Stick in the mud - a boot for my water intake?

[Durcott]

Hi Folks,

I've recently swapped my nice clean pontoon berth to a fore and aft mooring in a muddy river off the Bristol Channel

My boat (Newbridge Venturer) has a 10 hp outboard in a deep well in one corner of the cockpit. The well is too tight for tilting the motor when not in use, and it's far too heavy a lump to drag out after a trip. (It's a 1980's Honda)

First amongst my rude awakenings, is that as the boat floats off and then re-settles on the mud, a plug of mud is progressively rammed up the outboard's water intake.

(I had anticipated that - but what do you do?)

I wondered if anyone has tried a heavy weight canvas 'boot' to put over the outboard leg? I imagine it being tied off over the top of the motor. It would have to survive the suction forces of the mud twice a day.

I can see this being a pain to put on at the end of each trip, but I suspect it would be better than having no cooling water for the next one.

Any thoughts?

Kind regards

Jeff

 

[prv]

Personally I'd rather make some kind of mechanism to raise the engine when not in use, but hard to advise on that without seeing the boat. I'm not convinced outboards are designed to be left in the water full-time, that's why they tilt.

Admittedly this one has lasted 30 years so far...

Pete

 

[Sarh Dee]

Welcome to the mud. I have an outdrive that sits it the mud all the time the wet stuff is out. It to gets mud in but all I do is give it a good blast when afloat to wash the mud throu the system and all seems fine

 

[Durcott]

I don't think it was an idea that was around very long.

If I'd realised what a total PITA it is, I'd have looked elsewhere.

So - it's more or less a permanent installation of an outboard. I guess at that time, petrol outboards were comparatively cheap.

Removing it each time is simply not an option.

 

[ianat182]

Could it be possible for you to rig a simple tackle using your mainsheet and the boom to lift inboard and to remount as necessary; your suggested idea of the canvas 'boot' could be the answer if strongly tethered. I guess the outboard is also bigger than a 5HP therefore weighty.


ianat182

 

[Durcott]

In principle, yes.

In practice, not really.

It's a long job even to undo the clamps, as they are so hard to get to. Then there is the morse gear, and finally it's not a straight lift.

Couldn't have made it any harder if they tried.