Is an outboard necessary?

[mark.adams]

I have a single inboard engine on a stern drive, i noticed some boats have a descending bracket with an outboard on, i presume this is in case of inboard engine failure.
Do many people have this, is it recommended, necessary or overkill?

 

[ctva]

If yolur engine failed, what is your alternative means of propultion? These are "get me home" engines and for anyone on the water a definate requirement. RNLI stats show the number of engine failures. How many of these did not have an alternative means of getting home?

 

[MarieK]

Yes it is advised that you have some sort of backup. Even if not used to "get you home" a small outboard can help you keep control of the boat, out of shipping lanes, off rocks etc while awaiting assistance.

 

[rwoofer]

I have a single inboard engine on a stern drive, i noticed some boats have a descending bracket with an outboard on, i presume this is in case of inboard engine failure.
Do many people have this, is it recommended, necessary or overkill?

I don't have a backup outboard on my boat and from a look around the marina, many others don't either. That may be because we are in the Solent, where there is a lot of traffic and if worse comes to worse there is Seastart.

Having been boating for 14 years now, I have never had an engine failure yet.

 

[omega2]

Just looked at your impressive list of boats, how many of them had out drives? most appear to have sails or two engines.

 

[Just_sayin']

Outboard brackets/engines as a backup to main propulsion are quite common in France on sub-30 foot boats.

I'm sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that, providing your life isn't in danger, the lifeboat charge can be €800 for a tow.

Unlike here.

Where it's free.

And brackets aren't so prevalent.

Hmmm.

 

[mark.adams]

So as a non tidal river user...

 

[kashurst]

as a non tidal river user I wouldn't bother. Just make sure you can contact your marina with a mobile and or a VHF radio. If the worst should happen you will drift close to the bank sooner or later so you can get a rope around a tree, and you have an anchor you can chuck in to hold your position whilst solving the problem/making a brew/ waiting for help. Just bear in mind if you need a tow late one sunday evening you might be sat there quite a while.

 

[kitkattoo]

So as a non tidal river user...

Mark, your on the river with lots of traffic, so not necessary IMHO.

There is always a willing boater to tow you to safety, if not even back to your home marina or at worst the nearest one.

We are a nice bunch on the Gt Ouse and will always stop to help, that's assuming you have a well stocked bar on board of course.

KK

 

[Chris_d]

So as a non tidal river user...

Don't bother

I understood the RNLI stat's said the most common engine failure was running out of fuel, wonder how many of those outboards hanging on brackets have enough fuel
to actually get them anywhere.

I've never understood the two engine paranoia even though I have two, the only engine failure I have had is of both together when a discarded rope decided to join my outdrives together.

 

[prv]

Having been boating for 14 years now, I have never had an engine failure yet.

In a roughly similar length of time (ignoring childhood dinghies) I've had at least seven on a variety of boats

Causes - everything from a nut in the gearbox not having been staked, to a fuel sender deliberately sabotaged to report a full tank.

Most of them were sailing boats so we did have alternative propulsion. I think I'd be uneasy outside the Solent in a single-engined motorboat without any backup.

EDIT: Just noticed the OP is on a non-tidal river. No need for backup engines there.

Pete

 

[boatone]

Only ever had one engine on the supertankers I used to drive and we used to do some rather long trips !

Mind you, we did carry a team of engineers that could fix pretty much everything even in the middle of the Indian Ocean !

 

[omega2]

Only ever had one engine on the supertankers I used to drive and we used to do some rather long trips !

Mind you, we did carry a team of engineers that could fix pretty much everything even in the middle of the Indian Ocean !

and lots of pirate breakers if you failed LOL

 

[julians]

Never had one on various single engined boats that we've owned over the last years 20-30 years. Had a fair few issues that have caused a loss of propulsion, but most of the time I've been able to effect a repair and motor home, there have been a couple of occasions where I havent been able to get it going though and have had to request a tow from a kind passing boat (there have also been times when I have been the kind passing boat and have towed others in, so what goes around comes around), never been in any danger or had to call the lifeboat.

