auxilary motor

[andy]

I just purchased a Spindrift DSI without a motor mount or motor. Does anyone have a preference for electric vs gas for an auxilary motor? What size is necessary to push the Spindrift home when the wind dies (thrust or Hp do they compare)?

[Marv Irwin]

Hello Andy,

I crossed this bridge earlier this spring when I became a proud owner. I think the answer is...it depends....

I sail on an inland lake that is less than 10 miles long and only a mile or two at its greatest width, so I purchased a Minn Kota 46 lb. thrust electric trolling motor, a good quality battery and a charger. The total damage was about $500 CDN.

I carried this sucker with me all summer and fall and didn't need to use it. My first (and only) mate is the sensible one in the family and she insisted that we try it out before we put the boat away for the winter. The Minn Kota was more than adequate in our late year test.

If you sail on bigger water or have to contend with strong currents, you may need an outboard of some sort.

Regards,
Marv

[calden]

When I bought my used DSI over a year ago, it came with a Nissan 5hp outboard. The previous owner had sailed it in the Columbia River near Portland, and needed to contend with strong river currents.

I found it a pain in butt to use - heavy, and it really got in the way of the mainsheet traveler system when it was hoisted up out of the water.

I found a friend who wanted to trade his smaller outboard for something beefier for his West Wight Potter 19. I got a Tanaka 3hp outboard which is MUCH smaller and lighter. Here's a pic of both of them side by side:

It's just long enough to get in the water. Ideally I'd put it on a lever motor mount, get it down another 6" so it stays in when I go forward in the boat.

This small motor, not being made anymore but fairly easy to find on eBay or Craigslist, is air-cooled. It's essentially a small chainsaw engine. It can be loud, but it's surprisingly powerful, more so than the electric ones I've seen.

Carlos

[dsheer]

Andy,

I need a motor since I sail on the Chesapeake and tribs. Slickem (slick calm) is an unfortunately frequent condition. There are also strong currents. I have bothe a MinnKota 36 (long shaft) for sailing on water supply reservoirs and a Honda 2 HP long shaft which came with the boat. Both work just fine, and the Honda has handled currents I'd estimate at nearly 3.5 kts. Both can get in the way of the maisheet traveler when up, however.

Dan

[Roger]

I found my 5hp Suzuki was very fast and powerful, but way to heavy for the boat, so I sold it and swapped out for a 55# thrust Minkota, ran the cables forward to a battery just ahead of the mast. This worked fine, moving the boat along about just under 3 knots, but I would not think I could rely on it to get me home the 9 miles from the wrong end of the lake during storm conditions, where I am sure the 5hp would have had no problems. Now given that I watch my weather, (fair weather sailor) I feel quite safe using my Mnkota for getting in and out of the harbour. I also usually stay in the 'marina' end of the lake, so if I am becalmed I am within the endurance time for my battery. With a full charge, and speeding setting 4/5, my endurance if 4 hours with a maximum distance of 4 1/2 miles.

If the distance from your ramp to 'sails up' is short, you have no currents, and the wind is rarely dead calm, an electric would be fine.

[sunapeesailor]

Andy -
I have a 4 hp Johnson that came with my DS1 and it works very well. With family aboard (wife, 2 kids) I can head to any part of the local lake (13 miles-4 harbors) without worry. I am certain that an electric would suffice to get us out of the harbor into the broads of the lake but am very happy knowing that we can get home quickly if a storm kicks up.

[andy]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll shop around this winter and see what I come up with.

[foredek]

Does anyone use a British Seagull? I'm considering looking around for one as they are light (28-35 lbs), reliable and designed to be used for just the purpose we need them for. Their downside is the noise and smoke which can be minimized. Of course their real claim to fame is their good looks.

[foredek]

Does anyone use a British Seagull? I'm considering looking around for one as they are light (28-35 lbs), reliable and designed to be used for just the purpose we need them for. Their downside is the noise and smoke which can be minimized. Of course their real claim to fame is their good looks.

[stuart888]

Don't forget to add safety into the answer. Where I live in southwest Florida, storms can really come at you in a hurry. Make sure your backup provides you enough power to get you up the channels and back to your dock in a resonable amount of time. Better to have a bit of extra power, than not enough. If it saves once, you will be happy you did.

