Using a nail as an outboard shear pin?

[Praxinoscope]

Just a simple thought, your outboard was not cheap, unless like me you still have your 40 year old Seagull spouting two stroke all over place, and repairing it is likely to be expensive, shear pins aren’t the most eye watering key costly item in the chandlers, why not have one or two taped under the cover so if one goes you don’t have to use and old nail or a bit of welding rod?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Just a simple thought, your outboard was not cheap, unless like me you still have your 40 year old Seagull spouting two stroke all over place, and repairing it is likely to be expensive, shear pins aren’t the most eye watering key costly item in the chandlers, why not have one or two taped under the cover so if one goes you don’t have to use and old nail or a bit of welding rod?

Wouldn't it be nice if modern outboards used drive springs like Seagulls?

 

[RichardS]

Wouldn't it be nice if modern outboards used drive springs like Seagulls?

My 2014 Suzuki 2.5 has a rubber shock absorbent hub rather than a shear pin.

Richard

 

[A1Sailor]

Just a simple thought, your outboard was not cheap, unless like me you still have your 40 year old Seagull spouting two stroke all over place, and repairing it is likely to be expensive, shear pins aren’t the most eye watering key costly item in the chandlers, why not have one or two taped under the cover so if one goes you don’t have to use and old nail or a bit of welding rod?

Do outboards not have a rubber "disc" under the cover with 2-3 holes to store spare shear pins? Mine did. Maybe the OP's does, but he didn't know to look.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Do outboards not have a rubber "disc" under the cover with 2-3 holes to store spare shear pins? Mine did. Maybe the OP's does, but he didn't know to look.

An old Mariner I have lying around does have a rubber shear pin holder under the cover, I don’t recall seeing one in a Merc’ that I had years ago, and of course my Seagull doesn’t have a cover, but I do have a spare shear spring taped to the tiller arm, although over the last 10 years I have only had to replace one spring.