How to take your outboard for a swim

[Shanty]

Had a bit of an epic yesterday moving the outboard (4hp Yamaha) from its perch on the pushpit to the tender (Zodiac Cadet 270) in the water alongside.

Normally, I lower the outboard into the tender on the end a rope, climb down & lift the outboard onto the transom. Not easy, but do-able. Yesterday there was a 3ft swell running through the moorings, and outboard & I nearly went swimming.

So, got me thinking about better methods. Thought about rigging up a hoist, setting up a derrick, finding a more sheltered mooring. Wondered whether anybody has experience of a better method of making this transfer singlehanded.

 

[Talbot]

Bad weather and I lower it on one of the davit ropes.

 

[duncan]

lots of posts about rigging a single swinging davit as a hoist about a year ago - so yes it makes a lot of sense on a yacht and has been done by many.

aomeone makes one specifically for the purpose

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I use the end of the boom, with the mainsheet as the purchase system, and the boom tied off to stop it swinging...

 

[Guest]

If you area a Sailboat - you have the ideal answer ....

Main boom. All you need is a block, two clips and a rope ..... + preventers to keep boom in position ....

Main booms can lift inboard engines out ... dinghy's, outboards, people ..... with only a little thought and bobs the proverbial.

For direct of transom - a broom handle derrick will work ...

 

[reeac]

I made a "mini-davit" 2 years ago and wrote about it [with photo] in PBO October 2005. We find it to be very useful as we're on a swinging mooring.

 

[Shanty]

Thanks for that. Just had a look at the article - looks a neat system. The big problem is working near the stern when it is jumping up & down. I generally work from the side deck when conditions get lively.

Thanks also to those who suggested using the boom. I've a feeling there may be a solution here. The big problem is doing the job singlehanded. Ideally, you want to be on deck lowering, and in the tender securing the outboard at the same time.

I suspect the solution may involve lowering the outboard whilst in the tender - possibly needs 3-4 hands?

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Just unhook from the traveller, then you can control from the tender.

 

[MarkJohnson12345]

My solution is to place the outboard on the deck on the side of the boat, then get into the dinghy and take it from the deck. The lift is short and relativly straight forward. Same with putting the engine back.

Danger is that the engine is a little exposed to falling off, so I do tie it on.

Lowering on a rope sounds a good solution, but a little more involved. If the boat os moving around a lot then maybe should not be taking the dinghy anyway.

Its a problem looking for a solution.....

 

[Shanty]

Think you may have triggered an idea - along the lines of: mount the outboard sufficiantly low down that it can easily be lifted from yacht to tender, or vice versa. Something like those parallelogram brackets used to mount outboards on small yachts, but not on the transom. Will do some more thinking when the booze wears off.

 

[Superflid]

My knackered back meant a solution had to be found....

It will take the weight of a 15 stone man, I've tried! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif