Outboard bracket

[DaveS]

Some weeks ago one of the saily mags suggested an idea that I've been toying with for some time, i.e. fix a lifting outboard motor bracket to the yacht transom. The idea is that this should, when up, provide a good storage location for the dinghy outboard: when down it should allow an easy horizontal transfer to the dinghy or provide emergency manoevering power in the event of main engine failure. All very clever.

The trouble is that all the commercially available brackets I have seen only give a lift of 300mm or so. This is nothing like enough to ensure that the motor would both stay in the water when down and be well clear of the sea when up.

Some years ago I had a Vivacity 20 who's outboard motor fitted onto a wood / ss bracket which slid up and down in captive rails. A system like that should work with rails of any length - but where to buy such a device, or suitable bits to make one short of completely scratch building? I had thought of genoa track and sliders but that seems a bit OTT...

Any assistance gratefully received!


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[MarkV]

I seem to remember a PBO article some time ago described a self build of this type, not sure which eddition though. I think I have also seen such a mounting in a mail speed catalogue, but not sure.

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[William_H]

Look in your chandler for the Staimless Steel track used on dinghies for Main traveler. A female track about 15mm wide ie the steel comes up the side about 5mm then rolls inward. The sliders should be available to suit. You would need about a metre of track each side and 4 sliders. you need a frame joining all 4 brass sliders in a rectangle against the hull then frame outward to the board for the O/B Then you need a tackle to lift the O/B. Using this type of slider of course may not guarantee how easy it is to slide which is perhaps why the genoa car tracks with rollers would be preferable. Have a look in the chandlers and make up your own mind. I think I have seen it work with the SS track. regards will

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[snowleopard]

we had the captive slide type on our sonatas. they did lift the motor clear of the water when it was lifted into the tilt position. the two drawbacks were (a) it was hard work to pull up a 5hp motor leaning over the stern and (b) reaching down over the stern to reach the gear lever while berthing was a pain.

if i were starting from scratch i'd probably go for the spring-loaded swinging type.

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[greatspirit]

Hi DaveS, Welcome to the Forum.
I have the exact same problem...I want to fit a spare engine to my cat with a mounting of the type you describe...my main outboard is fitted on a sledge...perhaps the latter might solve your problem.
MORE suggestions please peeps
Regards
Tim

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[DaveS]

Thanks for that. I hadn't thought about dinghy traveller track and sliders - they might be just the job: I'll have a look in the chandler tomorrow. I'm not too worried by friction - it's only for a wee 2HP motor. The Vivacity had a 6HP (and briefly a 10HP but that's another story) on the sliding system and that lifted fairly easily with a single block (2:1) purchase.

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[campbell]

I sure that i have seen such a bracket in the Plastimo catalogue , worth checking out .

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[DaveS]

Nothing like that in the Mailspeed catalogue, or any others I have. I do remember once seeing a picture of a sliding bracket somewhere (Vetus perhaps?) which looked like cast aluminium construction but the vertical length was fixed and not very long.

PBO's article index gives two possibile home-build articles, both in the November 94 edition (!) on pages 37 and 92 respectively, but with only the article titles to go on they might be about something else entirely. I'll first have a look at dinghy track bits as suggested to get some ideas then maybe speculate £7 on the PBO article copies.

Of course if some kind soul happened to have access to a copy of PBO Nov 94 and could tell me whether either of these articles is relevant...

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[DaveS]

Could you describe your sledge? It could be we're talking about the same thing.

I suspect a lot of yotties could make good use of a sliding o/b bracket. The normal system of mounting the dinghy o/b on a rail mounted bracket then handing it down and/or lowering it on a string when its wanted on the dinghy is awkward at best (particularly if single handing). A sliding bracket system would be much easier - and with the added advantage of giving emergency propulsion. I would have thought that people would buy one of these if commercially available: an opportunity for a passing entrepreneur?

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