20 HP 4 Stroke Cowl fell off

[willk]

Originally Posted by smallribber

I will travel with the cowl in the boot and a plastic bag or as you say cover on the engine. After this happened I cant trust it any more.

Originally Posted by smallribber

/// and the last thing you want in your head is worrying about this sort of thing. I will just tow with it off///

Originally Posted by smallribber

Far safer and better for you 'head' to just tow with it off ///

Originally Posted by smallribber

///Simple answer is I aint risking it again

Originally Posted by smallribber

///In short as I keep saying my cowl is gonna be in the boot of the car when I am towing.

The topic of your thread/OP appears to have caught the interest of quite a few people, which I presume was your intention? Anyone who tows boats will wonder how your experience might impact on them personally, hence the questions. I don't get the impression that anyone is pushing you to tow with YOUR cowl on in future, particularly as you are clearly experiencing a degree of anxiety about it. I've lost a few things overboard while towing, and like you, my prime concern was if they had caused any issues for others.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Poly

You were fairly certain the cover was on right too!

If it was me, and I was not willing to accept I may have made an installation error* then I would be adding a small retaining rope or wire so that if it come off it can’t go anywhere (also handy at sea if you are bobbing around investigating an issue). Removing and Sticking a bag over it each time is asking for a bag to come flying off and hit a cyclist/motorcyclist in the face, risks bumping cables/pipes that the cowl clears each time and gives you a manky bag (progressively covered in road grime) to store when on the boat. Leaving it open exposes all sorts to wind, stones, weather which it isn’t really designed around.

*it seems likely that if it fell into the boat that it bounced loose/fell off in bumpy low speed travel rather that was ripped off by the force of the wind at 60mph.

Having looked at the actual situation I do not agree. I will do it my way others have received my information on the situation and can make such adjustments as they feel is correct for their situation

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by willk

The topic of your thread/OP appears to have caught the interest of quite a few people, which I presume was your intention? Anyone who tows boats will wonder how your experience might impact on them personally, hence the questions. I don't get the impression that anyone is pushing you to tow with YOUR cowl on in future, particularly as you are clearly experiencing a degree of anxiety about it. I've lost a few things overboard while towing, and like you, my prime concern was if they had caused any issues for others.

Quite correct it is the potential to cause issues with others that is my main concern. The bag that I put over the engine for towing will most likely be a prop bag and that will be secured so that it will not come off or flap too much.

To be honest I feel the design of this particular clip etc is not up to muster for towing but hey ho

[smallribber]

On a very similar note. On one of my other boats I towed it with the seat cushion/bases in position. These had ply backings and seemed very secure. On arriving home I was horrified to see the rear seat. Approx 1.5 m x 0.5 m and curved in shape and a bugger to take on and off missing all together. This was very scary. I retraced my steps in the car and to my amazement there it was about 7 miles from home (Total Journey about 15 miles) on the side of the road in grass totally undamaged.

Moral is don't underestimate the forces on stuff in and on your boat when towing.

It amazes me when I see Harry Dyrer towing his Rib with a cover on it

To put things into perspective I have done about 3,500 miles towing boats so far this year

[Fenlander]

>>>*it seems likely that if it fell into the boat that it bounced loose/fell off in bumpy low speed travel

*The* most likely explanation is it was not properly secured and fell off in the first few country lane miles.

[Fenlander]

Talking of things falling off at 5.05 in this video the Johnson cowl catch proves very secure... the whole outboard less so.

This is an example of why I bolt on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o29qN8uGjeQ

[User name]

Originally Posted by smallribber

This whole thread was to alert others to what might happen to them. Having your cowl bounce up the M25 or A12 aint good. So mine is staying off

I get what you mean, but if you pinpoint the exact cause of the problem down to a single failure then it gives people something to look out for specifically so it doesn't happen to them.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by User name

I get what you mean, but if you pinpoint the exact cause of the problem down to a single failure then it gives people something to look out for specifically so it doesn't happen to them.

Well yes but there is only so much time and effort that I can invest in this for the benefit of others. I have a solution that is 100% full proof. Put the cowl in your boot 👍

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Talking of things falling off at 5.05 in this video the Johnson cowl catch proves very secure... the whole outboard less so.

