Westerly Centaur

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tarik

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Evening all,


My engine is nearing the end of its term. Am considering buying an outboard, what does the Team think is a good make/model. I don't anticipate long journeys mainly manoeuvring harbour entrance and to and from moorings.


Many thanks for all replies.


David
 
You have opened a can of worms as this subject has been done to death over the last couple of years. Realistically an outboard is not suitable for a big and heavy boat like a Centaur - that is why they were designed to have an inboard, and why they are unsaleable now with a duff engine.

You can hang a 9.9hp on the back which will give you some speed - about 5 knots in calm water but pretty limited as an auxiliary for a cruising boat like a Centaur.
 
I'm not going to say it, really I'm not :)

Seriously, I would have thought one of the big Seagull outboards might do the job, slow reving, big prop. Designed for up to a 24' displacement hull.

Nothing modern really equivalent that I know of.
 
Sophie19 said:
I'm not going to say it, really I'm not :)

Seriously, I would have thought one of the big Seagull outboards might do the job, slow reving, big prop. Designed for up to a 24' displacement hull.

Nothing modern really equivalent that I know of.
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That was in a world when 4 knots was rushing about. Of course a Seagull will move it - slowly and at the time there were few alternatives. But no good as a permanent auxilliary if you want to use the cruising capability of the boats. Fitting inboards in that type of boat was part of what made them so attractive as family boats rather than esoteric things for old seadogs and lone Corinthians. Along of course with other things like cookers and loos that worked, comfy upholstery and all the other trappings one expected in everyday life!
 
tarik said:
Evening all,


My engine is nearing the end of its term. Am considering buying an outboard, what does the Team think is a good make/model. I don't anticipate long journeys mainly manoeuvring harbour entrance and to and from moorings.


Many thanks for all replies.


David
Click to expand...

Why do you feel the engine is nearing the end of its term? Maybe a wee head off valve job is all it needs!
 
It's been done with apparent success by Ken Endean on his Sabre 27 London Apprentice. A quick search will find the details elsewhere on these forums, however he did some major modifications to the transom to make it work.

I would also imagine it would destroy any resale value, so OK if you are never looking to sell, but maybe if you have that in mind it might be better to spend the money on a overhaul of your existing inboard.
 
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I used a Tohatsu 9.8 long shaft high thrust o/b with some success to shove my centaur about when the inboard passed it's use by date. However, any slop and the motor would cavitate; It fell off the bracket during a rough passage to Alderney, having broken the wooden part off the bracket; It was nowhere near as good as the inboard in a headwind; It didn't generate enough power to recharge the batteries sensibly; it used expensive and dangerous petrol; It used a lot more petrol than the inboard used diesel. etc

All in all, make sure that your tender's motor is long enough to push the mother ship*, but don't put an outboard on instead of the main engine.

* We have a yamaha 4hp long shaft for the tender which can just push Sevenem about. e.g. the inboard's water intake got clogged with angel hair weed and I melted the exhaust silencer before I realised. The 4hp on a breast tow managed about two knots.
 
SAPurdie said:
I used a Tohatsu 9.8 long shaft high thrust o/b with some success to shove my centaur about when the inboard passed it's use by date. However, any slop and the motor would cavitate; It fell off the bracket during a rough passage to Alderney, having broken the wooden part off the bracket; It was nowhere near as good as the inboard in a headwind; It didn't generate enough power to recharge the batteries sensibly; it used expensive and dangerous petrol; It used a lot more petrol than the inboard used diesel. etc

All in all, make sure that your tender's motor is long enough to push the mother ship*, but don't put an outboard on instead of the main engine.

* We have a yamaha 4hp long shaft for the tender which can just push Sevenem about. e.g. the inboard's water intake got clogged with angel hair weed and I melted the exhaust silencer before I realised. The 4hp on a breast tow managed about two knots.
Click to expand...

Long shaft are not a good idea for tenders - which is why they are made to take standard shaft motors. Restricts operation in shallow waters, can lead to starting problems and upset trim of boat because the thrust is 6 inches lower down. If the primary purpose of the engine is for a tender, then buy the correct motor for that. It can still be used as an emergency on the yacht by having a bracket that lowers enough to get it in the water. Always a compromise, but better to deal with the less satisfactory bit on the secondary use.
 
bluerm166 said:
A demonstration that 6HP is not enough.
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funny how different people see different things in the same film

the starlings film is an interesting case in point

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH-groCeKbE

If you read the comments you see that some see it as proof of god,

some see Darwin and will spend many pages making their case

same with me

I think the Tohatsu film shows that an outboard on the back of a big boat is a sensible precaution against engine failure or a lobster pot marker and could save you the humiliation of being towed into port by the RNLI.


D
 
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