ditching the kicker

[SkookumZac]

I'm sympathetic to your situation. Even with the sails up, outboard lifted, vent closed I can smell the gas fumes on the starboard side of the cockpit. It drives me crazy.

I am very seriously considering a new Tohatsu 5hp Propane. Lighter than my 9.9, no carb to gum up, no fumes to huff. However, my cockpit locker won't fit a regular propane bottle and I'm worried I might miss the other 4.9hp next time I'm powering against a 20kt wind and 3kt current...

-Z

 

[thinwater]

If you are smelling fumes, something is not low-perm, the vent is open, or something is leaking. Same with fumes below deck (regarding that, I would find a way to seal off the locker and create a drain, like a propane locker--I have done this on several boats).

Regarding reliability, I haven't worked on a carb in 15 years. Close the vent when not running and use a tested anti-corrosion additive (Biorbor EB or Merc Quickstore). In the case of the OP, I sorry, but if the motor is so old you can't get parts, really, you are banging your head on purpose. A small kicker is not that expensive.

I do find the idea intriguing, but it must depend on the circumstance. Yesterday, for example, the channel was dead up wind in 15 knots. Yuloaing into that for 1/2 mile is going to build some arms. More to the point, it is physically impossible; my engine had to run ~ 1/4 throttle (1.5hp?) to just to hold station, and no human can do that. At a more realistic 0.3HP I would slide backwards. Yes, I could tack up the channel, but I better not miss stays (rocks on both sides) and there better not be any traffic (stand-on is rude nonsense if there is traffic).

I've entered marinas with no engine before. Sometimes you have to wait on the weather. I've kedged short distances. But the truth is that most channels and most marinas have been redesigned over the years to fit the assumption that you have power.

 

[bubby-joe]

Yes I can fix any problem at home but the challenge is to keep all the parts in the boat and the S has a very small kicker area and an extension out 1ft. over the water, over the years I've dropped thousands in tools over the stern, example on the grounding lowered the sails started the motor to warm it up go to pull off the rocks and the motor dies as I raise the throttle looking back the fuel line had broke off right at the connector, useless to me when needed at home later I fixed it in about 3 minutes but a tow was required to prevent major damage to the outer hull. on inspection after we got home I did find a very minor hole in the water ballast area cause here was hitting the cross member at the center of the trailer frame big pothole big big pothole. Trailer requires being new it tows like wet noodles

 

[bubby-joe]

starboard side of the cockpit.

Internal fuel tank also has an open vent on the side of most boats, prevents fuel vapor lock, how far can you run on a fuel tank with the vent tightened down, not far enough right.

 

[bubby-joe]

Well today I picked up the wood required to make the 10$ YULOH inflation puts it at 12.30 CDN, not bad imagine my surprise when looking for a waterproof glue it's not available here next town maybe or not. Imagine my surprise when my Chinese neighbor asked what I was building and he laughed for a long time at my butchering the Chinese language at my pronunciation of the word YULOH apparently the "yu" is silent it was a good laugh all around. So for future reference it's a "loh", poor day when one learns nothing.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Awesome.
What's the wood you chose?
Post pics of your work please.

And it sounds like I should have named my thread "yuloh and behold"

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[bubby-joe]

The plan called for regular off the pile 1 ea. 2X4 8ft. and 1ea. 1X6 board 8ft building supply crap put together with tight bond III waterproof glue suggested as a second choice was a weld-wood powdered glue, I actually have some but 40 plus years old and urea formaldehyde stops me there.
I used the best from the pile almost clear premium spruce 2X4X8ft. for the handle portion and a 1X6X8ft. pine board with only a couple of pin knots and I changed the angle to the Chinese best of 8 degrees from the plans 11 degree angle of the paddle blade. Now if I could only find 1 of my 2 skill saws to begin shaping the handle portion before I'm forced to buy a third to find the other two my dad did that a lot. I know where my router is to do the finish rounding of the handle however shaping must come first. An axe might also work to shape if all else fails
I've been told by the my friend, he says the true oars were made of mahogany finished with tung oil and very heavy.
I also figure the weight of my 26S with water ballast full to be less then a small to mid size mahogany or teak sampan.

 

[bubby-joe]

One of the best kickers ever made in my opinion was the 3HP, 4blade very old school English made Seagull outboards from the 1950-60's very low RPM and a lot of push power large diameter prop with a low pitch numbers and the ability to be as efficient in reverse not common with most kicker motors made today that you can still get parts for. Not looking for an argument just making a comment.

 

[timebandit]

I think somewhere there must be a village missing a comedian.
Get a small 3hp motor with a small gas tank built in and when you are motoring for a couple of hours think of those three big draft horses pulling you along.
Thanks for the laughs

 

[Jim26m]

I used the best from the pile almost clear premium spruce 2X4X8ft. for the handle portion and a 1X6X8ft. pine board with only a couple of pin knots and I changed the angle to the Chinese best of 8 degrees from the plans 11 degree angle of the paddle blade.

Progress pics? We're anxious to see how it's going!

 

[bubby-joe]

Your welcome for the laugh but before you should be aware that larger prop diameter and less pitch will move a larger heavy weight boat easier, as far as reverse the larger amount of water being pushed makes for better reverse performance compared to smaller diameter, longer pitch length on 3 times the horse power standard size kickers. The smaller engine is not as fast but the increased torque will move a lot more weight.

 

[bubby-joe]

Lost my two skill saws and my jig saw but finally borrowed one so the cuts are made but not glued up and bolted together yet then the router work to round off the handle portion and the back of the lower paddle and I think a 1.5X1.5 inch round topped spine about 3 ft long on the back of the glued joint. Yes it's an open air shop

 

[timebandit]

I am aware of the prop questions. I think we discussed the problems 10 years ago and again 5 years ago and if you want to start it up again go ahead. My comments were about rowing a mac.

Your welcome for the laugh but before you should be aware that larger prop diameter and less pitch will move a larger heavy weight boat easier, as far as reverse the larger amount of water being pushed makes for better reverse performance compared to smaller diameter, longer pitch length on 3 times the horse power standard size kickers. The smaller engine is not as fast but the increased torque will move a lot more weight.

 

[laRae]

I put my gas 4 horse long shaft in storage and now use a 72 lb thrust trolling motor for moving around our lake and lagoon. Had to install two extra 12v batteries because the motor requires 24v, but I am very happy with the light weight and sufficient power. I can motor for several hours if the need arises, but I mostly just need to motor in and out of the lagoon. It moves my V22 quickly enough even in rough water.

 

[timebandit]

Here is a catalog on fuel stuff that maybe all do not know------
http://www.moellermarine.com/customer-resources/catalog/

 

[bubby-joe]

Here is a catalog on fuel stuff that maybe all do not know------
http://www.moellermarine.com/customer-resources/catalog/

Thanks for the link some may find it useful, my plan for my boat is to ditch the kicker all together and not carry any other than my alcohol stove fuel in the aft vented safety locker, Because I've seen a couple of burned to the waterline by engine fuel and a friend blown out of his boat by a leaking propane line and a bad starter throw him overboard to walk out 10 day walk out, I don't want to push my luck as it is. In 3 years I've not used 3 gallons of mixed engine fuel so its not the cost to actually sail at issue but the safety issue for my family and myself and an engine that there is few parts available locally. After the oar's finished I may find It's not enough then I'll look to other ways to move the boat without gas and oil option possible electric.