Auxilary engine

[Dave_Knowles]

I tried out my auxilary engine yesterday which is rated at abou 5hp and it was just about able to chug the boat along at 1.5kts. Can anyone with user experience give me a guide as to what is the minimum size to push me boat home if needed. The boat is 7m and weights abour 2.5 tons. It would also be usefull if the engine was storable on board and therefore the weight when fixing it onto the bracket if needed needs to be taken into consideration. Out of interest do you generally keep the spare outbard on the back?

<hr width=100% size=1>Take care.

Dave

Dave Knowles
Southampton - UK

http://www.MyCleopatra.co.uk

 

[Talbot]

I have pushed my 4 ton cat using a 2hp yamaha mounted on my 2.6m zodiac which was secured alongside. We travelled 2 miles and then secured between piles using this.

Ok there was very little tide or wind, and the engine did get a tad warm, but worked much better for this work out. It would have been a different matter if wind/tide had been a factor.

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[duncan]

Dave, Phaeton's about the same size and I have moved her using a 4hp in the tender rigged as suggested by Talbot but, and a big but, it's not going to work in a sea, it's not quick to rig and you would't make much way.
You may, or may not, have noticed but few boats 'our size' are rigged with auxillaries.
Better to use the anchor when appropriate - ie. drift out of a hazard or into shallow(er) (7-10m is good). You can then decide what course of action to follow without time pressures. This is also of course where radio comes in very handy !
If you are out in open water you will also be surprised how quickly you cover ground with wind and tide - anchor when they are against the direction you wish to travel and take the free ride when in favour. It wouldn't be unrealistic to get from say Old Harry back to the Needles on one tide, then cadge a tow back into the Solent.
(1) quickly anchor when safe to do so
(2) assess all the factors (including crew!) try to repair
(3) call coastguard and discuss
Finally most engine failures are established when at anchor/tied up anyway.

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[andyball]

Most (all?) small ob's are propped for a dinghy....did yours reach anything near full rev's at 1.5 knots ? if not, a smaller pitch prop (if available) may help a lot. "high thrust" props are available for some models & are better still for heavier boats, esp. astern.

Of course "sailpower" or "high-thrust" motors are available too, with a different gear ratio turning a larger dia prop more slowly than a standard motor which is better still, but the smallest used to be 8hp, which starts getting ££'ive.

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[nickjaxe]

This is something I have given thought to recently, I have a 16ft dory type craft with a small cuddy used for diving/fishing, I have always carried a 5hp aux never had to use it, I like to keep my boat in tip top order but one never knows I used to think, I have tried my 5hp with my boat to be honest against a tide it was useless, any way at the moment the 5hp is out of action, I do use it on the side of a canadian canoe and I think its days are over it packed up last time I used it, spare parts are not available, its the coil, anyway not sure to replace it or not its always just been extra weight to carry on my small boat with not a lot of spare room, and my operating area is anglesey with its fast tides were I go anyway any, comments please.

Regards Nick.

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[andyball]

We don't carry a spare outboard & wd have to anchor/fix engine (not very fixable if fuel injection or ignition computer go pop, but spare plugs + fuel filter on board) then radio for a tow if unable to fix.

I'm happy with that 'cos it's a v.reliable 2001 engine & we don't go that far + always someone about.

re. your busted 5hp...Many ignition coils from other ob motors/even mopeds wd likely work, even if the mounting was different (easy enough to alter). Many ob repair places have a pile of scrap engines you could pull a coil from.

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[whisper]

I used to have an Orkney 16ft dinghy + cuddy. It was powered by a 25hp outboard but I also had a 6hp auxiliary with standard prop on a spring loaded bracket. This used to get the boat up to 6knts. Also experienced an 8hp aux. on a 20ft boat - got a similar speed out of it. Both of these would have sufficed in an emergency BUT they seemed to gain 10lbs in weight as each of my birthdays came and went. I suppose the value of such engines is that even if they won't take you far, in an emergency they do allow you to steer out of danger. Also, even in bad weather they will "speed" you in the direction the tide is going so you may find a refuge quicker than otherwise possible. I think that their other value is the psychological one of having a "spare" engine.
Currently, with our 23ft boat we feel that as it is powered by an inboard & diesel to boot, we don't need an auxiliary. Watch this space /forums/images/icons/blush.gif

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[Dave_Knowles]

Firtstly thankyou everyone who has replied to my posting.

