Bolting on a 15hp outboard?

Fenlander · 19 July 2011, 10:00

Does anyone bolt on their 15hp to their SIB? Never bothered with a 10hp but the 20hp on my GRP boat was always bolted on. Wonder where a 15hp falls in this?

LWman · 19 July 2011, 10:03

I dont think so, iv got a 30 on mine and its only on thumb clamps, seems to hold well & hasnt moved when attached. Itd be a bugger to take off if its bolted

T 15 · 19 July 2011, 10:09

If not bolted on, then make sure you have a rope/wire attached from outboard & transom with not too much slack, so if the outboard does work loose then it will not fall into the water.

kubcat · 19 July 2011, 10:46

I use a bolt with a wingnut as well as the clamps on my 20hp. If the clamps get loose, the motor moves a bit to warn me to retighten.

LWman · 19 July 2011, 10:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by T 15

If not bolted on, then make sure you have a rope/wire attached from outboard & transom with not too much slack, so if the outboard does work loose then it will not fall into the water.

Thats a good way to protect your investment, i think ill have to do that myself! 8-)

m chappelow · 19 July 2011, 13:43

i have never bolted an engine on , even up to a 40 hp ,but i have always had some form of teather should it come loose so that it wont fall overboard ,some peeps tie the clamp handles together as most if not all have a hole through them ,some engines have a hole in the casting for using as T15 said a cable or rope to a strong point .
most engine manuals state that some form of teather should be used .

once saw a brand new engine slip off a transom when the driver put full lock on , it just twisted its self off .
had he had some sort of rope tied to it he could at least have retived it ,once heard of a swivel parting on an old engine leaving the clamps still in situ but dont know if it was true,

Fenlander · 19 July 2011, 13:51

I always use a tether something like my current one...

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The Mariner manual says the tether should either be so short the outboard can't rise off the transom or long enough that it can come off and stop due to the kill cord then hang below for recovery.

Their worry at anything in between is that the outboard comes off at speed, keeps running, and powers into the boat.

I've gone for the long option as I thought the very short rope could still allow the outboard to skew round with the prop cutting through a tube end.

Suitable bolt/s with large wing nut so no spanners needed sounds worth looking into.

Seabay · 19 July 2011, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by kubcat

I use a bolt with a wingnut as well as the clamps on my 20hp. If the clamps get loose, the motor moves a bit to warn me to retighten.

Top Tip ! Thank You

saltyseadog · 19 July 2011, 20:56

until I read this thread I've never bothered bolting my 15hp and it has never moved....

...but I reckon I'll be doing something about that after reading this

rarms · 19 July 2011, 21:22

Think of using bolts also as a theft deterant.

My 25hp has two M8 stainless bolts through the second set of holes. It has the normal thumb nuts too, but means that no one is going to nick it without a couple of 13mm spanners, not quite as wasy as just the thumb nuts.

willk · 19 July 2011, 22:00

I use a short line and clip so that the bracket won't lift off the transom. I've also started padlocking the thumb handles together - it stops them turning and means that the engine would take a little longer to walk away with - nice to know if I have to leave the boat for a few minutes...

flash189 · 27 July 2011, 21:34

If a Suzuki DF15 outboard was bolted to the transom of a Honwave 4m as well as being secured by the clamp screws, would this be safe to tow as the Honwave manual states that the outboard should be removed prior to towing on a trailer.

LWman · 27 July 2011, 21:43

I think its the movement on the transom that does the damage, so no matter how its bolted on i dont think it will make a difference. Thats seems the general gist anyway, iv also asked similar questions. In the end iv decided that on long motorway journeys, the engine is going in the boot, but at my destination it will stay on the boat with a transom saver type device (homemade) so i can nip straight to the launch spot 1-2 miles away.
Also has anyone here considered using a trailer breakaway cable as a safety cord for their engine? would it be strong enough do you think? If it was, i think it might be quite handy as they are quick on/off clips

wavelength · 27 July 2011, 23:38

I've seen a 35hp come off at speed. Usual thing, not bolted as they were just trying it out and boat in fast turn. Ended up with owner hanging onto its control cables. Motor had stopped by then of course-something to do with the hydraulic lock it suffered as the pistons came up onto nice incompressable water.

Bent con rods,crankshaft etc