Firefly625
Well-Known Member
there's an honest reply. Sincerely hope, when you are ready, your first trip to the IOW is the first of many.
Spare outboard needed or not ?
- Thread starter redfreddie
- Start date
there's an honest reply. Sincerely hope, when you are ready, your first trip to the IOW is the first of many.
whisper
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated. Most, if not all, of my time on the water will be along the coast, I wouldnt want to go further out as a novice anyway and with a 21ft boat probably not a good idea anyway. I think I'll save that for a time in the future when i can move on to a bigger boat
Out of interest does anyone with a 21ft boat go further out to sea ? I'm not totally sure where it would get to and what sort of seas it could handle !
Learning all the time
We regularly took a 6m Ryds for long days out from Salcombe as far as Bridport or Fowey and back. This was possibly more fun than similar trips in our current, larger boat.
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
Tidnock
As mentioned recently on a previous post, with the use of contemporary styling (intragrated full-width boarding platforms), the mounting of transom aux. brackets is not always straight forwards. Just gone through the exercise with a client and a 23' SeaRay (15hp 2 stroke.-34 kgs).
If you intend to store the outboard on the bracket, sitting way out aft, there are going to be reasonable stresses on the points of attachment.
The SeaRay's platform was 800 mm (32 inches) deep and full width and never designed to facilitate a bracket. The platform was bolted to the transom (not moulded), so as to not put too much strain on the platform bolts, a separate (custom made) bracket was made up and through bolted to the transom with an internal plate. The custom made bracket continues under the platform to the outer trailing edge, where it is bolted to a conventional (good quality) spring loaded aux. bracket (available from any supplier).
Of course by the time the long shaft OB is on, there is a pretty long tail wagging about, and this boat is road trailed, so there are extra bouncing pressures as well.
Whatever sort of aux. bracket you have, periodic retightening should be included in your maintainance plan, preferably with nylock nuts or double nuts and a substantial backing plate.
If you are going to keep an aux. inside the boat and only attach if needed, make up a lanyard spliced to the OB, then spliced to a stainless dog clip. As you man-handle the OB into place, attach the clip to the bracket as soon as you can, so if she drops, it wont be too far!!!
As mentioned recently on a previous post, with the use of contemporary styling (intragrated full-width boarding platforms), the mounting of transom aux. brackets is not always straight forwards. Just gone through the exercise with a client and a 23' SeaRay (15hp 2 stroke.-34 kgs).
If you intend to store the outboard on the bracket, sitting way out aft, there are going to be reasonable stresses on the points of attachment.
The SeaRay's platform was 800 mm (32 inches) deep and full width and never designed to facilitate a bracket. The platform was bolted to the transom (not moulded), so as to not put too much strain on the platform bolts, a separate (custom made) bracket was made up and through bolted to the transom with an internal plate. The custom made bracket continues under the platform to the outer trailing edge, where it is bolted to a conventional (good quality) spring loaded aux. bracket (available from any supplier).
Of course by the time the long shaft OB is on, there is a pretty long tail wagging about, and this boat is road trailed, so there are extra bouncing pressures as well.
Whatever sort of aux. bracket you have, periodic retightening should be included in your maintainance plan, preferably with nylock nuts or double nuts and a substantial backing plate.
If you are going to keep an aux. inside the boat and only attach if needed, make up a lanyard spliced to the OB, then spliced to a stainless dog clip. As you man-handle the OB into place, attach the clip to the bracket as soon as you can, so if she drops, it wont be too far!!!
redfreddie
Member
Thanks again everyone for the advice, i'm enjoying everything about boating and learning all the time. At the moment i've just been practising around the marina with my gf, just manoevering and esp berthing in reverse, once ive completely mastered that i'll be far more confident ! I tried to do it in very high winds thinking that if i could do it in those circumstances it would give me confidence for any weather, took me 3 tries and on the 1st try i thought i was going slowly until i got to my berth and realised i wasnt slow enough, hit the pontoon quite hard and scratched my boat 
I drove back out and completely messed the 2nd one as the boat was being blown way off course and got my steering wrong . . . 3rd time i got it spot on and very very slow this time, as the Powerboat level 2 instructor had said to us 'slow is good' ! Still knocked my confidence a bit but then saw about 3 other boats do exactly the same thing and keep drifting offline i felt better !!