What is odd though that when I broke down last time and on this forum thanked Seastart who came out and assisted me so many attacked my use of Seasart saying they had spare engines which they use to get them home. I find it strange that they are now not offering further advise as to what size these spare engines are.

<hr width=100% size=1>Take care.

Dave

Dave Knowles
Southampton - UK

http://www.MyCleopatra.co.uk

 

[andyball]

Where's the harm in seastart ?
assuming you're in an area where it's available.

You spend the money on a spare engine & find space in the cockpit/on the transom all season, or spend the same on x years of seastart. It's a choice innit?

But I think you could get a mast or two on that Cleopatra, then you could sail home,surely ? <g>


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[Dave_Knowles]

A mast now that's a thought. Probably cheaper than a larger outboard.

As for SeaStart they are great.

<hr width=100% size=1>Take care.

Dave

Dave Knowles
Southampton - UK

http://www.MyCleopatra.co.uk

 

[duncan]

ah that's the forum - opinionated and divided on most issues!

I was deadly serious regarding the observation that few in the 25-28ft range carry capable 'auxillaries' - just isn't practicable and you can safely drift for days in most conditions.
Hope to meet you on the water some time

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[Dave_Knowles]

Thanks Duncan.

Maybe I was being a little flippant about the sails but I am still licking my wounds a little after the Sea Start posting a few months back. I enjoy this forum and try and contribute where I can. Unfortunately at times I find the response you get (not to this thread I would add) is far from helpful.

I am fairly new to this boating lark and am very keen to learn from those who have far more experience than me. I like many make mistakes which I try and learn from, but when you are out there on the water I always feel a little venerable and the comfort of knowing if my limited knowledge can't solve the problem there is Sea Start at the end of my mobile.

At the weekend I had (as I was told from my last breakdown by so many on the forum) to use the auxiliary that I now have on board. The auxiliary was bought after discussions with many people about hp size. I had to find an engine that I could store onboard (for security reasons) and would not be too heavy to mount on the back if needed. This I found in the largest of the Seagull range "The Kingfisher". Unfortunately it would seem to be a little small in output hence the question.

I therefore don't want to have to rely upon this engine again as one thing for sure although I was only maybe 200 yards off shore in the Solent when I had the ignition problems and it was still light being 3 o’clock but with no other boats around it was a bit lonely and a little scary knowing dark would come down in a few hours.
We did eventually get back with I might add the help once again of Sea Start. Nick (the owner of Sea Start) and I spent the whole journey trying to solve the ignition problem but without success while the friend of mine who was out with me drove the Sea Start boat rafted up to mine. We got back safely at about 6 o’clock. I was a little embarrassed about calling for help yet again but Nick consoled me by saying we had done everything that we could to solve the problem before calling them out.

By the way Nick if you are reading this thanks again and I hope you had a good evening and hope you were not in too much trouble for missing the fireworks.


<hr width=100% size=1>Take care.

Dave

Dave Knowles
Southampton - UK

http://www.MyCleopatra.co.uk

 

[duncan]

Seastart certainly seem to be effective around Poole and the Solent; and pretty busy at times too!
Surprised there weren't more boats around for you - I was off the Needles fishing Saturday and there was a significant coming and going of boats from the Solent all day.
The issues of storage and handling are exactly the reason that you don't get a nice compromise enabling use as an auxilary or tender engine around the 2.5 - 4 ton boat size. Realistically you probably need something like a Tohatsu 9.8 to deliver the power , which is both a lot of dosh and more than I would want to lug around all the time (on and off transom/mounting etc).
Dodn't rule out forumites in your 'emergency plans' either - tend to find the hard core on here will go anywhere for a steak and a cold beer in the summer!

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[Col]

"tend to find the hard core on here will go anywhere for a steak and a cold beer in the summer! "

Only in the Summer??

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[truebrit]

I have used my suzuki 5hp auxillary on my 20ft cuddy against 4kt tide on the Cleddau and made about 2kts headway,very glad of it I was too,my boat is only about 1.2 tonnes so I would imagine you would need around 8-10 hp .

<hr width=100% size=1>Mike....... V8s are sweet music

 

[duncan]

Mr Pedantic - I have mice pies and mulled wine planned for the 6th - OK?

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[Col]

You're ON!

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[jhr]

"Mice pies"

Mmmm, sounds nice. Followed by Ratatouille, I presume?

)

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[Col]

Mince pies followed by "Rat ars*d" more like it!!

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[jhr]

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