How important is lidt up outboad bracket?

[AWalker]

I have been working in my outboard bracket (was worn out, didn't like the weight), and instead of replacing it with a like bracket I welded it rigid so I could get out on the lake with my son to go sailing. I also welded it a couple inches lower than it would adjust on its own. I liked it, my prop didn't cavitate, and reverse was much better, no bucking or movement in the bracket.

So, I am pondering what to do going forward. I like the rigidity if the welded bracket. I still need to make something more permanent, and a little better looking. I have been looking online for outboard brackets, and found that there are a lot made for power boats that are box like brackets. I understand that a power boat wouldn't need to have his motor go up, as then he would be dead in the water. So how important is it to do that on a small sailboat. I can tilt the motor up out of the water, so that does away with the drag. The box like brackets are much more rigid that the swivel mounts. The box section could be constructed to house a plastic fuel tank, or turned into a fuel tank itself.
What would the cons be of making a permanent fixed mount for a sailboat outboard?

 

[Squidd]

Powerboaters dont lean as much as a sailboat on heel... Even with lift feature my prop will slap water on a heavy port heel.

 

[Ray Bowles]

If the prop drags in the water with the boat healed it will scrub off 1/2 to 1.0 knots of speed and that is a precious amount in a sailboat. If you are OK with the way your mount works then that is the important item. Having the fuel tank over the motor is a good way to meet your maker.
I like my mount because it will lower the motor when in very rough seas and it also raises high enough so that I can service it without bending over.
Ray

 

[Joe]

The Catalina 27 and a number of other production sailboats do not use lifting brackets. My long shaft OB is mounted on the transom and lifts completely out of the water when tilted up and, since it is located on the centerline, has no clearance issues when the boat is heeled.

The reason you would install a lifting bracked on any boat is because there's no clearance for it to tilt up when it's in the operating position, or it interferes with a transom hung rudder. Sailboats often have high or oddly angled transoms that make access to the motor difficult when in the water. If you are satisfied that your motor will tilt up completely on a fixed mount, and that you can reach the controls and starting mechanism, and that you won't be in heavy seas where the boat may hobby horse and drench the motor too much..... then by all means go with a fixed mount.

If your motor can't be mounted near the centerline because of a transom hung rudder, then the tilt up bracket may be necessary after all.

The final decision, of course, is yours and I encourage you to be creative in your solution.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Chances are, you can live with it fine. It boils down to, do you want to. If it works, run it. 90% of sailboats drag a screw through the drink...

I WOULD like to lift it up when docked though...
Fresh water? No biggee..

 

[MrBill_FLL]

what Ray said. if it doesn't drag when sailing, and you get good prop bite, it works!

some small ob's have the fuel tanks inside the cowling. just be sure it won't be too close to heat or exhaust.

 

[AWalker]

Perhaps I can mock one up out of card board, then I might have a slightly better visual on if it will work and be visually nice as well