Outboards and salt water

General chat of non-technical subjects related to sailing
Post Reply
pmasters
Under way
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:31 pm
Location: Southampton Water, Solent, UK

Outboards and salt water

Post by pmasters » Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:11 pm

Hi fellow swifties!

A question if I may. I bought my Swift last year and the previous owner (who had looked after the boat really well) kept his motor in the outboard well all year round. I've done the same this season, but whereas he was in the Tamar, I'm based in the Solent, and in soton water I'm thinking it looks like we get more wildlife. I've just hoisted the old donk out to find it caked it barnacles (and a crab!).

It was antifouled (tho I'm going to put stronger stuff on for next year), but I did it at the end of last year as I got a chance to put the boat in for 2 months, so maybe I was a bit keen and should have waited until the beginning of this season, as I don't think I started out well by letting the antifoul dry out over the winter.

Aside from the marine growth, which I'm going to blame on mis-antifouling, is there any other reason I'm doing the wrong thing? The anode is in a good state and there's nothing else stuck in the water so I don't think I've got much galvanic risk, but it does still feel like its going to be an issue.

In the swift there is clearly no easy way to swing the o/b up and hauling it out the well every time seems a bit of a pain.

Thoughts?

Thanks, Pete

John Hainsworth
Cruising
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:07 am
Location: Poole Dorset

Outboards and salt water

Post by John Hainsworth » Tue Aug 19, 2014 6:21 am

I extended my well by cutting out the bottom of the boat to the transom. My short shaft Yamaha Malta now swings up clear of the water. I also strengthened the transom in case I had weakened the boat. It works ok with a small engine .
John.

From: pmasters (forum-general@swift18.org)
Sent: ‎18/‎08/‎2014 22:11
To: forum-general@swift18.org (forum-general@swift18.org)
Subject: [Swift 18] Outboards and salt water


Hi fellow swifties!

A question if I may. I bought my Swift last year and the previous owner (who had looked after the boat really well) kept his motor in the outboard well all year round. I've done the same this season, but whereas he was in the Tamar, I'm based in the Solent, and in soton water I'm thinking it looks like we get more wildlife. I've just hoisted the old donk out to find it caked it barnacles (and a crab!).

It was antifouled (tho I'm going to put stronger stuff on for next year), but I did it at the end of last year as I got a chance to put the boat in for 2 months, so maybe I was a bit keen and should have waited until the beginning of this season, as I don't think I started out well by letting the antifoul dry out over the winter.

Aside from the marine growth, which I'm going to blame on mis-antifouling, is there any other reason I'm doing the wrong thing? The anode is in a good state and there's nothing else stuck in the water so I don't think I've got much galvanic risk, but it does still feel like its going to be an issue.

In the swift there is clearly no easy way to swing the o/b up and hauling it out the well every time seems a bit of a pain.

Thoughts?

Thanks, Pete

Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)

windsong
Under way
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:48 am
Location: Neath, Wales
Boat Name: Windsong
Sail Number: 133

engine well cut-out

Post by windsong » Tue Aug 19, 2014 8:20 am

Hello John
Can you please (or anyone else), post some photos of the engine well mod. I suffer the same problem with salt water wildlife and i would like to do the same to my boat

Many thanks

Steve

Windsong

pmasters
Under way
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:31 pm
Location: Southampton Water, Solent, UK

Post by pmasters » Tue Aug 19, 2014 8:57 pm

Thanks for the replies thus far. I don't know if I'm brave enough to chop through the transom as you have (but would be very interested in seeing photos John!).

I can carry on antifouling the outboard but I still think that at some point I'll find barnacles up inside the engine where I can't paint, so I'm thinking I'll have to start hauling mine out each time. I don't like the idea of a transom mount as leaning over the back to start the engine after having a nice accessible well just doesn't do it for me now :)

John Hainsworth
Cruising
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:07 am
Location: Poole Dorset

outboard well

Post by John Hainsworth » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:33 pm

Hi Steve,

The mod. is a bit awkward but do-able and works with a short shaft engine. It enables the engine to be lifted clear of the water for sailing or mooring.
First measure your engine leg length and compare it with the distance from the mounting point to the stern of the boat to see whether it will fit. It is a bit tight.
If it fits mark lines from the well sides to the stern and cut out the hull.
Next cut vertically until you have cleared enough space for the leg to swing up into.
Next make cardboard templates in a large L shape to form the sides of the well and seal the lockers.
When you have these right make permanent ones in marine ply, also cut out and fix a reinforcing piece to go across the stern a back up the pintel fitting.
Make two top pieces for the sides of the well and one to seal the gap between the stern and the well at the top of the hole you've created.
Fix 1/4" fillets to fasten your ply pieces onto and then complete the structure using epoxy and tape.
Seal with epoxy and woven roving.
I have also raised my outboard fixing bracket so that the engine doesn't ground in shallow water.
I've been unable to attach photos but if you let me have your email address I will send them to you..

Think hard as you do the job as each cut has a knock on effect and I'm not sure how much strength you take out of the boat although mine has sailed three seasons in and around Poole Harbour with no problems.

pmasters
Under way
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:31 pm
Location: Southampton Water, Solent, UK

Lifting outboard bracket

Post by pmasters » Fri Aug 29, 2014 8:24 pm

Hi,

Just a further thought on this. I'm not sure my engine will work with John's mod because its a bit big and I think it wouldn't have the room to tilt.

What I've been thinking of is slightly different. I'm wondering about making a lifting bracket that raises the outboard vertically. You can get transom mount brackets, and I'm thinking of whether I can construct a variation on this idea.

Consider a hinging bracket which is mounted at the top back edge of the outboard well (under the hump shaped lid). This bracket would consist of 2 bars, 1 each side which lead down diagonally to the bottom front where they then are joined across to each other with a block of wood that the outboard clamps to. In effect its like the transom mounted hinging brackets, but the outboard would sit inside the bracket mechanism, rather than outside of it.

The only problems I can see are that it might reduce the amount of space at the side of the engine enough that airflow suffers, and the outboard could be heavy to lift, though that is easily surmountable with springs or some arrangement up to the boom.

I have a diagram of what I'm thinking of so will put it up here when I work out how :)

Pete

Gone sailing
Anchored
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:08 am
Location: Poole
Boat Name: Tyger

Post by Gone sailing » Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:36 am

Hi Not sure if it helps and you may have seen the post already but we went with the vertical lift option posted here http://www.swift18.org/Swift18/phpBB2/v ... php?t=1152 Many thanks to Pompey! Its worked well for us so far and the photographs were really helpful.
Tyger - Poole Harbour

pmasters
Under way
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:31 pm
Location: Southampton Water, Solent, UK

Post by pmasters » Sat Aug 30, 2014 10:30 am

Thanks, thats actually very similar to what I was thinking of, so I'm glad it works well! I like the idea of a swinging bracket as I can keep the hinged lid then which keeps the noise down. Wondering if I can modify a transom mount bracket to get it working. Cheers for the link!

Post Reply