Propeller Accident Story from BoatUS

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by YOGAO

Then again I am unbalanced on so many levels ---

You reckon that's why we got into catamarans?

Oops - big thread hijack - sorry.

[SabreKai]

Any suggestions as to how to deal with an ancient outboard that doesn't have a kill switch? My dink motor is a 2hp honda, about 1975 vintage, and if it has one I haven't found it yet.

Sabre

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

Any suggestions as to how to deal with an ancient outboard that doesn't have a kill switch? My dink motor is a 2hp honda, about 1975 vintage, and if it has one I haven't found it yet.

Sabre

I'd say the same way that it's been dealt with since 1975. With mutual respect and admiration. while understanding that shutdowns, while helpful, aren't the only things promoting safe operation of outboards.

[rebel heart]

July 4th / December 31 / Labor Day / Memorial Day :

In the USA, stay off the water.

[sy_gilana]

Interesting that some people sit on the port and some on stbd. Fully aware of the risk of starting a flame war here let me submit this.
Outboard engines with tiller arms are designed to be run and operated with the left hand. The operators mass is on the Stbd pontoon to counteract the propeller torque as most single outboards are clockwise in ahead. If you sit on the left there are two forces pushing the dink down on that side. Take note next time you will see how the dink crabs with about 10 - 20 degrees of heading course difference, then change sides and compare. The manufacturers standardized on that arrangement for many reasons, here are some more. If you sit on the port pontoon, the tiller is on the same side of the motor and you have no space to turn hard to stbd because you are there in the corner. The majority of people are RHanded. The strong right hand is to hold on to the boat, providing a controlled stable operator to steer with his left hand. All twist throttle applications, motorcycles, snowmobiles (older) etc open the throttle towards the operator not away.
Having said that. Some people have learned the "other" way and probably are safer with what they are used to, however, new owners and dink drivers should be encouraged to sit the "right" way. Certainly its not as dangerous as standing in the dink, as we all do m'self included, especially when negotiating bommies, but if the going gets really tough and the water is shallow, I usually tilt the motor to shallow water drive, and reverse through the maze steering the motor backwards with two hands, you can be very precise so as not to harm the coral.

Two more safety tips....Remove your throttle friction screw entirely, when the throttle is let go it must snap back to idle.
Completely slack the steering friction screw so that the idling motor, by torque reaction will turn into a hard starboard turn and idle there if the start lanyard was forgotten.
Reading the BoatUS story, none of that would have happened if he ws sitting on the right side...


Ok let me have it

[Hydra]

Until today, I never tought of sitting on the starboard tube of my dinghy. I always sat on the port one, to have a better field of view to starboard (Colregs, rule 15). To reduce drift, I offset the engine a few inches to port.

Alain

[hummingway]

When I'm alone in the dinghy I crouch in the middle to balance my tender but when someone is aboard with me I sit starboard.