Putting a hole in the transom

[Jorob]

Hi all,

Have been working on my first boat - a Leisure 17. Have been weighing up outboard options, and although 4 or 5hp is generally advised, I have read countless tales online of people needing a bit more oomph when caught in a gale and being blown the wrong way.
Have spoken with a couple of boat mechanics, and they boat (separately) recommended a Tohatsu 6hp Sail Pro. This has 50/50 emphasis on forward and reverse. The trade off - it is an external fuel tank, which means fuel lines.

Does anyone have experience of running fuel lines through the transom? What is best practice/equipment/hardware to use?

For context, I'll mostly be sailing on south/southwest coast of Ireland. I don't plan on using the outboard for everything, but maneuverability when picking young family up from a pier, reliability when those winds blow up out of nowhere etc, I want to make sure I have the right one. Should I ignore the advice and just push ahead with a standard 6hp?

Cheers,
John

 

[Joe]

+

Hi all,

Have been working on my first boat - a Leisure 17. Have been weighing up outboard options, and although 4 or 5hp is generally advised, I have read countless tales online of people needing a bit more oomph when caught in a gale and being blown the wrong way.
Have spoken with a couple of boat mechanics, and they boat (separately) recommended a Tohatsu 6hp Sail Pro. This has 50/50 emphasis on forward and reverse. The trade off - it is an external fuel tank, which means fuel lines.

Does anyone have experience of running fuel lines through the transom? What is best practice/equipment/hardware to use?

For context, I'll mostly be sailing on south/southwest coast of Ireland. I don't plan on using the outboard for everything, but maneuverability when picking young family up from a pier, reliability when those winds blow up out of nowhere etc, I want to make sure I have the right one. Should I ignore the advice and just push ahead with a standard 6hp?

Cheers,
John

You don't need to drill holes for the fuel lines. But even if you decide you need the hole. it's easy to find a grommet that'll fit. You would not put the hole down near the water line anyway, but the grommet will certainly placate your fears. The fuel line is just a rubber, two chambered hose (fuel and air vent) that has easy lock fittings on either end. Super easy to disconnect. Trust me, once you get it installed and running you'll forget all about that issue.
The things you mention are actually reasons you want the SailPro.... it's got the hi thrust prop, which gives you more torque, more desireable because it gives you the extra power without cavitating. Which is what happens when you use a regular pitched prop and take it over the boats max speed limitation. The external fuel tank is a plus. First of all, it'll be larger than the internal version, but the big advantage is making it easier to fill (you can take it to the gas station) especially if you want to add extra fuel while you're out on the water... never know? My SailPro came with a 3 gal portable tank, fuel line with primer bulb and easy changing filter. Finally, the motor is equipped with an alternator that will allow you install a battery to run lights and instruments. Go for it!

 

[Jorob]

Hi Joe,

Thank for the response. The reliability is definitely something that I'm after, and the peace of mind that goes with it.

The rear locker where the tank would be stored is shown below. My worry about just running the fuel line like in the image (from Google) is that the outboard will suffer from fuel starvation if the line is pinched. On my boat there isn't an obvious point for the line to pass through.

 

[BigEasy]

Does anyone have experience of running fuel lines through the transom? What is best practice/equipment/hardware to use?

Easy decision regarding the sail pro; recommendations of two mechanics & excellent advice by an experienced sailor / owner @Joe. Agree with Joe that it isn’t a big concern with drilling thru the upper transom near the gunnel as long as you place a rubber grommet to make it water tight & to prevent chafing the fuel line. If you are hesitant to drill thru the transom, there appears to be a recessed area under the locker (where the red funnel is), where you can drill thru the deck. The fuel line would course under the recessed area, thru the deck, and over the transom . Again, use a rubber grommet in the deck hole.
I also like the idea of a fuel tank. You have extra fuel capacity that translates to fewer refills as compared to an engine mounted tank. When you get low on fuel, simply remove the tank & refill without needing a separate container as necessary to refill the engine mounted tank. A major advantage is if the fuel gets contaminated or if it becomes “stale” during a long off season lay up, its very easy to discard the old fuel & refill without removing the motor. Not sure if the sail pro has an engine mounted filter, if not, install a simple inline filter in the fuel line. And, don’t fret about the hole. You’re a normal sailor; always hate to drill a hole in your boat!

 

[American_Mainsail]

Hi Joe,

Thank for the response. The reliability is definitely something that I'm after, and the peace of mind that goes with it.

The rear locker where the tank would be stored is shown below. My worry about just running the fuel line like in the image (from Google) is that the outboard will suffer from fuel starvation if the line is pinched. On my boat there isn't an obvious point for the line to pass through.
View attachment 226725

Hi @Jorob,

Is that locker vented?

 

[jssailem]

Is that locker vented?

Important question. How of you plan to address the accumulation of gas vapor in the lazerett? I think the saying is “One spark, KABOOM!”

 

[Jorob]

there appears to be a recessed area under the locker (where the red funnel is), where you can drill thru the deck. The fuel line would course under the recessed area, thru the deck, and over the transom . Again, use a rubber grommet in the deck hole.

This image was taken from Google, it isn't my boat unfortunately, and the transom locker varies as they were in production from 1965 to 1990 - an estimated 4500 were produced, so there were tweaks and updates along the way.
I'll get a picture of my own and upload soon for reference, and would be more than happy for you to weigh in. Unnecessary holes are my least favourite kind!
Good shout regarding the inline filter. There is one is the fuel tank pick up, and one in the engine itself, but an inline one might be worth it to be more visible. Particularly with ethanol issues since the increase to 10%.

Is that locker vented?

My own is vented pretty high on the transom. I'll include that when I get pictures.

 

[jssailem]

Welcome Jorob, to the SBO forums.