Is 10hp enough???

[Manxman]

Dan if it is a Dejon get yourself a bigger Hp. motor, like Dave said 25-30 would be ideal.

The tide cutting across the entrance to the Isle of Whithorn runs nearly as hard as it does down at the Mull.

I've watched yachts try to get into the Isle and not realised how hard the tide runs, many miss the entrance first time.

 

The whole of Luce bay is effected by strong tides that don't flow & ebb in a way you'd normally expect.

The bay can be split into two areas East & West.

West

three hours into the flood tide and the bay is filling, although the water is still rising it starts running around this side of the bay anti clock wise and exits southwards at the Mull.

The tide exiting the bay at the Mull meets the still flooding tide coming from from the North Channel. Safe enough on a small tide, but come the springers, and a little bit of wind against the tide it becomes a very dodgy place especially in a small boat.

 

The east side of the bay and the tide is more predictable, floods six hours to the east, and ebbs six hours to the west.

The same situation of wind against tide does produce overfalls around most headlands in the bay.

 

If you have no boating experience don't be afraid of asking for advice.

Before going to sea get all the safety gear thats needed, a good bet is to get the RNLI to do a free safety check for you.

 

I'll be over in Drummore the first three weeks in August with my boat, if your planning an outing that way pm me nearer the time and we'll arrange a run down the Mull

[Glasgowdan]

thanks manxman, a bit of genuinely useful information there... ill have to keep an eye out for something with a bit more pace, for the safety aspect of things I think, rather that than potter about in a small slow boat! dont want to be a burden and risk having to call someone out to help me because im not in a good enough rig! ill get in touch, my friend and i are so close to getting a small boat, but are on a tight budget, so its just going to be a chance that we find something suitable in the next couple of weeks. im dying to get out hough, the seasons approaching and the fish are a-calling

[Bill Hutchison]

Hi Glasgowdan

As Manxman has already pointed out, the ebb tide at the Mull and round at the Isle of Whithorn can be treacherous in an underpowered craft.

I've experienced it first hand many years ago in my first dinghy(16ft Pevensey Bay & 9.9hp Yamaha), when I was swept backwards round the Mull while running "ahead" at full throttle. Fortunately, I managed to pull her round the west side into quieter water but I ended up bringing her ashore at West Tarbet and walking the 5 miles back to Drummore to get someone to bring her back on the trailer as I had no confidence that I would be able to get her back round the Mull before slack water.

The result, "bottle crashed", so I bought a dinghy with a planing hull and bigger engine, enabling me to skip round the Mull, against the tide by taking a tight line close into the point of the Mull. Something I could never have done in a smaller engined craft.

Knowing that you have more power rather than worrying that you may not have enough, helps put your mind at ease when you come up against adverse conditions on the water. I count myself fortunate that the conditions off the end of the Mull on that day were good. Had there been any sort of blow combined with the big tide, there would have been no hiding place.

[Guest stevie cop]

Have you seen the micro-plus boat on the same page on boats and outboards as the dejon? Micro-plus boats are quite old now, but they are good sea boats. They have a deep V hull and a good solid floor. The one for sale is only a few hundred more than the dejon and it comes with a nice big 68hp suzuki outboard, a 5hp auxillary motor, VHF radio, compass, life jackets, etc.

 

[ 25. April 2005, 11:29 PM: Message edited by: Steve Coppolo ]

[Loftyd]

Glasgowdan,

I used to fish quite a few of the places you're talking about with a 14 foot open dinghy and 8hp engine, Luce Bay included. Trying the Mull of Galloway or Burrow Head would be pushing your luck in my view - a little bit of wind against tide could get pretty scary in a small boat without the ability to get clear quickly enough.

 

Other spots such as Luce Bay itself or Port Logan wouldn't bother me overmuch on a decent day (and ditto for anywhere on the east coast), but the sheer force of tide round these headlands gives you little room for error. If you do fish from Isle of Whithorn then staying well clear of Burrow Head might be a good idea.

 

I'm not sure if you've any experience of a small boat (can't tell from your post, and don't mean this to come over wrongly!) but if not then I'd start off just about anywhere else other than Isle of Whithorn/Mull of Galloway.

 

Regards,

Doug

[Glasgowdan]

cheers doug,

 

Ive fished the areas mentioned for a few years now, always in someone elses boat with generally at least 40hp engines, so ive never been aware of these issues. Sounds like itw worth holding off until i find something suitable. Ill let you all know how i get on

[Glasgowdan]

Just to re-awaken this old thread... we are now sorted with an orkney fastliner 16, currently with an ancient 25 hp johnson on it which we are hoping to change soon. Thing is i am finding it difficult to get info on engines for fastliners. I guess 20-30hp is ideal, should probably wait till we get out on her with this 25 and see how it goes. has anyone had a fastliner and able to say which engines are best?

[Steve Coppolo]

Just to re-awaken this old thread... we are now sorted with an orkney fastliner 16, currently with an ancient 25 hp johnson on it which we are hoping to change soon. Thing is i am finding it difficult to get info on engines for fastliners. I guess 20-30hp is ideal, should probably wait till we get out on her with this 25 and see how it goes. has anyone had a fastliner and able to say which engines are best?

 

Don't worry about how old the Johnson is if it's running O.K. They go forever if they are looked after and you can still get spares for Johnson engines from the 60's!

[maidstonemike]

the boat is a dejon 14 and i think they take up to 25hp which puts them on the plane, if so they will not be to good at displacement speeds unless you are on very calm water.

Had a new one of those yeas ago. I had a 25hp Evinrude Sportster, it used to fly! Well, it felt like it. About 30mph.

It will be useless unless it gets up on the plane. It is designed for planing speeds in choppy seas, and is a soft ride at speed even in those conditions.

Belive me, it's a different boat at speed..

Not a particularly stable fishing platform, due to the hull design. In flat calm seas, they really do go.

 

To answer your original queston, no, 10hp is not enough for this boat, I would go for 25 for sure. You can reach marks 5 miles offshore in minutes. More important, you can fly back in fast at any sign of bad weather, even if it's rough. Great fun at speed in rough water these boats.

Edited January 9, 2006 by maidstonemike

[Manxman]

Hi Dan, if your after a new engine give Tommy Case a ring, details here

 

http://www.ardwellmarine.co.uk/

 

Get yourself a thirty Hp Tohatsu you won't go wrong, and Tommy will give the beat deal around