Jabboo, please do not add a tiller extension, it will only delay your responce time, I mean really, look how much further you will have to swing the tiler for the same result.<br /><br />This tiller steering, with a overpowered boat is a real bad idea. Look jaboo, you are going to have to decide whether you want to fish or ski, this boat, no matter how re-enforced it is, only displaces so much water.<br /><br />In an earlier post, you describe your boats previous life with a 6hp motor, and now you are going to increase the horsepower by over 200%?<br /><br />Let me tell you a story, my brother was almost killed when he and dad went fishing in a 12' "Tinnie" (I could care less what this thing is made of, its still a 12' boat) We had always used a 6hp motor, but we were on vacation and were borrowing a 9.9 hp.<br /><br />This boat was flying right along with two adults, my dad, who has used a small "Fishing" boat all his life, let go of the tiller, for just a second, to light a cigarette. He was at full speed, and the motor seemed very stable.<br /><br />Well, guess what? The motor shifted to a FULL turn, and immediatly tossed my brother out of the bow of the boat, untill then, he was great for BALLAST! Of course, no life jacket, and heavy clothing to boot! Dad barely hung on, and was stuggling for control as he ran over Duane, just as he was struggling to surface, luckily, Duane was concious, and used his hands to protect his head as his hands were severly cut by the propeller.<br /><br />Please keep in mind that we are talking about a 12' boat with a 9.9 crankshaft HP!<br />Friends, these little aluminum boats aint no "Boston Whaler". I have seen many experienced posters pipe up about horse power ratings, as if a 125hp on a 18' boat is dangerous, compared to a rating of 115hp recommended.<br /><br />Lets put this in perspective, a 200% increase in horsepower on this 18' boat would be 345 Horsepower! yet no-one is piping up, to help warn jabboo!<br /><br />jabboo, you want to ski with this thing? and pull tubers? I hate to say it, but youve got the WRONG boat. You have a small fishing boat, with a narrow beam, which if PROPERLY set up, will actually plane, with two full sized adults, on a good day, with the wind at the stern.<br /><br />I have not seen your boat, but unless it is some super-boat, like a "Whaler", then you are asking for BIG trouble. Jabboo, if you want to tow and ski, you will need a much larger boat and motor, which would include a steering wheel.<br /><br />Now, I would like some support, from other experienced boaters on this board, I am only one voice, and can be easily written off. IMHO, jabboo is on the wrong path, and needs some real good advice!<br /><br />Please feel free to disagree, but please, back it up with real life experience, not just speculation, there is too much on the line here. I appreciate my brothers presence, so much more now.
) the word "tinnie" has two meanings; 1). An aluminium boat, or 2). A can of beer.<br /><br />So, depending which way you look at it, a "tinnie full of tinnies" is either a good way to spend the day or a boat full of trouble...<br /><br />Jabboo - just be carefull (as a skipper always should be) of the bow getting too high when heading into gusty winds. Boats have been known to flip over with a decent sudden gust of wind that way. As always, its a combination of the conditions, the balance of the boat and most importantly the common sense of the skipper.<br /><br />I know from personal experience that the winds can get extremely strong very quickly in Sydney. BTW - Sydney is a fantastic city.