When choosing the best Takacat model for you, there are several things to consider. You may have a general idea of what size dinghy you would like or what size fits your boat/car/garage best. But when trying to decide between two sizes (contemplating between the 260LX and 300LX or the 340LX and the 380LX) or thinking about what kind of outboard to pair with your chosen size, you may not know how to arrive at a conclusion.
We like to ask the following questions when helping decide between Takacat models and the perfect outboard motor to pair with the dinghy:
If you answered ocean or larger lake, we suggest the Takacat 300LX or larger models. If you are planning on using your Takacat in heavier weather (ie. choppy anchorage) we suggest choosing the Takacat 340LX or larger models.
If you are planning on traveling with 2 people on average, we suggest the Takacat 300LX or larger models. If your answer is 2-3 people or more, we suggest the Takacat 340LX or larger models. If you are planning on traveling solo most of the time, the Takacat 260LX or larger models will work well for you.
If you are planning on taking long trips (>3nm), we suggest gas powered outboards with an external gas tank.
If portability is of utmost concern, we suggest electric outboards. If you prefer to go faster than 3mph, we suggest gas outboards, with the 9.8hp the highest horsepower engine we recommend with portability being a concern.
Once you know your priorities, you may find our Takacat Decision Matrix below useful. There are always several options for each priority, but we hope this can guide you in the ideal direction. As always, we are here to help if you get stuck at any point in your decision making. Call or text us at (401) 684-0417, send us a note using our live chat or email us at hello@catamaransupply.com.
In every case when choosing a gas-powered outboard, we suggest using a fin to help with cavitation. The Davis Doel-Fin is an effective and reasonable option we use and recommend.
For those who prefer to compare specs, see the comparison of every Takacat model below.
Takacat LX model comparison by the numbers |
|||||
T260LX | T300LX | T340LX | T380LX | T420LX | |
LOA | 8' 6" | 9' 10" | 11' 2" | 12' 6" | 13' 9" |
BOA | 5' 1" | 5' 1" | 5' 5" | 5' 5" | 6' 1" |
Weight | 55 lbs | 66 lbs | 79 lbs | 92 lbs | 110 lbs |
Capacity | 3 people / 793 lbs | 4 people / 809 lbs | 5 people / 1135 lbs | 6 people / 1410 lbs | 7 people / 1576 lbs |
Rec HP | 2.5 - 6 HP | 2.5 - 8 HP | 2.5 - 10 HP | 6 - 15 HP | 15 HP |
Max HP | 8 HP | 10 HP | 15 HP | 20 HP | 25 HP |
Tube Diameter | 19" | 19" | 19" | 19" | 22" |
Hull Bag Dims | 37.5" x 14" x 14" | 41.5" x 14" x 14" | 47" x 14" x 14" |
53" x 14" x 14" |
57" x 18" x 18" |
Transom Bag Dims | 35.5" x 14" x 10" | 35.5" x 14" x 10" | 35.5" x 14" x 10" | 35.5" x 14" x 10" | 35.5" x 14" x 10" |
Hull Bag Weight |
35 lbs |
46 lbs | 59 lbs | 59 lbs | 70 lbs |
Transom Bag Weight | 20 lbs | 20 lbs | 20 lbs | 33 lbs | 40 lbs |
Purchase Link | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
Comments will be approved before showing up.