RIB aux dilema

[Xk59D]

looking for some input on this one folks.

i have a brand new 5hp 4 stroke mariner i bought last season before i bought my current RIB. the rib has a double A frame on it so i can't really get the aux on the transom as the tiller hits the A frame no matter what you do.

i can only see 2 options really-

1. bolt on one of those aux outboard brackets
2. buy a 3.3hp 2 stroke which will obviously be quite a bit slimmer.

i don't really like any of the above 2 but i can think of no other option mean time.

i'm concerned about no1 as the aux will be bouncing around on there when not in use and ofcourse drilling holes in a transom for something which looks ugly.

i'm concered about no2 since you can't buy new and 3.3hp on a 5.6m boat is not ideal even for an aux, although it is better than nothing.

open to ideas.

cheers

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

looking for some input on this one folks...open to ideas

Me too

[Poly]

Xk59D, you can't steer with it because of the frame or you can't fit it at all? If the former convention is to fit and fix pos. Then steer with main eng as rudder.

[Xk59D]

i can get the engine on the transom but it will hinder the main engine steerage. to stop it doing this i would need to loosen the aux engine, tilt it a certain way and lift it off the transom and back back down again so the tiller sits between the A frame but i don't fancy trying that incase i need it when it is rough.

the best solution is probably a 3.3hp engine OR an engine with the tiller on the opposite side but that doesn't seem to exist.

[Poly]

Stupid question.... do you actually need the tiller.

[Xk59D]

if could maybe rig up something to control the throttle then no i could take it off. i had thought of that but i like things looking neat/functional.

i wonder if i can buy/make a thin tiller and put like a throttle lever on there with a wire upto the carb...........

ever seen a tiller like this for sale i could adapt?

if i lose the std tiller i will gain about 5" of room which will get rid of my issues.

cheers

[9D280]

Any chance of a pic of your 5?

A couple of thoughts ambling round my head as I have a slightly similar problem, but as my Aux is a 19canteen Johnson the tiller is a length of 3/8" x 3/4" bar! (not entirely unrelated to my choosing that as my Aux!)

Anyhow, my thought is - could you arrange a "twin" type steering setup so that the aux moves along with the main. Apologies in advance if this description gets messy:

As you turn to port, the front of the main engine moves to starboard. The aux is at approx 45 degrees in the "up" position, and so the back of it will peobably be slightly behind the pivot point of the main, so should clear, the front is being pushed to stbd as well. Same idea turning to port - the back of the aux will be pushed clear, the front will travel with the main.

The next obvious step with the remote steering is see if they do a remotes kit for it - I'm thinking things like river launches where you donlt need the poer but want a comfortable seat or for a yacht where you can't reach the tiller kind of thing. you could pobably rig something tidy up with bike brake cables assuming it's got a Push / pull type arrangement.

[Xk59D]

i can get some pics tomorrow as the engine is currently sitting in local outboard shop for sale but no action so i'm going to keep it and adapt it somehow.

i have called clyde outboards and they said you can get a cable adapter kit for the engine so he is getting a price. i don't intend to use cables but i could maybe cut one short so it sticks out the front with some sort of bike lever arrangement as you said.

steering really isn't going to be a problem-the thottle will be. i can get a steering bar made to bolt onto the main lump to deal with that.

to clarify, if i leave the aux as is you can't turn it or tilt it as the tiller hits the A frame hence this problem. even if i do this i will not get full lock on the aux but who cares-as long as i have reasonable steerage i'll settle for that. it is going to be tight regardless but i think taking the tiller off will just give enough room.

thanks polwart for suggestion-i dismissed it in my head but probably the better way forward now.

edit-this is same engine for quickness just now-



cheers

[Starovich]

Not sure, but was polwart suggesting you simply use the main engine leg for steering, and set the throttle friction to hold a steady rpm, meaning there is no need to be playing with the aux tiller much at all?

[Xk59D]

perhaps he did and i've mis-understood him, appologies if so. if i leave the tiller though i can't tilt the aux up.

the only solution is to get the tiller off or buy an aux bracket for this engine.

a picture is worth a 1000 words as they say but if you can imagine the back of the tiller where it comes out of the aux-that is right where my A frame sits so i can't tilt it or turn it.

edit- found this on my phone showing the aux hull protector i bought to put the aux on.

the aux engine sits hard against the towing eye which gives it enough space from the main engine but the tiller is pointing vertical hard against the A frame there aswell.

cheers

[BogMonster]

How much lock can you get on the aux? I have a Merc 4 which is the same engine and my A frame comes up in about the same place, can't get a lot of lock in that direction but it is usable in practice because the steering going to starboard is helped by the offset position of the engine. I usually lock it and steer with the main anyway, but while the amount of available lock looks like it shouldn't work too well, it actually does work ok in practice.

Another point worth mentioning is that the clearance between engines with one engine tilted and the other down is usually much better (regardless of which one is up and which is down) - in other words with the aux tilted, you can probably sit it closer to the main than you think and still get full steering on the main, which will then give you more tiller clearance with the main tilted and the aux down.