Anyway, took the kids out last weekend in much calmer weather and berthed perfectly 1st time so that was a boost !
Infamous - I hope you get to the IOW by the end of the season, that would be great !
I drove back out and completely messed the 2nd one as the boat was being blown way off course and got my steering wrong . . . 3rd time i got it spot on and very very slow this time, as the Powerboat level 2 instructor had said to us 'slow is good' ! Still knocked my confidence a bit but then saw about 3 other boats do exactly the same thing and keep drifting offline i felt better !!Anyway, took the kids out last weekend in much calmer weather and berthed perfectly 1st time so that was a boost !
Infamous - I hope you get to the IOW by the end of the season, that would be great !
MVP
Well-Known Member
We upgraded from a 16ft Oyster fishing boat to a Quicksilver 640 Weekender.
We have a little 2-stroke 3.3 hp that we used on our tender to get to the Oysters mooring, and then used it as a auxilliary.
The QS is now in a marina, so don't use the tender, but put the 3.3hp on the auxilliary bracket anyway. We tested it out in Langstone Harbour, 6-up and with a bit of tide against us, and still got 3mp on the GPS !, the internal fuel tank lasted about 45 minutes.
This engine may not get us home every time, but at least we can point the boat in the right direction. The 3.3 is still light enough to manhandle onto our tender if ever required.
MVP
We have a little 2-stroke 3.3 hp that we used on our tender to get to the Oysters mooring, and then used it as a auxilliary.
The QS is now in a marina, so don't use the tender, but put the 3.3hp on the auxilliary bracket anyway. We tested it out in Langstone Harbour, 6-up and with a bit of tide against us, and still got 3mp on the GPS !, the internal fuel tank lasted about 45 minutes.
This engine may not get us home every time, but at least we can point the boat in the right direction. The 3.3 is still light enough to manhandle onto our tender if ever required.
MVP
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
MVP
The little 3.3 is a great motor and will push you surprisingly well in calm conditions. Unfortunately being short shafted (designed for dinghies), when the boat pitches (rising and falling bow on to waves) the propeller lifts out of the water, albiet momentarily, and you lose your forward motion, and of course do harm to the water pump. It doesn't take a very big wave to start this action.
A long shaft motor is preferable.
Not sure if you knew this already, but may assist redfreddie.
The little 3.3 is a great motor and will push you surprisingly well in calm conditions. Unfortunately being short shafted (designed for dinghies), when the boat pitches (rising and falling bow on to waves) the propeller lifts out of the water, albiet momentarily, and you lose your forward motion, and of course do harm to the water pump. It doesn't take a very big wave to start this action.
A long shaft motor is preferable.
Not sure if you knew this already, but may assist redfreddie.
redfreddie
Member
I will definately be looking to get an auxiliary outboard just in case, your advice has been invaluable, thank you all
I'm off on my summer hols today so won't be back on til a week monday, i'll check for more advice then . . . Have a great weekend everyone
I'm off on my summer hols today so won't be back on til a week monday, i'll check for more advice then . . . Have a great weekend everyone
Tremlett 15
Well-Known Member
I will definately be looking to get an auxiliary outboard just in case, your advice has been invaluable, thank you all
I'm off on my summer hols today so won't be back on til a week monday, i'll check for more advice then . . . Have a great weekend everyone
The "a o/b" a good idea, enjoy your holiday & if it is a boating holiday, post some photos on your return.
MVP
Well-Known Member
Our aux bracket is sprint loaded so I can get the engine quite low down in the water.
If there's too much swell I guess I'll have to ask SWMBO to stand on the swim platform to keep her down
tinkicker0
Well-Known Member
Thanks again everyone for the advice, i'm enjoying everything about boating and learning all the time. At the moment i've just been practising around the marina with my gf, just manoevering and esp berthing in reverse, once ive completely mastered that i'll be far more confident ! I tried to do it in very high winds thinking that if i could do it in those circumstances it would give me confidence for any weather, took me 3 tries and on the 1st try i thought i was going slowly until i got to my berth and realised i wasnt slow enough, hit the pontoon quite hard and scratched my boat
Anyway, took the kids out last weekend in much calmer weather and berthed perfectly 1st time so that was a boost !
