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Kicker Mount on Ladder

8K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  Barquito 
#1 ·
My boat (Ericson 25+) has an inboard diesel and I bring along a British Seagull outboard for the dinghy. When and if the diesel ever fails when I am out and I need aux power, I was wondering about having a wooden block roughly the width of my stern boarding ladder (steel, swings down) that has attachment hooks to hang over one of the stainless steps and then mounting the Seagull on that and letting it push us along. Am I crazy (for the concept, not for owning a Seagull). Then I avoid installing a bracket I may never use that looks ugly on my transom. Anybody seen it done?
 
#2 ·
I have a Starwind 27, and I also had a Seagull for a while. I just put a mount on the back until my diesel was working. Now I've got to decide if I'm going to remove the mount and repair the holes or just leave it.

I think ladder design would dictate whether or not this would work. If you have good solid mounts, and it doesn't drag down in the water too far, it might be fine. Then again, I've never seen anyone actually doing it, so there's probably some reason it isn't the standard.

Would probably be hard to have room to start and steer the outboard.
 
#3 ·
Jetexas
Ladder at the hinge points are mounted strongly on wood pads with backers. I agree ladder would add some drag, but I've left it down by error before while sailing and while embarrasing didn't seem to slow me too much. I figure I won't even steer the thing, just get it running and steer boat by the wheel. How well did your seagull move you boat?
 
#4 ·
As long as it's strong enough I think this can work.. you can stow it below until needed so keep it as compact as possible. I wouldn't want to run any great distance that way, or in rough conditions, but it might get you back into the marina if your fuel filter plugs up on you....

A friend has done just that on his H375 to hold a 5 hp kicker but I don't believe he's had to try it in real conditions yet.
 
#8 ·
Maybe use the dinghy, but thinking if I'm thrashing about in Buzzard's Bay using the dinghy it could get dicey. Actually the reason I have a Seagull is I was reading one of Don Street's books and he did not have aux power on his sailboat, but whenever he needed it, he put dinghy with Seagull on the hip of the sailboat and moved his boat. Doing the lines on a hip tow with the bumpers and such if choppy would tempt me to go with getting the temporary mount on the ladder and putting Seagull there, especially since Seagull sits on my rail on does not reside on the dinghy while being towed.
 
#9 ·
Towing with a dinghy doesn't really work that well.. much better to tie the dinghy securely to the quarter and 'push-tow' the boat that way. Use the boat's rudder for steerage.
 
#10 ·
I lashed up a Honda 2 HP on a Catalina 270 swim ladder one dark damp night. After midnight coming into home after a 40 mile passage in the rain the raw water impellor self destructed. Lowered ladder to horizontal with a couple lines because motor clamps wouldn't fit ladder pads otherwise. Throttled up and steered with the wheel, took a looong time to start moving but eventually got the boat up to over 3 kts.
It was dead calm, no wind, no current, wouldn't take much to bring it to a stop.
 
#11 ·
It will work. Use the ladder to support the weight of the engine. Construct a wooden "bracket" that can be clamped to the ladder that will allow the engine clamps to fully attach and will transfer the thrust to he transom.

Test it out before you need it. :)
 
#12 ·
My newly acquired 1981 Ericson 30+ has a Universal 5416 2 cylinder diesel that I'm told runs. But It has no prop. The last owner said his diver pulled it off due to excessive wear and corrosion etc. So before I buy a prop and hire a diver to put it back on, I'm thinking of a backup plan. So... I'm gonna try to mount my Yamaha 9.9 hp 4 stoke, electric start, shifter on the tiller handle, to the swim ladder as before discussed.. It looks rugged enough and should work ok in forward where the ladder is pushing against the transom. Perhaps some reinforcement at those point would be wise too. Reverse however will be interesting. I'm hoping the weight alone (85 lbs.) will keep the prop from flying out of the water. Perhaps some hinged clamps from the swim ladder posts to the transom will solve that problem. Comments?
 
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