Outboard keeps rotating out of fore and aft position??

[wilsonmark]

I am sure in not alone in needing to clamp my outboard in a fore and aft position and then steer with the tiller. However the friction screw on my 2.5 Yamaha swivel bracket can't really be tightened enough and the engine slowly rotates during use - v annoying. A larger Mercury 5hp did seem to be clamped but then the friction screw just sheared off when I was starting it!

Does anyone have any experience of this or how to get around the problem. The engine dealer says those friction screws are not designed to lock the swivel bracket only tighten the action - so what can you do if you do need to lock it?

 

[prv]

I don't have this problem on a boat (I steer the dinghy with the engine) but I did have it with the frame and dustbin arrangement I use for flushing.

The engine always wanted to turn the same way, so I simply added a block of wood to stop the tiller moving any further. Could you do something similar on your boat? Perhaps a rowlock for the tiller to be lowered into?

Pete

 

[wilsonmark]

Hi Pete, thanks, yes I have tried lashing the tiller arm to a nearby point but this then makes it more difficult to rotate the throttle! like your rowlock idea!

 

[Giblets]

I am in the process of sorting this problem out on my little boat.

I have bought one of those clamp-on tiller extensions to fit over the o/b throttle and fitted a pipe clip to the pushpit which the tiller extension sits in when the o/b is in the fore/aft position. This means that I can lift the extension out of the clip and steer the o/b and twist the extension to control the throttle when the extension is sitting in the clip.

Haven't tried it in anger yet but looking good so far.

 

[Lakesailor]

Remote steering fits onto the bar at the front of the motor. Just make a strut from that bar to a suitable spot on your stern. It needs to across the transom of course, not along the centre-line. It doesn't have to be bolted on. Just a drop-in pin will do the trick.
See the holes in this shot.