Transferring the outboard between dinghy and mother ship

VicS

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I have launched my boat this year for the final time. I should have done so several years ago but for various reasons didn't

The trouble now is that i cannot climb on board with the dinghy outboard. I always used to be able to grab hold of it in one hand and climb aboard. Now I can't. Likewise not likely to be able to get back into the dinghy with it either.

The outboard is between 12 and 13 kg.

A cargo boom like this is a bit OTT with a capacity of 35kg , probably too large to stow conveniently and costs more than I want to pay for a very limited number of uses.

39122a.jpg


I thought about using the boom ( and the mainsheet tackle) but realised that once swung over the side it would cross the deck just where I need to climb up!
I suppose I could also rig a tackle so that I could lift the outboard from the dinghy and then haul the boom back out of the way but its all starting to get too complicated.

Anybody done anything relatively simple to solve this ?
 
How big is your freeboard? My Twister is low enough for me to reach over the pushpit after getting on board and lift by home made strop onto the bracket. It helps if the outboard has been unclamped (!) and slid along the transom to the side of the dinghy next the boat. Also that the painter is adjusted in length so that the stern of the dinghy is immediately below me. Putting the outboard into the dinghy is just the reverse. If there is much wave movement a boat hook over the grabline on the far side of the dinghy means it can be pulled in tight to the boat. I appreciate that a higher freeboard would make things a lot more difficult as would a heavier outboard (mine is a Tohatsu 3.5 2 stroke. Not sure of weight.)
 
How big is your freeboard? My Twister is low enough for me to reach over the pushpit after getting on board and lift by home made strop onto the bracket. It helps if the outboard has been unclamped (!) and slid along the transom to the side of the dinghy next the boat. Also that the painter is adjusted in length so that the stern of the dinghy is immediately below me. Putting the outboard into the dinghy is just the reverse. If there is much wave movement a boat hook over the grabline on the far side of the dinghy means it can be pulled in tight to the boat. I appreciate that a higher freeboard would make things a lot more difficult as would a heavier outboard (mine is a Tohatsu 3.5 2 stroke. Not sure of weight.)

A Seawych.. a lot lower than a Twister

DSCF0290.jpg


This is the dinghy I now use Not sure if the outboard could be moved along the transom or not

Nothing to attach a rope or anything to to pull the stern in, (fitted a cleat in my little wooden dinghy)

DSCF1200.jpg
 
OK, not a complete solution, but some elements may help. On the dinghy, the outboard has a lanyard attached. Once alongside the mothership, the lanyard is transferred across to the top rail of the pushpit (to prevent it falling in should things go t*ts up). It also keeps the outboard rougly where you want it.

Once aboard, a line from the outboard runs over the pushpit to a winch to lift it to within handling range of the bracket.

Rob.
 
Do the dinghy and the yacht share an outboard, or have one each? What I mean is, are you trying to get the outboard from the dinghy onto the up/down transom bracket in the picture, or are you trying to get it fully on board so that you can stow it in a locker?

(Seeing the thread title, I came here to advise hoisting the inflatable tender onto the foredeck with the engine still fitted, rather than passing it up first. This is what I do, and it works really well, but obviously completely inapplicable to your situation :) )

Pete
 
Do the dinghy and the yacht share an outboard, or have one each? What I mean is, are you trying to get the outboard from the dinghy onto the up/down transom bracket in the picture, or are you trying to get it fully on board so that you can stow it in a locker?

(Seeing the thread title, I came here to advise hoisting the inflatable tender onto the foredeck with the engine still fitted, rather than passing it up first. This is what I do, and it works really well, but obviously completely inapplicable to your situation :) )

Pete
Separate outboard
Getting it fully on board into the cockpit to stow in a locker.
 
It's an outboard, metal and plastic. I wouldn't give up sailing because I was worried about losing an outboard. (Assuming it's an old cheap one) and anyway doesn't he use a seagull!!
 
What about a pair of sheerlegs ? You could pressgang the oars into double duty... Each loom into a socket on the deck, and a hole in each blade for a small strop and block.
 
What about a pair of sheerlegs ? You could pressgang the oars into double duty... Each loom into a socket on the deck, and a hole in each blade for a small strop and block.

Hmm that would lift it but I really need something that also swings it round into the cockpit. A mini version of the cargo boom in my first post would be the ideal.

Pity I did not foreee this problem years ago I might have been able to design and build something.
 
would it be possible to rotate the outboard from a 'tank up' mode to a 'tank level' one ? Then a third leg on the sheerlegs to the opposite side of the boat, converting it to a tripod ? Clumsy configuration though, taking up space and complicated..


How about a single leg sheerleg ? Small spar (? spinnaker pole) fastened to the base of the mast; horizontal angle controlled by lines from bow and stern, vertical angle (cant) and height of outboard from line through top of pole. Outboard is controlled in x,y, z axes at all times.

Edit
Just remembered, it's called a gin pole :)


EDIT2. Could you put a gooseneck fitting (or move the present one) tot he base of the mast ? Nearly all the kit is already there.
 
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I tie our dinghy fore and aft alongside the cockpit. Then lift the outboard off the dinghy transom and stand up, outboard in both hands, skeg resting on the floor of the dinghy. If there's someone in the cockpit I pass it up to them. If not, I rotate it so the leg is horizontal and lift it up and over the guardwires and let it down onto the cockpit seat.

4hp 2 stroke Evinrude. About the lightest you can get for that power.

Works OK with inflatable dinghies and a 14 foot hard dinghy, also done it from a Mirror dinghy.

With your dinghy I'd want to try it with a helper in the cockpit first, in case it's not stable enough to stand up in and you have to do the job sitting down.

Absolutely needs securing tightly fore and aft, maybe you need a ringbolt fitted through the dinghy transom.

In reverse I've sometimes dropped the engine on a line into the middle of the tender and sorted it out when I got in.
Though if it's calm, I'd just put it on the cockpit seat and reach over for it from the dinghy.

Sadler 32 so a bit more freeboard, and I'm 6 ft tall.
 
Hi Vic What is this about launching boat for the last time? Are you going to give up the Seawych? It would be a pity to see that happen.
Anyway back to the problem. I presume you still run the old 6HP Johnson/Evinrude. Yes I find mine gets heavier as the years go by.
Fortunately I am able to row the dinghy and sail the boat so motor stays stowed on board.
However the trick I think for you would be to lower the o/b bracket as low as possible and try lifting the motor from dinghy to bracket with you in the dinghy. Then if need be lift the dinghy off the bracket into the cockpit. This will require the dinghy to be very closely tied to the transom in a suitable place. A tackle from an extension of the boom may be able to take some of the weight in the transfer. good luck olewill
 
Hi Vic What is this about launching boat for the last time? Are you going to give up the Seawych? It would be a pity to see that happen.
Anyway back to the problem. I presume you still run the old 6HP Johnson/Evinrude. Yes I find mine gets heavier as the years go by.
Fortunately I am able to row the dinghy and sail the boat so motor stays stowed on board.
However the trick I think for you would be to lower the o/b bracket as low as possible and try lifting the motor from dinghy to bracket with you in the dinghy. Then if need be lift the dinghy off the bracket into the cockpit. This will require the dinghy to be very closely tied to the transom in a suitable place. A tackle from an extension of the boom may be able to take some of the weight in the transfer. good luck olewill

Afraid so William.

It's the dinghy outboard that I am concerned with ...... My mooring is a bit to far from the yard to row, except in calm conditions and I'm just doing so for the fun of it.
The Evinrude has to be lifted onto its bracket before launching these days and there it stays until the boat is back ashore again.
 
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