I don't trust my old volvo MD11C and want a backup plan for emergency use. Looking around my garage I saw an old outboard motor bracket the fixed kind and some 3/4" outdoor grade plywood. The other day I saw a guy glueing up a hatch cover with 5200 cement. Anyway my little brain said that if 5200 is soooo strong if I make a big enough footprint I should be able to glue a mount to my transom without through bolts. Then in an emergency I could use my 3.5 hp outboard which weighs 30 odd pounds to get home. Maybe 5200 is too strong as I would like to remove the mount afterwards. I could leave the motor mount attached to plywood in the locker until the volvo fails...hopefully it will be locker trash that is never used. But if the volvo would die I could drop the hook glue the mount and after the glue dries motor a few miles to a marina. 3.5 hp isn't much power so I don't expect more than 2-3 knots put that sure would beat rowing. By the way I read about a huge riverboat that used to go up the river from Mobile. When all was said and done that 80 ton? riverboat had an engine that only produced 15 hp!!!!! Amazing!!!!
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Motor mount
5200 would probably hold the mount, but notice I said probably. Also if I am not mistaken, I think it takes 5200 24 hours or more to completely set up. Also, I do know for sure that if you were to glue the mount on there, it would take two sticks of dynamite to get it all off, then you would have to do some serious sanding to get the remains off the gel coat. I would consider another option if it were me. If you are not alone, just take the 3.5 on the dinghy and tow the boat home.
5200 would probably hold the mount, but notice I said probably. Also if I am not mistaken, I think it takes 5200 24 hours or more to completely set up. Also, I do know for sure that if you were to glue the mount on there, it would take two sticks of dynamite to get it all off, then you would have to do some serious sanding to get the remains off the gel coat. I would consider another option if it were me. If you are not alone, just take the 3.5 on the dinghy and tow the boat home.
It takes DAYS to fully cure
And after you pried it off you wouldn't HAVE any gelcoat to sand, It'd all be stuck to the board. Don't do it. If you really want a get home solution just through bolt for easy demounting, or, as Nice N Easy says, just do a hip tow.
And after you pried it off you wouldn't HAVE any gelcoat to sand, It'd all be stuck to the board. Don't do it. If you really want a get home solution just through bolt for easy demounting, or, as Nice N Easy says, just do a hip tow.
If you insist....
The effort, time and money to bring this silly idea into fruition could be used to make your Volvo engine more reliable so you wouldn't need motor mount glued to the dtern of your sailboat. If you insist, consider thru-bolts that protrude far enough to interface with slots that are cut in your outboard bracket backing plate. How about a small inflatable to attach the otboard and tow the sailboat in?
The effort, time and money to bring this silly idea into fruition could be used to make your Volvo engine more reliable so you wouldn't need motor mount glued to the dtern of your sailboat. If you insist, consider thru-bolts that protrude far enough to interface with slots that are cut in your outboard bracket backing plate. How about a small inflatable to attach the otboard and tow the sailboat in?
Tom, isn't this a SAILboat
that you're talking about? I have an engine for the harbor and for if the wind dies. But I won't take the boat out of her slip without the sails bent on. If the engine dies the sails go up. Your plan will leave you drifting for several hours. If you are very concerned about the engine, have it serviced. If it runs well today it will run well as long as it has good oil and fuel.
that you're talking about? I have an engine for the harbor and for if the wind dies. But I won't take the boat out of her slip without the sails bent on. If the engine dies the sails go up. Your plan will leave you drifting for several hours. If you are very concerned about the engine, have it serviced. If it runs well today it will run well as long as it has good oil and fuel.
Towing with a Dinghy is Hard
Towing a 32' sailboat with a dinghy is hard even for just a couple of miles. I do work to maintain my Volvo. But the books on cruising say that improvisation can get you out of a lot of situations. I'll already have the outboard on board and if I only needed to motor a mile or so I'd tow with the dinghy. But say you are on the ICW or the Tenn-tom and 100 miles from anywhere to get repairs. Sailing isn't an option in a ditch. As to glue I guess an expoxy quick set would be better but harder to remove. I have a battery powered drill so it might be better to just bolt the mount to the transom and use the plywood as a backing plate. I just hate to drill holes in my boat!!!! But drilling 4 holes would be stronger and quicker than glue. And patching the holes would probably be easier than tearing off the glued on plywood. Thanks everyone for leting me bounce my idea off of you. My plan now is to have the bracket and bolts on board and to use the drill as a last resort. Hopefully the volvo will surprise me and never fail. Tom
Towing a 32' sailboat with a dinghy is hard even for just a couple of miles. I do work to maintain my Volvo. But the books on cruising say that improvisation can get you out of a lot of situations. I'll already have the outboard on board and if I only needed to motor a mile or so I'd tow with the dinghy. But say you are on the ICW or the Tenn-tom and 100 miles from anywhere to get repairs. Sailing isn't an option in a ditch. As to glue I guess an expoxy quick set would be better but harder to remove. I have a battery powered drill so it might be better to just bolt the mount to the transom and use the plywood as a backing plate. I just hate to drill holes in my boat!!!! But drilling 4 holes would be stronger and quicker than glue. And patching the holes would probably be easier than tearing off the glued on plywood. Thanks everyone for leting me bounce my idea off of you. My plan now is to have the bracket and bolts on board and to use the drill as a last resort. Hopefully the volvo will surprise me and never fail. Tom
I applaud the idea
Tom - Well, it looks like your idea was pretty thoroughly shot down. And maybe you ended up with a better alternative solution. I'd like to applaud the fact that you were willing to take an idea that was "out there" and put it out here for review. Who knows, maybe the next one will be the "Aha" idea that everyone scrambles to copy. Keep up that way of thinking. T J
Tom - Well, it looks like your idea was pretty thoroughly shot down. And maybe you ended up with a better alternative solution. I'd like to applaud the fact that you were willing to take an idea that was "out there" and put it out here for review. Who knows, maybe the next one will be the "Aha" idea that everyone scrambles to copy. Keep up that way of thinking. T J
Sounds like a great idea from a good
old southern boy to me. I would only add something to the plan; tie a rope to the outboard so you do not loose it.
