Outboard engine sideways angle

[kevink 6771]

Hi,
I've found that my boat (24' Bilge keel) has a outboard well (it had been painted up until i scraped all the antifoul away)
its to starboard of center line 2/3rds of the way back.
I'm thinking of dropping a 7.5 hp 4 stroke in the well, but tipping it at a sideways angle (say 20 degrees) so the prop was nearer to the center, and the motor head would sit under the seat area.

So far my thoughts are that the oil would not get picked up by the engine, but i'm wondering if anyone else has either done this or knows if its possible?

 

[Tranona]

No point in trying to tip it. Quite common for an outboard to be mounted to one side of the centreline, either in a well or on a bracket. It may cause the boat to veer slightly to one side under power but this can be corrected either with the tiller, or if there is room turning the engine slightly and locking the steering, either with the friction lock or with the tiller in a bracket.

 

[kevink 6771]

Its more so the engine would sit under the cockpit seat, so i've more space to move about in.

 

[VicS]

Its more so the engine would sit under the cockpit seat, so i've more space to move about in.

I think you would have to look at the design of the engine, in particular the way in which oil was picked up from the oil sump and also perhaps how it drains back into the sump.

It might be that it' s design will make it more suitable for tilting one way rather than the other way.

You would also have to bear in mind the angle at which you mount it would be in addition to the angle of heel on one tack. Important perhaps if motor sailing.

 

[Tranona]

Its more so the engine would sit under the cockpit seat, so i've more space to move about in.

Think you just have to accept for motoring efficiency that the powerhead will get in the way in the cockpit - one of the drawbacks of putting a well there. Otherwise, assuming the well does not trap exhaust fumes it is a good setup. As VicS says, if you lean it one way permanently you are lkikely to encounter problems with the prop coming out of the water on one tack - and the prop fouling the hull.

 

[William_H]

Outboard in well.

There aree all sorts of problems to an O/b in a weel. These may or may not bother you. One of my friends hasa 24fter with an o/b well but he gave up and uses a transom bracket. I think mainly because he could not easily get the prop out of the water. Another friend has a Farr 25 a few years old made in Turkey. Very nice too and fast. He only puts the motor in the well for motoring and lifts it out when sailing fitting the plug in place. Then others have problems with ventilation. And of course if it intrudes into cockpit floor space that is a real nuisance. Can't help with the question of engine on an angle. As said this would be added to normal heel so may be just too far for oil pick up and carb float level. good luck olewill

 

[kevink 6771]

I suppose i'll just have to trial it, i'll check the oil pickup though, my plan was to try and get it under the cockpit seats as much as possible, then maybe make a box to cover it up (with a direct vent to the air filter)

 

[Seajet]

I have a 22' boat with an outboard well, and have no problems like those mentioned above.

For a start a 7.5 hp 4 stroke is a heavy engine, which will be a PITA to lift and stow when sailing and when leaving the boat.

Sailing with the engine in will produce horrible drag, and leaving the engine in all season will produce horrible corrosion !

I use a 5hp standard shaft 2 stroke, and whenever sailing more than a few minutes stow the engine and fit a fairing plug in the well, which gives over a knot extra speed, also preventing the surprising amount of noise and turbulence an empty well makes.

My well is just offset to port, and the prop will only come out of the water on starboard tack in extreme conditions when there's plenty of wind anyway.

My tiller clears the engine head, maybe you could try pivoting the tiller up ( and securing it so ) or fit a cranked tiller ?

An engine on the transom looks ghastly,

Will pitch out of the water quite easily,

Is weight right on the end of the boat,

Difficult to refuel by can

Difficult to access controls requiring facing aft to adjust right when entering marinas etc unless remote controls fitted

Vulnerable to shore lines ripping off the controls or engine itself when rafted alongside a wall

Vulnerable to thieves

----

An engine in a well is easily lifted to clear lobster pot lines, work on, and one can easily keep an eye on the coolant telltale in case of picking up things like plastic bags etc...

My 5hp Mariner gives 5 knots, and has taken the boat across the Channel - usually 70 miles for me - several times in calms, before that a Yamaha 4 did it perfectly happily.

You might want to review the choice of engine, and work out a fairing plug, hopefully there's one already there, painted over ?