Auxilliary Outboard yes or no?

[markymarkP]

Hi Guys
i have a nice little 17ft Dory.
it has radio, flares, horn etc,

i also have fitted an auxilliary 5hp engine, aside from the main engine.
the main engine is in very good, serviced condition.

what are your thoughts on the auxilliary? i know its a belt and braces emergency engine, but do people usually have them on thier boats? or do you think them not really necissary?

i dont go out to sea far, keep to the coast mainly. and thinking of this engine just sat there. i wonder if its really worth the bother


any thoughts?


thanks

[HUMBER P4VWL]

It's a quandry, of course having one when you need it is best, but...

We had a 6.6 on a 18ft rib and it rattled around in the rough and imbalances the boat at speed. We never used it (thank god) and only cruised the coast, an anchor and paddles seemed sufficient so took it off.

Now we have a 6.3m rib and go a little further. Brand new engine and radio etc now and haven't fitted it ....yet! I suppose the bigger boat is impossible to paddle to shore though and the weight probably won't imbalance it much. Fixed properly to the transom it may not rattle too much...still debating it.

There's an arguement both ways. Up to you in the end.

[Locozodiac]

[It's always usefull to count with a auxiliary motor in case main dies, specially if you don't have any mate close to help you, won't plane your boat, but will take you home...

[Channel Ribs]

Ooooo, this is a marmite issue. Be careful!

Have a search of the site for Auxialliary and punch-up, that should help.

Some people swear by an extra engine, others cannot see the sense. Both camps feel quite strongly about it too.

Personally I am an auxiliary free boater, but there have been times when I have succumbed.

It all depends on your own boating criteria really. You need a list of essential kit and if you are like me you will not be able to afford everything so you end up deciding which is more important. For example a really good anchor, perhaps a sea anchor too. Spare radio, good flares, perhaps a tool kit for some.

If you do go down the aux route then try and get the same stroke as your main engine, but also make sure you have separate fuel and fuel line for it so that you can mix and match depending on possible fuel problems.

You will also want to take into account the conditions you are likely to encounter, a very small aux is not going to help if you regularly face big tides or areas of chop.

[diverdad]

Better safe than sorry.
My last engine (evinrude 225) went kaput in the harbour not far from the slip, not a problem I thought.
I just broke out the paddles and we tried the Hawaii five 0 thing, less than 10 mins later we were all "sweating like geordies in a spelling test" and had made little or no headway against the small current, (a 7.5m rib with 200litres of fuel 1/4 ton of dead engine, dive kit and all other "essentials" weighs a lot).
I managed to secure a tow from a passing samaritan.

Aux bracket now fitted and I "borrow" my dad's little put put when ever I go out.

Lee

[markymarkP]

Thanks for the replies,
and really not surprised by the answers.

i like the extra radio suggestion, that way if you get a massive power faliure and your onboard set packs up, you have a spare.

i do already have an auxiliary, but truly wonder if its going to do much in an emergency. a 5hp engine is not going to push a ton of boat that well! (i think??)

perhaps i should try!!!! LOL!

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by markymarkP

... perhaps i should try!!!! LOL!

Don't laugh! You should try, and do so on something other than a flat calm day too.

[Puffin]

My vote is to keep the auxilliary. I have a brand new engine on the back and used it without a backup all summer. It left me with a nagging doubt about what I would do in the case of engine failure. Fitted the auxilliary in October, a 5HP Honda which I had in the garage anyway. I would recommend trying out your auxilliary, I was surprised how well mine pushed my 6m RIB along.

Part of all this is about where you use your RIB, but where I am based on the West Coast of Scotland having a "get me home" on the back is to my mind essential and certainly gives a great deal of peace of mind.

[camtheribman]

From my experience I would say keep it. If engine failure you will be able to get back under your own power and not have to be towed like I did. Believe me, it's embarrasing when lots of people that you know see you trying to paddel to safety

[Jorgos]

Here in Greece almost everybody over 5 metres ( that they cannot paddle) cary an auxiliry engine.
I dont realy like very much to carry a second engine having a new engine as main.
So...... i have a very good sea anchor ready for use at the bow, and I have a small torqeedo, 801 for the peace of mind, not to be totaly enginless. I am getting 2,8 3 knots in good weather if ever needed . 8 kilos at stern is not so bad.

[Poly]

you know that sod's law means if you remove the aux you will break down, if you leave it you'll probably never need it!