old southern boy to me. I would only add something to the plan; tie a rope to the outboard so you do not loose it.
Hmmm, how about this....
If you have a swim ladder on the stern of your boat, could you clamp the 3.5 HP outboard to a step of the extended swim ladder and also include a lanyard tied from the engine to a rail in case the clamping failed and prevent Neptune from getting a sacrifice?
If you have a swim ladder on the stern of your boat, could you clamp the 3.5 HP outboard to a step of the extended swim ladder and also include a lanyard tied from the engine to a rail in case the clamping failed and prevent Neptune from getting a sacrifice?
Velcro
Why not use a big-ass Velcro patch so that it is removable? JUST KIDDING... But seriously. Ther is a reason that boat builders don't do this. Think about it! Actually it sounds like a Franklin idea to me.
Why not use a big-ass Velcro patch so that it is removable? JUST KIDDING... But seriously. Ther is a reason that boat builders don't do this. Think about it! Actually it sounds like a Franklin idea to me.
glass it !
just sand and use west systems epoxy. the 5200 would work for a little while..... attach a saftey chain so you dont loose it. and a kill SW.......... lol.
just sand and use west systems epoxy. the 5200 would work for a little while..... attach a saftey chain so you dont loose it. and a kill SW.......... lol.
Lets do it the hard way why not!!!
You need to re-read Rick Sylvester's post #2 in this thread. You have a dingy right? You have a dingy motor, right? You don't need to cross an ocean just get home Put the motor on the dingy and tow your sail boat! Or you can use those oars you mentioned!!!
You need to re-read Rick Sylvester's post #2 in this thread. You have a dingy right? You have a dingy motor, right? You don't need to cross an ocean just get home Put the motor on the dingy and tow your sail boat! Or you can use those oars you mentioned!!!
Glue isn't all Bad
I checked the 3m site and they have strength test for 5200 and I also checked on an epoxy cement. Wood fails before the glue fails. In shear tests the 5200 is more than strong enough to support an engine bracket..but it takes too long to cure. The epoxy is plenty strong and plenty fast to cure. But it would be more work than I care to do to remove the bracket once it is in place. A 1 sqaure foot footprint with epoxy can easily support a couple hundred pounds. I gave up on the idea not because of a lack of strength but purely because of the work required to remove the bracket. And for those doubters of the strength of glue remember most of our boats are made of glass fibers glued together with polyester glue!!!! My 4500#s of lead in my keel has been held in place with nothing but glass fibers and glue for 26 years!!!! The ceramic tiles on the space shuttle are glued in place!!!! Oh and I have a crown on a tooth that has been glued in place over 15 years. And don't forget that your through bolted motor bracket probably has a piece of plywood actually holding the motor and that plywood is glued together. As to the Volvo as far as I know nothing is wrong with it except it tends to overheat if pushed too hard. But at 1700 RPM it can cruise indefinately without overheating. The govenor kicks in at 2500 rpm. My main concern is motoring in confined waterways where sailing isn't an option. The ICW west of Panama city has a stretch of about 25 miles in narrow creeks and cuts.
I checked the 3m site and they have strength test for 5200 and I also checked on an epoxy cement. Wood fails before the glue fails. In shear tests the 5200 is more than strong enough to support an engine bracket..but it takes too long to cure. The epoxy is plenty strong and plenty fast to cure. But it would be more work than I care to do to remove the bracket once it is in place. A 1 sqaure foot footprint with epoxy can easily support a couple hundred pounds. I gave up on the idea not because of a lack of strength but purely because of the work required to remove the bracket. And for those doubters of the strength of glue remember most of our boats are made of glass fibers glued together with polyester glue!!!! My 4500#s of lead in my keel has been held in place with nothing but glass fibers and glue for 26 years!!!! The ceramic tiles on the space shuttle are glued in place!!!! Oh and I have a crown on a tooth that has been glued in place over 15 years. And don't forget that your through bolted motor bracket probably has a piece of plywood actually holding the motor and that plywood is glued together. As to the Volvo as far as I know nothing is wrong with it except it tends to overheat if pushed too hard. But at 1700 RPM it can cruise indefinately without overheating. The govenor kicks in at 2500 rpm. My main concern is motoring in confined waterways where sailing isn't an option. The ICW west of Panama city has a stretch of about 25 miles in narrow creeks and cuts.
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