Auxiliary Outboard Bracket

[SteveHall]

I am thinking of adding an auxiliary engine bracket to my Ballistic 6.5 - ready for my long term plans of getting a small engine for use on a small inflatable and as an auxiliary.

Has anyone got any brackets to avoid - keep reading horror stories of people losing the engine due to bracket failure as they don't seem to be designed for RIBs.

Wood or plastic plate?

Has anyone spotted any pre season deals?

[breezeblock]

Originally Posted by SteveHall

I am thinking of adding an auxiliary engine bracket to my Ballistic 6.5 - ready for my long term plans of getting a small engine for use on a small inflatable and as an auxiliary.

Has anyone got any brackets to avoid - keep reading horror stories of people losing the engine due to bracket failure as they don't seem to be designed for RIBs.

Wood or plastic plate?

Has anyone spotted any pre season deals?

I've got a spare one going if your interested I don't need it as I made a one off bracket in nylon

[spartacus]

Avoid any adjustable or retractable bracket. It'll rattle like a cough on a winter's morning.

If you can physically get an auxilliary onto the transom, then all well and good. If the transom is too thick, then a fixed bracket would be the way to go.

I'd also look at adding a ratchet to tether the auxilliary in the up position. The cast saddle on an auxilliary outboard can't handle the vibration on a RIB, so a stainless steel anchor bolt or U bolt on the transom knee or floor makes sense.

Normal rule of thumb is 1hp for every metre, so I'd have thought a 8-15hp would suffice. Depends very much on the number of people on board, weight, etc.

If you can get a similar fuel connection so you can switch the main engine fuel supply to the auxilliary engine should be a consideration too.

[jeffstevens763@g]

i used two ss/plastic ones on my rib end on to get it clear for steering for a 4 hp no issues just had a lanyard off the A frame just in case.i did same as you got the engine for a SIB [short shaft] worked OK as it was far enough up the dead-rise to be in clear water on the rib

[SteveHall]

hmm.. The more I look on google the more I hear about them falling off, or rattling to bits when used on a RIB - Seems most are aimed at WAFI's that are doing 10knts, not a rib doing 40knts

[jeffstevens763@g]

for a while i had mine stowed on the back of the jockey worked well just you have to throw it on the transom when needed might not be everyone cuppa.

[SteveHall]

I dont think i will get one over the transom as its a bit thick..

[breezeblock]

this is what I made to get it mounted on the back off the humber

[beerbelly]

Originally Posted by breezeblock

this is what I made to get it mounted on the back off the humber

your main outboard looks quite close to the aux .did you get full lock ok I tried my 5hp yam on my osprey and even tho my main is counter rotating
and offset to port it still got in the way and I couldn't get full left lock. the aux outboard is mounted on an extendable bracket starboard side

[Mextli]

Originally Posted by spartacus

Avoid any adjustable or retractable bracket. It'll rattle like a cough on a winter's morning.

If you can physically get an auxilliary onto the transom, then all well and good. If the transom is too thick, then a fixed bracket would be the way to go.

I'd also look at adding a ratchet to tether the auxilliary in the up position. The cast saddle on an auxilliary outboard can't handle the vibration on a RIB, so a stainless steel anchor bolt or U bolt on the transom knee or floor makes sense.

Normal rule of thumb is 1hp for every metre, so I'd have thought a 8-15hp would suffice. Depends very much on the number of people on board, weight, etc.

If you can get a similar fuel connection so you can switch the main engine fuel supply to the auxilliary engine should be a consideration too.

+1 to almost everything - Get an outboard that has a small fuel tank built in or bring a small aux fuel tank - All engine issues I have so far encountered go down to bad fuel - If you feed your aux from the same fuel that stopped your main then chances are it will stop working too

[breezeblock]

Originally Posted by beerbelly

your main outboard looks quite close to the aux .did you get full lock ok I tried my 5hp yam on my osprey and even tho my main is counter rotating
and offset to port it still got in the way and I couldn't get full left lock. the aux outboard is mounted on an extendable bracket starboard side

its very close thats why its been heavily sculpted with the milling machine

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by Mextli

+1 to almost everything - Get an outboard that has a small fuel tank built in or bring a small aux fuel tank - All engine issues I have so far encountered go down to bad fuel - If you feed your aux from the same fuel that stopped your main then chances are it will stop working too

Main engine fuel supply goes through Racor filter and engine fuel filter. Auxilliary has own fuel supply, but being able to hook up to main tank would be useful.

