Newbie Leg question.

[Guest]

I have a Searay 185 which is moored in a tidal marina on the south coast, when moored should I leave the leg down or up in the trailer position? Most people with similar boats in my marina leave them down but on a recent visit to the Isle of Wight I saw a lot of ribs with outboards in the up position, what / why the difference?

Thanks in advance,

Alastair

 

[Piers]

Metal left in the water is always likely to corrode, so I'd keep it up.

The only problem would be passers by bumping into it....

Piers du Pre
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast

 

[Guest]

Re: No!

the outdrive leg should be left down, otherwise the smooth-metal pistions will corrode, buggering the seals next time they are let down used/trimmed. Not the same with an outboard: the whole thing can be and should be tilted up and out of the water.

 

[hlb]

Re:He\'s right YNO

He's not just a pretty face!

Haydn

 

[jfm]

Fist off, the difference is at best marginal so you could just do what takes your fancy

Surely it's in the water whether up or down, so leave it down.
Comments about hydraulics getting crud are absolutely right, though most have a scrper seal before the main seal to wipe of marine slime as the cyl retracts

Outboards are better tilted up you would think, but the the mercury manuals have always said leave them down so that the anode (near the prop) is submerged and the elec circuit is then completed. I always hedge my bets by tilting the outboard and fitting another anode that is submerged the whole time

 

[Piers]

Apologies - I had read the query as if you yourself had an outboard, not an outdrive leg.

Outdrives are best left down for the reasons stated on this thread.

Piers du Pre
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast

 

[oldgit]

On me mud berth it goes up.On me float all the time berth stays in.

 

[BarryH]

One thing to keep an eye on is the driveshaft bellows, these should be checked on a regular basis for cracking etc. If the leg is left up for any length of time. These are the only thing between the water and the inside of the boat.

 

[lanason]

When I was a kid my Dad had a boat with outdrives and we ALWAYS put them up. The reason being that when the tide went out the outdrive would sit into the mud putting an upward force on it. They are not desgined for this direction of force. The whole weight of the back of the boat. Also when the boat moves around as the tide goes in and out it gets a sideways force.
Having said all that what is the purpose of having the ability to put it up. If you never did it. Tunnel drives dont go up - but then who would let a boat withn a tunnel drive sit on the mud ???.
Adrian