How to Operate Kicker/Aux. Outboard on Stern

[Sailon1]

The stern bracket for a 5 HP outboard will soon be installed. The kicker is a backup for the Atomic 4 (which has never failed during my 6 years of ownership). I am usually singlehanded aboard my Pearson 30.

Questions:

1. For manual, pull-start, does one reach down and pull the cord? Obviously, the bracket has to be in the down position, but reaching down to pull the starter cord seems a bit of a stretch. I did read that the bracket should be placed so that the outboard's tiller arm faces toward the center of the stern, for ease of handling, rather than toward the stern's outside edge.

2. How does one steer and control speed and gear shifting?

3. Is an extension handle necessary?

4. Is it practical to keep the engine in gear and use the boat's wheel (or tiller) to steer? Or does one steer from the outboard tiller?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

[rslifkin]

I'd expect to keep the motor pointed straight and steer using the boat rudder most of the time. The boat rudder is big enough that even without prop wash over it, you should have plenty of steering ability. For throttle adjustments, you'd have to reach down to the engine I expect. But with a 5hp, you're likely going to set it and not touch it again until it's time to dock, as it's not going to have tons of excess power where you'll want to slow down.

[Reefmagnet]

You would normally lock the outboard in place and steer with the boat's steering system. If the outboard is offset, you can adjust the fixed position to counter any asymmetric thrust. Many outboards can be fitted with a remote control for gearbox and throttle, other than that you can rig up some diy extensions. The pull start is a bit painful. Electric start is better! If it's impractical to start in the installed position, some ideas are to run the cord through some fairleads and place the pull start handle at a convenient location (this may require installing longer pull cord) or to mount the engine so that it can be either lifted or tilted to allow a decent pull on the starter cord.



Remember too that most outboards will have next to no reverse thrust and careful consideration needs to be given to the mounting height to minimise the prop popping out the the water or the power head submerging as the boat pitches in swell.

[Sailon1]

Excellent, practical advice ...Thank you!

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by Sailon1

The stern bracket for a 5 HP outboard will soon be installed. The kicker is a backup for the Atomic 4 (which has never failed during my 6 years of ownership). I am usually singlehanded aboard my Pearson 30.

When my inboard died on my first cruising sailboat, I installed an outboard bracket and dingy outboard to finish my cruise. (3 hp) I used a 10 hp ourboard for my remaining years of use with that boat including a couple Bahamas cruises.

My answers reflect my experience. I can't speak for others.

Originally Posted by Sailon1

1. For manual, pull-start, does one reach down and pull the cord?

Yes, unless you purchase a remote start option.

Originally Posted by Sailon1

2. How does one steer and control speed and gear shifting?

I steered primarily with the ship's wheel. I shifted gear with the outboard shifter on the outboard. On a later boat I had a remote gear shifter which was much more convenient. (Though this made it harder to take the outboard off the boat.). On occasion, I would turn the motor to make incredibly tight turning possible
.

Originally Posted by Sailon1

3. Is an extension handle necessary?

No. but, that's all dependent on your boat and how far you are comfrotable reaching. I did not have an extension handle.

Originally Posted by Sailon1

4. Is it practical to keep the engine in gear and use the boat's wheel (or tiller) to steer? Or does one steer from the outboard tiller?

Yes, See point 2.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions![/QUOTE]

[Orin]

Back when I had my C&C 30 a functional atomic 4 (albeit leaky) was removed by the previous owner to make her faster for race day. In its stead was an 8 hp 4-stroke.

Aside from the fuel line running to the main gas tank on the boat, it was a just a generic pull start long shaft with no special steering cables to the boat or any Morse cables for throttle or gear shift.

I would pull start it out of the water and immediately dunk it. The issue was alignment. I could raise and lower the outboard bracket quickly, and so it would have maybe at most 2 seconds running out of the water. This way I was pulling the cord level.

Going out and traveling the outboard would push the boat at about 6 knots at 3/4th throttle. I would steer from the boats tiller rather than the outboard.

I would back into my slip. This involved driving between the fingers and a rock wall maybe 15 feet away, turning towards the rocks as I passed the slip, then hanging over the transom, shifting into reverse on the outboard. The prop was would force the tiller over and I would be obliged to help it the rest of the way until it was a neutral 180. I would steer the boat in reverse using entirely the outboards tiller and by cycling between forward and reverse in different directions could even walk the boat sideways a little.

Of course hanging down there obscured visibility greatly. I never hit any other boats but you really have to just imagine where the rest of the boat is if you have to operate the outboard.

Did this routine at a boat show by accident and got an applause from like 20 onlookers. Quite embarrassing to me and don’t like attention for the things that I did to just make do.

Knowing what I know now, and having a large degree more competence I would have linked the tillers and installed Morse controls. The linkage probably would have just consisted of pulleys and line. The remote steering being more important than Morse controls. It really was a scary thing in some situations not having the situational awareness when you have to throw a motor in reverse.

If you think about situations where you may want to quickly put on the breaks and having to stick your head over the transom and look down in that situation.... and not have a great idea if your bow is starting to get blown by the wind and you slow down... though this is mostly moot if you have another person onboard. It was rather stressful being alone.

You may also want to consider added length at a marina, theft, and other things. If it’s just to get you back to a marina hip tie is the best IMO. If it’s for repower and redundancy I would personally suggest a bigger motor with plenty of thought out into the installation.

Perhaps one final downside, my dad has had his outboard dunked hanging off a smaller boat and if caused it to fail while running in a slight seaway. It really made for a nasty experience as that’s not when you want an outboard to fail. So, the longer the shaft and the higher you can get the motor out of the water the better. Granted, I never even came close to those problem with my C&C. I have sailed a fair bit on a 1969 Pearson Coaster 30. I suspect those risks are pretty minimal on that style of boat in protected seas. Especially considering you’d have wind to sail in.