Infamous - I hope you get to the IOW by the end of the season, that would be great !
Well a single sterndrive is about the hardest type of boat to master in the handling stakes, bit like trying to push a shopping trolley across a slope with one finger on the handle.
A good maxim to use when docking is: " never approach the dock faster than you would want to hit it". I concur fully, with a matching scratch done in very similar circumstances to prove it.
Glad you got your RYA powerboat level 2, good training that really does work in the real world. Most important lesson to always follow on a single sterdrive is "steer, then gear".
You will also notice that when you approach the dock and the boat comes to a standstill with the fenders a couple of inches away from the pontoon and boat lined up perfectly and you justifiably proud, it is a fact that no one will be there to see it.
However, when it all goes horribly wrong (and it will) and you crawl off the boat on hands and knees, a shivering wreck. Guarantee that everyone from the boat club Commadore right down to a yoof in a tender will be watching you with wry amusement.
Fear not tho, what is going through their minds usually is: "there but for the grace of god go I". Anyone who doesn't think that is not worth knowing.
Enjoy your boating, it will make you poorer in a monetary sense, but richer in life.
Tidnock
Well-Known Member
Its great that you are practicing in the marina on and off the pontoon, frankly, when ever I got my boat alongside and moored I did not want to go through it all again. So taking into consideration the tides, weather, other activities and engagements, during a season there was probably very few times I left and returned to the marina, so practising as you have is probably a months worth of experience in normal use. I have just returned to boating, in a smaller boat, I am determined not to let this issue spoil the fun, as such, I have arranged lessons and will hopfully get it sorted, in fact I will.
My analogy was backing your high value car into a parking space at Sainsbury's on marbles with a helping of an oil slick, the car park, is on a 1in3 hill and the spaces are diagonally across the gradient, to add a bit of extra fun someone has bolted a sharp anchor like instrument to your bonnet. To the left is a Bugatti, opposite is a Lamborghini, to the right is a Ferrari, the owners of these cars are all advanced drivers, they are either sat in their cars or polishing them as they love and cherish their car above anything else. The kids are jumping all over the back seat, the dog has obscured you rear vision and you cannot see the end of the bonnet, now revers into the space please.
My analogy was backing your high value car into a parking space at Sainsbury's on marbles with a helping of an oil slick, the car park, is on a 1in3 hill and the spaces are diagonally across the gradient, to add a bit of extra fun someone has bolted a sharp anchor like instrument to your bonnet. To the left is a Bugatti, opposite is a Lamborghini, to the right is a Ferrari, the owners of these cars are all advanced drivers, they are either sat in their cars or polishing them as they love and cherish their car above anything else. The kids are jumping all over the back seat, the dog has obscured you rear vision and you cannot see the end of the bonnet, now revers into the space please.
SeaDave
Well-Known Member
Good analogy.
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
I second that, SeaDave!
redfreddie
Member
thanks everyone, back from hols now and raring to get out on the boat asap !
Great advice everyone and analogies (Tidnock)
I'm going to invest in an outboard, just got to save some pennies as spent a load already on canvas covers and electric hookup etc etc lol it is expensive but i don't care, i'm loving it !!
Great advice everyone and analogies (Tidnock)
I'm going to invest in an outboard, just got to save some pennies as spent a load already on canvas covers and electric hookup etc etc lol it is expensive but i don't care, i'm loving it !!
realslimshady
Well-Known Member
thanks everyone, back from hols now and raring to get out on the boat asap !
Great advice everyone and analogies (Tidnock)
I'm going to invest in an outboard, just got to save some pennies as spent a load already on canvas covers and electric hookup etc etc lol it is expensive but i don't care, i'm loving it !!
funnily enough, have just decided to go the other way-had a 20' Bayliner out of Christchurch then trailered for two years, and never had an aux motor, then decided with new boat to hang an aux on the back as it had a bracket and I've rebuilt the engine...
However, bracket was worse than useless (modified it so motor at least fitted), but hanging right out the back and dragging in the water, needing another fuel tank....
So decided to buy an inflatable with little electric motor for use as a tender/beaching dinghy-and reckon in worst case scenario (we're always in the solent) drift to where it's shallow, throw the anchor out and tender to shore....then sort it out when back on dry land!