Engine Controls

wolfie · 31 December 2010, 11:40

mmmmmmm what are your thoughts / Preference on your outboard control, single lever or twin lever ? I have always prefered twin, 1 throttle and 1 gear, as i am nervous of selecting gear a bit to harshly ( maybe because the older engines i prefer dont "slip" into gear easily) and also picking up the revs causing boat to either "surge" forwards or backwards. your opinions welcomed as always.

BogMonster · 31 December 2010, 23:33

I've never used a twin lever setup but have not experienced any of the problems you are concerned about with a single lever. In fact I didn't even know you could get twin lever outboard controls!

chewy · 01 January 2011, 07:35

I've used twinlever controls and prefer single ones, just my preference.
I think mounting position is important to have smooth control, no good having to lean all the way forward to get full throttle or bashing your hand on the wheel mid throttle.

Dirk Diggler · 01 January 2011, 09:57

There is a certain amount of thinking needed to be able to operate twin lever controls, which explains why they aren't that common on ribs.

MOS · 01 January 2011, 17:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfie

mmmmmmm what are your thoughts / Preference on your outboard control, single lever or twin lever ? I have always prefered twin, 1 throttle and 1 gear, as i am nervous of selecting gear a bit to harshly ( maybe because the older engines i prefer dont "slip" into gear easily) and also picking up the revs causing boat to either "surge" forwards or backwards. your opinions welcomed as always.

You get better throttle response from the twin lever type. It does depend on what type of twin setup you have though. Generally diesel inboards have the twin gear & throttle (red+black) And performance boats as 'Powerplays' or 'Scarabs' with x2/3 outboards have a different version of this twin type which is easier to use at high speeds and bouncing from big waves. However, they can use much more space behind, and on the console... It really depends on the user... I would suggest for a RIB to have the single control type which does gear and throttle... and for a high performance RIB's to have; hand - gear. And throttle - foot. - Just my opinion though

BogMonster · 02 January 2011, 19:12

Let's face it the single lever is there because it is idiot proof. Shove it forwards if you want to go forwards, shove it more if you want to go more, or shove it backwards if you want to go backwards. Two levers is just a recipe for eventually reversing into something at 40 knots

chewy · 02 January 2011, 20:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by BogMonster

Let's face it the single lever is there because it is idiot proof. Shove it forwards if you want to go forwards, shove it more if you want to go more, or shove it backwards if you want to go backwards. Two levers is just a recipe for eventually reversing into something at 40 knots

Or accidently leaving it in gear and giving it full throttle to get the old 1967 Evinrude 40hp started only to launch yourself onto the stern of the boat in front, then slip gently back down and slope off as if nothing has happened and hoping no one saw!

Nasher · 02 January 2011, 21:33

The first Flatacraft my Father had many years ago had a Chrysler 45Hp on the back with a twin lever control.

I remember how much easier it felt when the new replacement Flatacraft arrived a few years later with a Single lever attached to a 45HP Suzuki.

I'd have said that most of the time it doesn't make much differance, apart from the extra movement allowing slightly better throttle control, but that's marginal at best.

However when manouvering close in the twin levers were a pain. For example coming alongside a pontoon or running up to a trailer in a crosswind or fast current the amount of time it took to - Throttle back - change hand to gear lever - forward into reverse - change hand to throttle - throttle back up etc - is far more than moving the single lever backwards and forwards.

Just my opinion, but on a normal outboard powered RIB, I'd consider it a backwards step.

Nasher.

BogMonster · 03 January 2011, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewy

Or accidently leaving it in gear and giving it full throttle to get the old 1967 Evinrude 40hp started only to launch yourself onto the stern of the boat in front, then slip gently back down and slope off as if nothing has happened and hoping no one saw!

That's why they invented a switch to not let you start in gear

wolfie · 03 January 2011, 12:26

well , a few different opinions there....... guess its what your use to at the end of the day, i have always had twin levers and found it easy to use, my experiance with a single lever once ended up with me "bumping" my brothers boat a few years ago when he let me bring his boat alongside in Torquay, moved the controls from forward to reverse a bit to quickly and the engine revs lifted to a fast tickover and she nudged the pontoon, luckily we had plenty of fenders and no damage occured, where as with my twin levers everything is done at tickover and is slow and predictable, so you pays your money and takes your choice, think i will stick with my twin levers, who says "modern" is best ........... LOL

9D280 · 04 January 2011, 14:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfie

where as with my twin levers everything is done at tickover and is slow and predictable,

Which might work with a big diesel & huge prop, but if I tried to manoever my rib in anything other than a flat calm, "tickover only" manoevering would be at best very inaccurate, at worst impossible with the slightest addition of wind or tide. I guess your gearchange lever had more travel than the "neutral - engaged" of the single lever you used?

I replaced a set of twin levers on the Dory 'coz they were such a pain. A decent, properly set up single should be no different to twin levers in response / control.

The one you really need to watch for is the old 70s Morse single lever with no neutral catch......