[Alzi]

I had Exactly the same problem , I already had bought a 4 stroke 4hp Yammaha before I bought my Rib , When I came to fit it as an Aux It would fit "JUST" but couldnt turn the main engine.
I Figured that the Idea is that it is an auxillary engine"For Emergency Use Only" and that the operation of the main engine was my primary concern, so as long as that had room to work properly I would be prepared to change the aux for a smaller 2 stroke.

I then found the same problem, There are no brand new 2 strokes on the market now.

I decided to get a used 3.3 Mercury/Mariner/ Tohatsu or Johnson as they are all Exactly the same just painted different colours. but are very narrow and will fit on my transom with the main Engine.

I ended up with a fantastic Mercury 3.3 , In excellent Mechanical condition , obviously had little used.

I did change the Impellor , spark plug gear oil and shear pin just to be sure.

The main drawback is NO reverse gear !! , But on a lake or the sea with no significant tide will push my 5.5m Humber along at 4+ knots forwards, and can steer It enough to get me out of Trouble.

However I have to use the main engine to sucessfully steer the Boat if on a river with any flow or any tide flow.

I have made a point of trying the Aux in Various different real life situations , just to be sure it will perform when its needed to.

Always fulled , tested and run up to temp before leaving on a trip anywhere

The main advantage is its small and lightweight (lift with 1 hand ,less weight on transom bouncing around on trailer)and no mods needed on the transom or engine.

Hope this helps !!

[Xk59D]

thanks for replies folks-

to answer some questions quickly.

there is literally no lock on the aux-the tiller hits the frame pretty much instantly. i can go the opposite direction no probs though.

i have tried to fit the engine on like it is and there is simply no way to have it workable easily. i can get clearance from the main engine but i can't tilt the aux. to tilt the aux i need to slacken it off the transom, slide it closer to the main, tilt it, then slide it back to where it should be which puts the tiller between the A frame NEARLY. doing so though limits the main engine at just about max lock so would only be an issue for docking. sitting on shore i can do this but i don't want to try it when/if i need it.

the main issue i have is no matter what i do tilting the engine is a problem because of the tiller hitting the A frame. yes i have room to avoid that but it limits the main engine to maybe half lock at that point.

cheers

[9D280]

If "tiller vs frame" is the big problem, is there sufficient flex in your steering cable to mount it the other side? That's what I had to do for much the same reason..... The main steering cable was hard against the underside of the Aux clamp bolts!

[Poly]

Xk59D,

Easy fix...



...buy a new boat that fits the aux!


As for removing the tiller handle, I don't know how easy or not it might turn out to be. You might not actually need any new cables. On some tiller outboards the throttle is just a miniature version of remote "bowden" cables - so you could remove the tiller, fix the steering and the put the old tiller arm (perhaps shortened?) somewhere more convenient? Depends how much buggering about you fancy.

[Downhilldai]

Those 4/5/6hp Merchatsoos are physically quite large for their hp.

If you're concerned about the 3.3 being underpowered, what about a second hand 5hp 2-stroke instead?

[Xk59D]

DHD, as long as the engine is thin enough i'll try one. fwiw i did try a 4hp 2 stroke while my boat was in for service as clyde outboards had a selection of small engines knocking about. the only one which would have worked ok at a quick glance was the 3.3-everything else hit the A frame.

i can't put the engine on the other side due to the steering unfortunately, there isn't enough room/flex in the cable to allow that :-(.

i'll go get the engine out of the outboard shop tomorrow and goto the boat again for some head scratching.

it is curious no one has suggested the aux mount-i assume not well liked? (i'm not keen on them anyway so happy to dismiss it as option)

i did find an un-used 6 year old 3.3 mercury today in dealers but they wanted £500 for it. sore one that when i not long ago paid £750 for this one and it was new, not sitting around for 6 years.

cheers

[9D280]

Aye, mine was tight.

Other oprtion of you wan to stay around the 5 horse mark is the old Evenrude/ Johnson twin pot 4Hp. They are thin because the tiller is attatched to the top of the leg. Super lightweight as well, the longshaft clocks inat about 15Kg (that's what I use coz its the lightest, thinnest biggest HP aux I could fit)

The down side is they were last built in about 1976.....

[Xk59D]

the concern i have is i don't think anything less than 5hp is a wise decision for making headway in a 5.6m rib (you have seen my rib and has a lot of gear on it). i'm guessing i'll see 2-3 knots from a 3-4hp max which wouldn't overcome a tide too well.

my old man is away to the outboard shop to take the engine off display and i'll goto the boat tomorrow and look at options.

will let ye-all know.

cheers

[Festinghouse]

got the same problem, but ive mounted an aux bracket flat onto the deck at the rear of the boat. if and when its needed i can unclamp the aux from the bracket and lift it onto the transom. not ideal i know, but seems the best compromise for me.