Need Outboard Suggestions for Sailboat

[Russell Sova]

We have a small trolling motor for our sailboat, but it has it's limitations. Yesterday we launched our boat on the east side of a lake with a west wind. The launch site had piles of boulders, steel pipes holding back 12 inch wood at water level and a narrow outlet into the lake. Hairy!
We need a gas outboard but none of them seem long enough and our rudder hangs on the back, too. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[htom]

How long is the shaft on your trolling motor?

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

http://www.sailnet.com/store/item.cfm?pid=28795

[Russell Sova]

The trolling motor has a 30 inch shaft which isn't really long enough. I was going to go with a 36 inch shaft trolling motor but I'm kind of sick of charging the battery and also need much more power because I built a very heavy boat complete with full keel. The rudder is hung on the transom so any motor would have to be able to be deep enough to do me some good and swing free when not in use.

[Venchka]

Got pictures? Dimensionsdisplacement of the boat? A shot of the rudder & transom. Like Dave Fleming says, "We need details." It might help.

There are outboard brackets that move the motor vertically 8"-15" or so. One of those mounted fairly low on the transom coupled with a 20" shaft motor might work. Garelick is the name of company who makes them. As for the size motor, we don't know until we know the boat.

http://www.garelick.com/marine/images/catalog/oma_aomb_71057_lg.jpg

Wayne

[Meerkat]

Assuming you have a smaller sailboat, you can hardly go wrong with the Honda BF2 (http://www.honda-marine.com/bf2.htm) 2 hp 4-stroke air-cooled outboard.

[Leon Steyns]

Or a nice, nifty Seagull... :D

Greets, Leon Steyns.

[David Gilroy]

I'm very happy with the Honda 2hp long shaft on my Penobscot 17, which is a very light boat.

[Russell Sova]

Thanks for your responses. In searching around I found an engineer selling plans for a do it yourself outboard motor that is $200 complete and can be done locally. In my emails to him I asked if the shaft can be variable and he said the whole thing is variable but that it weighs 12 lbs. and put out 8hp at the prop. There were 45 satisfied customers. Homemade outboard (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=18item=2484589507&catagory=50439)

[Russell Sova]

Try this out, I goofed with the URL. Homemade outboard (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2484589507&catagory=50439)

[Venchka]

Good luck. Let us know how it works. Since the inventor failed to illustrate his offering on ebay, perhaps you can provide photos of the finished product.

Wayne

[L.W. Baxter]

Weighs 12 lbs and generates 8.8 hp, "at the prop where it counts", eh?

This I gotta see.

--Lee

[Venchka]

Yup. This guy surfaced a few weeks ago in one of the Yahoo! groups. I couldn't find pictures anywhere on the Internet. The next time I go visit the kids in Tupelo, I may try to find this guy in Columbia. A re-print of the Mississippi State tests results would be nice too.

What about reliability? Will it be as reliable as my 1981 Suzuki which starts and runs every time I use it?

Wayne

[L.W. Baxter]

Wayne, you must be kidding. Reliability? Do you really think that an actual outboard motor could be built to the specs this guy claims?

Gee, why don't the engineers at Honda get on the ball?

This is a scam. I hope you didn't really give him any money, Russell.

--Lee

[Venchka]

Thanks, Lee. I was trying real hard not to rain too much on this parade.

$30 for plans. $200 for parts. You get real close to a good used outboard in a hurry. Throw in a nice lifting bracket and (since Norm's off having too much fun sailing) Bob's your uncle. You'll have a dependable, working solution to the problem.

Wayne
Getting around just fine with a 23 year old outboard in the Swamp. :D