Good Luck, Stuart

[markgordon]

I bought a new, 1.6 hp outboard - no manufacturer's name - on eBay. Works very well, even fighting ocean current.

[hightide]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of buying (I'll need to decide today) a 4 hp older Evinrude outboard for use on my Daysailer and O'Day Ospray (about 16 ft daysailer) when I sail in a salt water harbor and channel that can have varying degrees of chop, current and wind.

The motor is perhaps a 1983 (seller isn't sure) and has only FORWARD but can be swivelled around for "reverse" action. It appears to be regular shaft length and I haven't yet seen to measure or listen to it.

The asking price is 100 dollars firm and he says he's put in new plugs and (done something like) "sharpened the points." He says he used in in July on a small sailboat on a river, then on a larger boat. Seller states it starts on 1st or 2nd pull. There is some sort of a spring where the starter engages that he has to hold up by hand, but he thinks this can be worked around and doesn't necessarily need to be repaired or replaced. I'll attached a photo if I can remember how.

I don't know anything about outboards (well, other than many years ago my dad had an 18 hp Evinrude on a skiff, but I only used it, I didn't understand the engine and parts).

The daysailer and Ospray don't have motor mounts, although I supposed I could install them.
I do have a 36 Lb. thrust Minn Kota that came with one of the boats, but I've never used and from what I've read it wouldn't serve in salt water channels or harbors with chop and tides. Both sailboats are rigged in the conventional way (with the mainsheet passing through a stern rope that's blocked at port and starboard aft deck, then passing to the center of the boom and jam cleat swivel block).

My questions are:
1. Do you think this (forward only, but it can be throatled down) OB is something that would work on my daysailors?
2. Does one need a long shaft outboard motor? Or does this depend on if you use the molded motor mount or a transom mounted kicker mount?
3. I'm a novice outboard buyer and wouldn't no what to look or listen for, so are there any tips or suggestions you could offer,
OR, should I just skip the idea of a low priced motor and save my pennies for something that is newer (like Carlos's Tanaka)? At one of our local ponds where I sail a "cooler" board boat (styrofoam LOL), I met someone with a sweet little 2 HP forward only Evinrude that he got a a yard sale for about $100.

Thanks for any feedback you can offer.
hightide

[dsheer]

I have long shaft engines, a MinnKota 36lb and a Honda 2. I'm not sure the long shaft is necessary on the DS1, but I've never tried a short shaft on the boat. I am reasonably sure that a motor mount would work. It would also get the motor further aft of the mainsheets, but the weight would be undesirably further aft as well. I do have a problem with the mainsheet catching on the motor housing on both motors.

The Minkota has less than half the push of the 2, and the 2 seems to be sufficient for Chesapeake Bay tides. I'm sure a good storm would be a challenge, but I think the 2 is big enough.

A new 4hp is about $1K, maybe more. An '83 is old, and a two cycle, the new ones are 4 stroke, cleaner and no oil mix. Reliability of a 25 year old 2 stroke is always suspect. A missing spring may be the difference between starting and not starting in an emergency. Then again, $100 for a working engine ain't bad - if it's really working.

Bottom line, "ya pays yer money and yer takes yer chances matey."

[Roger]

I started with a 5 hp which was too heavy on the transom, keeping the aft end too low in the water and creating draq when sailing. I moved to a 55# thurst electric, which was great for in and out of and around the harbor but would not get me home from the far end of the lake in a storm and seemed to take forever upwind. I maxed out at about 3.3 knots with the electric. I then went with a 2.5 2 cycle that was worth about $100. I say that because that is how much the mechanic put into it before I gave it to him for parts. It still wasn't running. I think it was a 1978 Sears product. I then went to a new 2.5hp 4 stroke with forward and nuetral. It is the right weight, is no problem to spin for reverse, starts and runs reliably and moves me at 5.5 knots. I paid 1k for it, and it was well worth the lack of problems thereafter.

[algonquin]

I use a vintage (1969) Clinton 3.5 on my DS1. Bought from a friend for $35. It is in great condition, very light with self contained fuel supply. Reverse is accomplished by spinning the engine 180 degrees. Pushes my DS with no effort.

Many of the 40s, 50s, and 60s small HP engines were light and durable and remain dependable to this day. Look for them at yard sales and in the classifieds. Usually priced pretty reasonable and will look great on a vintage DS1.