4 stroke outboard lifting sling

catmandoo

catmandoo

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Having just bought a new 4 stroke 3.5 HP outboard I also got the Force 4 strap handle etc and struggled to fit it thinking I was suffering from memory loss or what ever .
After 2 days of mental strain i contacted Force 4 from Greece and they emailed me a diagram different from the poor one on the packaging and after a lot of rerigging the straps which as sent were not in the correct order I managed to fit it albeit tightly . ( By the way I followed up with Force 4 to ask if they had anything better and they sent me a picture of a davit . Ha HA!! )
On testing it out I found it slipped over the smooth rounded casing of the outboard despite all the security cords .etc . I therefore have no confidence in it and apart from it being a waste of money conclude the following

its not designed for a 4 stroke .

Reason 2 strokes of that size have the cylinder/s horizontally aligned this making the casing look like a long shoe box which is easy to tie / fasten straps onto safely and squarely with a good chance of not slipping
4 strokes on the other hand have an oil sump and more kit so the casing ends up longer vertically and more rounded thus making it difficult for straps to stay in place

Ideally there should be a space for a screw in eye bolt but unfortunately there is not so has any one out there managed to solve the problem without such a drastic innovation?
I
 
Last edited:
catmandoo said:
Having just bought a new 4 stroke 3.5 HP outboard I also got the Force 4 strap handle etc and struggled to fit it thinking I was suffering from memory loss or what ever .
After 2 days of mental strain i contacted Force 4 from Greece and they emailed me a diagram different from the poor one on the packaging and after a lot of rerigging the straps which as sent were not in the correct order I managed to fit it albeit tightly . ( By the way I followed up with Force 4 to ask if they had anything better and they sent me a picture of a davit . Ha HA!! )
On testing it out I found it slipped over the smooth rounded casing of the outboard despite all the security cords .etc . I therefore have no confidence in it and apart from it being a waste of money conclude the following

its not designed for a 4 stroke .

Reason 2 strokes of that size have the cylinder/s horizontally aligned this making the casing look like a long shoe box which is easy to tie / fasten straps onto safely and squarely with a good chance of not slipping
4 strokes on the other hand have their cylinders vertical because of the oil sump below and gravity etc and because of this the casing ends up longer vertically and more rounded thus making it difficult for straps to stay in place

Ideally there should be a space for a screw in eye bolt but unfortunately there is not so has any one out there managed to solve the problem without such a drastic innovation?
I
Click to expand...

Really ?
 
VicS said:
Really ?
Click to expand...

notwithstanding the difficulties in obtaining internal mechanical arrangements of small 4 stroke outboard engines with low level oil sumps, pumped or otherwise without buying a maintenance manual the problem of lifting such items with high and bulbous casings is endemic and is the main issue. Even some suppliers such as Salty John are reconsidering whether they should continue supplying such strapping or not . Its even more difficult when the manufacturer insists that the motor should be carried vertically or only on one side horizontally to avoid oil flowing into the cylinders
 
If you buy a few metres of tape and a couple of clip together buckles it'll take you about half an hour to run up your own harness for your engine, no matter what the shape of its cowling. Costs about £6. Basically 2 loops, one for the forward end, one for the aft end, a lifting strop on top and one linking piece half way down on each side.

As to engine orientation, I've just had my Suuki DF2.5 to bits to replace a broken lower case. The cylinder is horizontal: however, the powerhead is much closer to square than its close cousin the DT2/2.2 which is more brick shaped. The difference in size seems to me to be more down to cosmetics than engineering: there are a number of four stroke engines available that externally are very similar in appearance to their 2 stroke cousins. The rather bulbous, curvey things almost seem to be trying to make the tiny little engines look bigger than they are.
 
duncan99210 said:
If you buy a few metres of tape and a couple of clip together buckles it'll take you about half an hour to run up your own harness for your engine, no matter what the shape of its cowling. Costs about £6. Basically 2 loops, one for the forward end, one for the aft end, a lifting strop on top and one linking piece half way down on each side.

As to engine orientation, I've just had my Suuki DF2.5 to bits to replace a broken lower case. The cylinder is horizontal: however, the powerhead is much closer to square than its close cousin the DT2/2.2 which is more brick shaped. The difference in size seems to me to be more down to cosmetics than engineering: there are a number of four stroke engines available that externally are very similar in appearance to their 2 stroke cousins. The rather bulbous, curvey things almost seem to be trying to make the tiny little engines look bigger than they are.
Click to expand...

I had already come to that as a possible outcome if no one had produced something better
 
Make your own - used webbing and clips from old grip bags

OB%20Carrier.jpg
 
I seem to remember previous threads suggesting that the Force 4 sling is impenetrably complicated and generally unsatisfactory.
 
catmandoo said:
I understand that a limited degree of tilt is allowed otherwise there would not be a carrying handle so I wonder if just a hook on the handle would be sufficient ?
Click to expand...
Quite. I've always just attached a length of rope to the handle (round turn and two half hitches) and used my mini-davit ...see earlier PBO short article ca. 2005.
 
catmandoo said:
I understand that a limited degree of tilt is allowed otherwise there would not be a carrying handle so I wonder if just a hook on the handle would be sufficient ?
Click to expand...

reeac said:
Quite. I've always just attached a length of rope to the handle (round turn and two half hitches) and used my mini-davit ...see earlier PBO short article ca. 2005.
Click to expand...

I assume that lifting by the carrying handle is OK.

The object/ advantage of the lifting sling perhaps is that it enables the engine to be lifted from, and lowered on to, the dinghy transom . This may still be possible using the carrying handle of a 4 stroke as it is usually at the back where as it was usually at the front of 2 strokes.
 
I fitted an eye bolt to each side of the undertray and to the lift handle and used a 3 leg rope sling with snap shackles on each leg to connect to the eye bolts.
 
VicS said:
I assume that lifting by the carrying handle is OK.

The object/ advantage of the lifting sling perhaps is that it enables the engine to be lifted from, and lowered on to, the dinghy transom . This may still be possible using the carrying handle of a 4 stroke as it is usually at the back where as it was usually at the front of 2 strokes.
Click to expand...

I was originally worried about oil from sump running into cylinders when lowerering it by th ehandle as it would not lie upright on the lift but I suppose there is a longer time element involved
 
catmandoo said:
have you got a picture of eye bolt location on casing . I am concerned tht undertray casing not strong enough
Click to expand...

Just had a look in my photobucket library but cannot find one.

My 15 hp Mariner outboard has a GRP undertray and I drilled and fitted an eye bolt each side and one on the metal lift handle by the pull starter. The GRP deflects a little but a large washer distributes the load.

I also have a Suzuki 20 hp and I removed 2 of the bolts than connect the leg to the under tray and replaced them with eye bolts and again used the lift handle. At home at moment nd boat is 600 km away so cannot get a pic sorry.
 
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