building a motor well - pros and cons

[willmarsh3]

Hi folks, I am considering building a motor well in my Elver. It would accommodate a 4 hp gas outboard or trolling motor. Has anyone built a motor well in their boat? Are there any regrets or special problems to think about?

My Elver is shown on
web page under "Elver". The best view of the cockpit is on page dated 9-24-4 4th row of pictures.

The motor well design I am thinking of looks similar to the one in the Caledonia Yawl in Woodenboat #185.

Thanks in advance,
Will.

[Tom Robb]

Well, it isn't as ugly as hanging on a bracket off the stern, but it takes up some room from the interior. A plug to fill the hole when not motoring might be useful.
I couldn't find anything on your Elver site at 09/24/2004 and hadn't the patience to wander around looking. My old computer is very slow and the connection is dialup

[willmarsh3]

Sorry you couldn't see the website. I don't have that good of a picture anyway. I plan to update hte site soon. I need to get pics developed from the Tim's Ford cruise and some other things I've done.

Thanks for the help. I'm going back and forth - but a motor would be much easier to operate from inside. The well would be minimal sized, say 6" x 12".

Will.

[Klaus]

Will, having looked at your pictures I see 2 things that make your idea of an O/B motor in a well extremly difficult.

1. she's a double ender, no room for a well at the stern.

2. the boat is a mite too small for the room a decent well requires.

Now, my boat (NIS 26) does have a motor well. The propeller is on the centreline, right ahead of the rudder blade, in the very best spot for it. The wide transom makes a well very feasible and the 26' boat length still leaves room for a cockpit over 7' long. Note that the 23' version of the Norwalk Island Sharpie does NOT have a motor well.

Klaus