Best tip is always to run auxilliary regardless of whether you need to deploy. The tell-tale on small engines invariable salt up. Nylon strimmer wire should be compulsory in an emergency tool kit.

[aquamanNorCal]

Hello All,

I was wondering if you ended up with a solution for your Ballistic 6.5M. I have a very similar 6.5 ASIS and am looking at a 6hp Suzuki as a kicker. Doing some research, and looking at having a kicker bracket like the one in the picture below made and mounted to the left of the outboard. Any thoughts from somebody with experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Aquaman

[jeffstevens763@g]

Aqua man I did something similar by putting two fixed outboard brackets together to give room past the main engine it worked well although I would bolt the kicker engine on rather than just use the clamps.

[Ribtecer]

This question is very timely for me.

I have a 5.3 metre rib that is nearing the end of a rebuild. After collecting a lifetime of boat bits and pieces, I also have a removable auxiliary bracket like the one pictured below, and a very nice little Tohatsu 3.5 hp.

As I already have them it makes sense to put the three together. Although I plan to lie the auxiliary down behind the bench seat in the rear of the Rib when not needed (so hopefully permanently) and stow the bracket accordingly.

My Rib now has a two stroke 90hp Yamaha and I don't think there is sufficient room to mount the auxiliary next to the 90 and have room for steering.

Does anyone here think there will be room to raise the 90 and steer the 3.5?

My plan is to launch the rib and measure the water line on the transom to see if at the correct height there is room to fit the Aux bracket. My bracket has an off set which could be used up or down.

Look forward to your thoughts.

Ribtecer

[Ribtecer]

Originally Posted by Ribtecer

This question is very timely for me.

I have a 5.3 metre rib that is nearing the end of a rebuild. After collecting a lifetime of boat bits and pieces, I also have a removable auxiliary bracket like the one pictured below, and a very nice little Tohatsu 3.5 hp.

As I already have them it makes sense to put the three together. Although I plan to lie the auxiliary down behind the bench seat in the rear of the Rib when not needed (so hopefully permanently) and stow the bracket accordingly.

My Rib now has a two stroke 90hp Yamaha and I don't think there is sufficient room to mount the auxiliary next to the 90 and have room for steering.

Does anyone here think there will be room to raise the 90 and steer the 3.5?

My plan is to launch the rib and measure the water line on the transom to see if at the correct height there is room to fit the Aux bracket. My bracket has an off set which could be used up or down.

Look forward to your thoughts.

Ribtecer

This has got me thinking this morning.

What if I used the removable aluminium tapered locking interface (don't know what its called), like the one I pictured, to fix to the transom, but had a stainless bracket made to replace the black part in the middle with an off set to the left for additional clearance. Mount the timber on the stainless and I might even be able to use the main engine as an efficient rudder in open water.

The sideways off set thing must have been done before, any thoughts?

Ribtecer

[jeffstevens763@g]

Simple if you fix the engine on the transom if you have room and steer with the 90 not brilliant for close quarter stuff but manageable or just have your bracket out to give room to slew the 90 at full lock that was my final position it gave me 1/2 clearance at full lock.

[Last Tango]

Why are you using a bracket at all ?
It looks like it could just clamp onto the transom, that's how mines is fitted.
There's not a lot of steering scope for the aux but i just steer with the main engine.

[Ribtecer]

Now it's all back together there is very little room.

At best it would fowl the steering gear from the main engine and have no steering itself.

[spartacus]

Ribtecer, your A-frame takes up valuable space on the transom.

I'd be looking to fit on the starboard side as the steering drag link will always be an issue. What size of auxilliary do you need to fit?

If you can stick to a 2-stroke engine, then a Tohatsu 5hp long shaft is about a slim an engine as you're likely to find. Integral fuel tank, but the option of connecting to main fuel supply.

Regards the proposed bracket. I looked at these, and I reckon if you're getting something fabricated in stainless steel, sure you could offset it. You might need to add a strengthening support to the back of it to transfer some of the load. Make something up in ply first so you can see there's no contact hard lock to hard lock on the main engine, before the expense of getting something fabricated.

Also look at a U bolt on the transom knee. Securing this auxilliary engine in the tilted position will reduce vibration. Only thing to watch is if it's a dovetail slot, you're likely to ratchet it out if the slot if it's under tension. I've seen fixed brackets, again something else to consider.