[traveller022]

From past experience of losing a perfectly good auxilliary off the back of a Dell Quay Dory we used to own (my fault), I now prefer to keep the 3.3 mariner 2 stroke under the rear seat of my Ribeye 550. I have made a fixed wooden bracket which attaches through the mounting holes for one of the ski eyes (not required as i have a ski pole too) and mount the engine on it when needed. It is very much a last resort get me home set up which pushes me along at 4-5 knots. I know it won't work too well in a rough sea but I am never happy being out with only 1 engine.

[dougcrock]

40 Kn for 3/4 hr blew prop. 8HP Yamm 3Kn 1st Jan 1995 no boats about fortuneatly flat calm do the maths.
After that always took aux when offshore alone until mounting smashed going round mull of kintyre and left it hanging off transom in serious danger of taking out main engine.
now well lashed down in forward locker to be used as anchor. paddles best to write help on them and wave at passing boats

[HUMBER P4VWL]

paddle idea great!

Originally Posted by dougcrock

40 Kn for 3/4 hr blew prop. 8HP Yamm 3Kn 1st Jan 1995 no boats about fortuneatly flat calm do the maths.
After that always took aux when offshore alone until mounting smashed going round mull of kintyre and left it hanging off transom in serious danger of taking out main engine.
now well lashed down in forward locker to be used as anchor. paddles best to write help on them and wave at passing boats

[BogMonster]

Aux for me - only ever used it once less than 50yds from the pontoon when the main engine cut out and wouldn't restart, but it probably stopped my boat either being on a rocky beach or into a jagged rusty steel shipwreck - with 20kt of wind you would not have paddled into it even if you were He-Man. Mine does about 4kt on 6hp at half throttle, and about 4.5kt on full throttle (just adds noise), so I usually set the throttle to half, lock it in place and steer with the main engine as a rudder, works well and while I wouldn't want to be in very rough conditions driving like that (steering response is a bit lethargic) I'd rather be sitting at the helm than perched on the tube. The only thing I haven't sorted out is an external fuel feed - I am not sure how far I'd get on the litre or so of fuel in the aux tank, I do carry cans but you wouldn't want to be refuelling a hot engine at sea!

Thankfully the old Humbers have a sensible "un-trendy" flat transom so mine is just bolted on the transom, no brackets to snap and fall off.

I don't even carry paddles as there isn't much passing traffic to wave at, hence the fact I carry an aux

[Sonar]

Originally Posted by markymarkP

Hi Guys
i have a nice little 17ft Dory.
it has radio, flares, horn etc,

i also have fitted an auxiliary 5hp engine, aside from the main engine.
the main engine is in very good, serviced condition.

what are your thoughts on the auxilliary? i know its a belt and braces emergency engine, but do people usually have them on thier boats? or do you think them not really necissary?

i dont go out to sea far, keep to the coast mainly. and thinking of this engine just sat there. i wonder if its really worth the bother


any thoughts?


thanks

I have a twin engine rib the chances of both braking down at the same time maybe rare.
However all other boats i have owned have always had an auxiliary engine.

I felt that If ever I had to call the R.N.L.I. at least they can see I made the effort to make provisions in the event of an engine brake down at sea.

[Razorbill RIBs]

I felt that If ever I had to call the R.N.L.I. at least they can see I made the effort to make provisions in the event of an engine brake down at sea. [/QUOTE]


I will be fitting an aux bracket when we re power at the end of the month....have had OB's play up at sea in the past, but thankfully have always managed to get them / keep then going...or at least enough to limp in.....given the amount of electronic components etc on modern engines (rightly or wrongly) I think I might struggle to botch a repair...

My MAIN concern, however, is that if i do ever break down I could well end up calling my own crew out to tow us in. Another lifeboat colleague who regulalrly crews with me says that if he has enough air in his tanks, he'd rather swim for it than face the embarasment and ridicule

Dan

[Sea Witch]

hi

dory 17ft

i have 15 hp ,mounted on the front of my console.its a good place to have it as it helps to keep the bow down .it pushes her along at 7 knots a must where i go boating special around Inishboffin and surrounding island
long way out boffin from home (clifden)


sea witch

[Knot Yet]

Aux - yes

[skidoodog]

Aux yes......

Sometimes its not about paddling ashore but paddling offshore away from a very unfriendly landing spot. An onshore wind, big cliffs and big waves can ruin more than your day.

I prefer to deal with a small aux (4hp yamaha) and all it entails rather than the above scenario.

Take your choice.

Dave