This is an example of why I bolt on.

Video seems blocked

[User name]

Originally Posted by smallribber

Well yes but there is only so much time and effort that I can invest in this for the benefit of others. I have a solution that is 100% full proof. Put the cowl in your boot 👍

Yeah, that's fair enough, though I think it would benefit you too. If it can come off on the road then it certainly can come off on the water. Not knowing why it came off isn't worth the risk.

Unless it's fine and was just fitted improperly. I've done that myself a couple of times and on one occasion the pull cord saved my bacon.

[Fenlander]

**Video seems blocked.

As the message says the uploader has chosen for it not to play in external sites however it will play in YouTube clicking on its top bar.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by smallribber

Well yes but there is only so much time and effort that I can invest in this for the benefit of others.

Sorry Dennis but if that's the case, why bother? The forum only works when members help one another. It's your thread but if you can't "find the time and effort" to finish it, then I don't see the point in why you posted the thread in the first place.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

>>>*it seems likely that if it fell into the boat that it bounced loose/fell off in bumpy low speed travel

*The* most likely explanation is it was not properly secured and fell off in the first few country lane miles.

Indeed presumably many thousands of miles have been travelled by others without such failure - but user error would be unthinkable

[Oldman2]

Just leave the cover on and put a suitably large and secure cover over the top tied down with a drawstring maybe.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Oldman2

Just leave the cover on and put a suitably large and secure cover over the top tied down with a drawstring maybe.

Or take it off and put it in the boot and have a little less weight on the transom. After that fell off there is no way on this planet I am going to tow with it on

[User name]

Originally Posted by smallribber

Or take it off and put it in the boot and have a little less weight on the transom.

Slightly less weight, but significantly more drag, so probably adds up to more weight on the transom.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by User name

Slightly less weight, but significantly more drag, so probably adds up to more weight on the transom.

It is very possible to over analyse things isn't it

[Fenlander]

There is seemingly no end to the parallel universe this thread is inhabiting.

Just been out on the eMTB and proceeding at a brisk pace off road there was a ding noise and I looked down to see the handlebar water bottle mount together with water bottle had fallen off. My thoughts immediately turned to the foxes, deer and hares I encounter as it was nearly full and could have landed them a right biff on the nose.

Thankfully the bottle and holder fell harmlessly into grass and being a combination of friction and spring fit were easy to replace without tools. Of course I considered carrying them in my man bag from now on but given the fixings have lasted 1,151mls so far and water bottles are not known for falling off I decided to leave as is.

I will of course add that bracket assy to my 500ml service checklist.

Spooky coincidence.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

There is seemingly no end to the parallel universe this thread is inhabiting.

Just been out on the eMTB and proceeding at a brisk pace off road there was a ding noise and I looked down to see the handlebar water bottle mount together with water bottle had fallen off. My thoughts immediately turned to the foxes, deer and hares I encounter as it was nearly fully and could have landed them a right biff on the nose.

Thankfully the bottle and holder fell harmlessly into grass and being a combination of friction and spring fit were easy to replace without tools. Of course I considered carrying them in my man bag from now on but given the fixings have lasted 1,151mls so far and water bottles are not known for falling off I decided to leave as is.

I will of course add that bracket assy to my 500ml service checklist.

Spooky coincidence.

As things get older it is quite surprising what can fall off.

I just fitted a 130 w flexible solar panel to my Ford Transit Custom and many people just do this with Sika and or tape. Mine has tape and 4 bolts. I just cant seem to trust sticky stuff on its own

[Croolis]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

There is seemingly no end to the parallel universe this thread is inhabiting.

Just been out on the eMTB and proceeding at a brisk pace off road there was a ding noise and I looked down to see the handlebar water bottle mount together with water bottle had fallen off. My thoughts immediately turned to the foxes, deer and hares I encounter as it was nearly fully and could have landed them a right biff on the nose.

Thankfully the bottle and holder fell harmlessly into grass and being a combination of friction and spring fit were easy to replace without tools. Of course I considered carrying them in my man bag from now on but given the fixings have lasted 1,151mls so far and water bottles are not known for falling off I decided to leave as is.

I will of course add that bracket assy to my 500ml service checklist.

Spooky coincidence.