MacGregorSailors.com

I can imaginea fairly simple hinged mount that two high thrust electric motors could be mounted on at each outside corner of the transom, and kept in an upside down position when not needed. When needed, they could be dropped down into the water and run simultaneously for emergency maneuvering in tight spaces or to avoid obstacles if there is no wind.

I'm assuming of course that if you are going to adventure into remote areas where the backup is absolutely necessary that you have plenty of battery power available with wind or solar power preferably both, to renew.

I don't believe this to be practical for long distance travel or for rough conditions, but could be a best choice for some remote flat water locations like lakes, slow rivers, bayous. And restricted areas like Tahoe, reservoirs, etc.

Hey Chinook,

I think your set-up is just what I need to do. I too have an X and a Nissan 3.5 two stroke for my inflatable.
Would appreciate some details...make of lowerable mount, measurements, how you control motor, pictures?, etc.
Please E-mail or post.

Thanks

[email protected]

Tahoe Jack -- The mount is a Fulton MB 1050. It's rated for up to 10 hp and 110 pound load. It retracts. For the whole thing to work right, I got a long shaft 3.5 hp motor, which gives it ample reach when powering the Mac. Because of the angle on the stern, and the shape of the kicker, I can't retract the mount to its top position and also tilt the kicker. In order to keep the kicker from dragging in the water, both when powering and sailing, I raise the mount to the second highest position, and then get maximum tilt out of the kicker by looping a short line around the kicker. This line is tied to the stern railing. That gets the kicker well clear of the water when underway.

One downside of the long shaft is that, when used on the dinghy, the motor's prop sits deeper in the water than desired. You have to be quick to grab it and tilt up when approaching the beach. Extra shear pins are even more of a necessity with a long shaft. Another consideration with the kicker on the motor mount. It can pose problems when maneuvering in tight quarters, such as pulling away from docks. I usually lower it as part of the docking and predeparture drill.

Raysea -- Just saw your post. Mount is positioned on starboard side. Bottom of the mounting plate is about 3/4 inch lower than the bottom of the hull/cockpit seam, if you extend an imaginary horizontal line. The upper left corner of the mount just clears the vertical hull/cockpit seam, by maybe 1/2 inch. I had the dealer at Blue Water Yachts install it, and the position is ideal. Sorry, not up to speed with posting pictures.

PS: Control is easy. Lower the kicker, start her up, set the throttle to desired speed and then steer with the wheel, using rudders in the down position. No need for one of those bars connecting to the main motor. Only problem is in turning with a moderate breeze blowing. In those conditions, I occasionally have to lean over and unlock the motor's steering, and push her to one side or the other.

Chinook....thanks for the prompt response....re the pics...I don't use the third-party Photo-Bucket service either...been too busy to mess with learing the process. You can do it on this site by going to the mods section and making this a mod which prompts you for pics...up to three...perhaps you've already used this anyway..just an approach. Jack

Not trying to be nasty Jack but when you put pix in MODS you are loading them onto Heaths server, which impacts his space and costs...a downside.

Using photobucket leaves them on the photobucket server, which is paid for by their business model rather than Heath..

IF anyone has pictures they want posted you can PM or EM the Moderators to get this done on the occasional basis to help Heath manage space/cost

Catigale.....you can't be serious! This issue sure as hull qualifies for a mod if I ever heard of one. My guess was that Chinook may not have posted one and I wanted to make him aware. Jack

My bad - I didnt bother to check if you had a real Mod (which you do!!) or were advocating using Mods to post without using photobucket or equivalent..

I am duly halyard whipped ....

I think Catigale was just suggesting that the mods page should not be used as a photo repository... I have seen people (quite franky don't remember who, so I'm surely not singling anyone out...) post pictures to the mods page, just to be able to link them to forum posts... That is misuse...

But, I think we all agree that where there is a legitimate mod, the mods page is a great tool. Kicker motor mounts are definately mod candidates...

Looks like a new thread has started.

You might want to look at the bracket I used, West Marine part # 381709 Seafit SFMNT#159, $104. Holds my dingy 6 hp just great. Lowers to allow it to power the X at up to 6 knots with ballast in. The 6hp is a short shaft and I have no problem with it reaching the water when the bracket is lowered. In the rasied vertical position the prop clears the water but occasional waves will cause the prop to spin. Not really a big deal as long as the motor is in neutral. It won't alow the motor tip up to it's full tilt position but I can tip it up to the shallow running position and this gives just enough clearance that it rare for the prop to spin. We've got lots of miles under the hull with the motor on the bracket and no problems.

I switched the yamaha fuel line end to a tohatsu one. My 4 - 6 gallon tanks and my 3 gallon dinghy tank all have the tohatsu fitting. This lets either motor connect to any of the 5 tanks. If I have to use one of the big ones with the 6 hp 2 stroke I just dump some oil in. My automixing 2 stroke 50 HP doesn't care if there is alittle extra oil in the tank when I switch back.

Here is the mod

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin ... record=427

aya16 / Scott

How do you keep the ladder up? Is it tied to the railing?

Also, now that you have had your dinghy motor mounted that way for while.... Would you still do it the same way

I have been just towing the dinghy with the motor on it (tilted up) works fine, but I'm always a little nervous about it...


Thanks!

I use a nylon strap with buckle (the kind used to tie down surf boards on roofs) tied to the railing to hold the ladder up but rope would work as well. This is a handy spot because I can stand in the dingy and lower the motor down part still attached to the ladder.

rossalan wrote:How do you keep the ladder up? Is it tied to the railing?

Do the rudders hit the motor when they are up?