Stavanger, Tuesday

I guess I would choose engine size depending of how well the boat sails to windward and how my home harbours is. If my only concern was to get home when the wind died, then 3-4 hp would have been enough to push my 3 ton Johanna. However, although, my harbour is well protected from swell or currents, the place can be quite windy. For this reason backing out of the berth and getting the boat moving (and turning) quickly enough calls for quite some power. The vectored thrust of a powerful outboard is particularly welcome when a stiff breeze pushes on that thick mast. There isn’t that much room for error here and even a 6hp engine would be on the small side.

Now I just had a look on the web. Yamaha still makes a range of engines with high-thrust legs (FT series). They not only have special propellers, but the gear ratio is around 3:1 against the normal 2:1. I notice that they are e bit lighter than the model I have since they now use around 200ccm engines. The 45kg 8hp model FT8DMX (manual start, extra long leg) could be an alternative on Redwing, or what do you think? It also comes in versions with electric start and even with remote control. I guess other makers also have similar models.

After a few years with an adjustable bracket, I found a position which the engine worked well in, both for sailing and motoring, so replaced the adjustable bracket with a fixed one to bring the engine closer to the boat. If you install a bracket that moves up and down on rails, sort of, the trick is simply to install a 2- or 3-part tackle (What is it called?) to raise and lower the engine. I had that on Malena.

Cheers, Arne

　

Arne your outboard is the one that has been recommended I buy. My plan is to mount it on the end of the bumpkin. I would prefer the 9.9 but 40 kgs seems a lot to manhandle. I could fabricate a small davit to make fitting and removal of the motor easier. At 26kgs the 6hp sounds good but I wonder if it would be powerful enough for crossing river bars? Redwing weighs around 2.7-3 tonne.
You've given me some great info there thanks.

Last Wednesday the 15th we hauled Redwing out for some maintenance. Apart from some barnacle growth we found that the keel timber had cracked a few glue lines which couldn't be fixed in the time we had. We will have to haul out again sometime down the track, let her dry out and fibreglass the keel I think. Apart from that all was good and we raised the waterline, as in painted the new black antifoul higher up the hull. We were back in the water by 1pm the next day.
The big decision is that we are going to replace the inboard with an outboard as the heavy inboard is pushing the stern down more than we are happy with. The present engine space will become our new icebox.

Gary King wrote:Whitworths have a good deal on EPIRBs atm, includes a bunch of other goodies.

That is a good deal. No GPS but I'd buy it if I had the $$$ to spare.
Oh Lord, my needs are small, send money.:)

Next Wednesday, weather permitting will see Redwing up on the slip for some maintenance and hopefully an end to the leaking keel bolts.
Once that is out of the way the next priority will be the building of a tender and acquiring the legal requirements such as flares and epirb we need before putting to sea. Even though our first sea voyage will be all of 15 nms.