Mind you I dont go large distances, and am generally close to shore in areas with lots of other boats in calm seas, if circumstances were different I might think about a spare outboard.

edited to add : Obviously having two engines is no guarantee you wont need a tow home, but it must reduce the odds substantially. We have been towed home once in a twin engined boat.

 

[mad_boater]

I can't believe any single engine boat owner wouldn't have a get you out of trouble outboard especially on the Solent/Southampton water.Imagine the scenario of a super tanker/container ship that takes 1-2 miles to stop and your in its path with no means of propulsion,scary or what?

One more point about free tows home.I don't know why people expect other boaters to rescue them from the mire when they could have their own solution to the problem.I agree the none tidal rivers are a different thing but the sea,need I say more ?

Rant over

 

[julians]

One more point about free tows home.I don't know why people expect other boaters to rescue them from the mire when they could have their own solution to the problem.I agree the none tidal rivers are a different thing but the sea,need I say more ?

Rant over

I dont expect it, but I would attempt to assist anyone in trouble on the water if they asked for my help, so would hope that other boaters share my attitude. If one doesnt want to help, then id ask someone else. Its no big deal to give someone a tow home, no massive hardship, so why not? Im not talking tow over long distances, im rarely more than 10 miles from any given marina , usually more like 5, so for me its fine. Like I said if youre along way from safe havens, or in quiet areas then a second engine would be sensible. It all dpends on the circumstances you usually boat in.

Like I mentioned I have also needed a tow home when equipped with 2 engines, so a tow home is always a real possibility regardless of how well prepared you think you are.

I think ive been towed 3 or 4 times in 30 years of boating, so not a common occurance. And I think in those years ive probably towed or assisted others a lot more than this. If others had refused to tow me, id have called a friend who wouldve come out for me. But everyone ive met has been pleasent and helpful, afterall they know it could be them requiring assistance next time.

 

[mark.adams]

everyone i have met since we started boating a month ago has been fantastic, all so friendly, it's a proper community...

 

[mad_boater]

I dont expect it, but I would attempt to assist anyone in trouble on the water if they asked for my help, so would hope that other boaters share my attitude. If one doesnt want to help, then id ask someone else. Its no big deal to give someone a tow home, no massive hardship, so why not? Im not talking tow over long distances, im rarely more than 10 miles from any given marina , usually more like 5, so for me its fine. Like I said if youre along way from safe havens, or in quiet areas then a second engine would be sensible. It all dpends on the circumstances you usually boat in.

Like I mentioned I have also needed a tow home when equipped with 2 engines, so a tow home is always a real possibility regardless of how well prepared you think you are.

I think ive been towed 3 or 4 times in 30 years of boating, so not a common occurance. And I think in those years ive probably towed or assisted others a lot more than this. If others had refused to tow me, id have called a friend who wouldve come out for me. But everyone ive met has been pleasent and helpful, afterall they know it could be them requiring assistance next time.

I agree you are very unlucky to have 2 engines go down together.I have lost one engine many times over the last 40 years of boating nearly always my lack of maintenance or not doing checks properly.

That doesn't alter the fact that an encounter with a super tanker with a single engine boat failure is the stuff of nightmares

 

[julians]

The super tanker scenario or other large ship scenario is not going to happen where I boat (balearics, well away from any major port or shipping lane), so i'm happy that this scenario is imo exceptionally unlikely.

I guess Its all about your circumstances and your attitude to risk, im fairly comfortable with a single engine and no backup.

Having thought back to all the breakdowns I can remember , there hasnt been one where I've been completely immobile, in an emergency I would have been able to move, it just would have caused more damage, and therefore more cost to repair, so instead I requested a tow to the nearest marina.

- gear in sterndrive sheared a tooth off.
- continuous overheat (later determined to be because hoseclamp failed)
- on the twin engined boat, overheat in engine #1, shortly followed by failed steering due to sheared pin due to lack of power steering because it was driven off engine #1

 

[ontheplane]

Don't try to overdo it either.

You'll never get it to plane so don't try and fit massive outboard.

All you need it for is to keep yourself pointed in the right direction and try to hold station, and work with the wind to get to a safe haven.

Get a low pitched prop on it. I'd think for a small boat, you'd want a 9.9hp (or 15hp if the weights the same) but you may be limited by weight.