Well Mounted Outboard

[davidpm]

I would like to know all the advantages and disadvantages of bracket mounted vs. well mounted outboards.

Well Advantage over Outboard

• Prop More likely to be in the water in a seaway.
• Less likely to be stolen
• Less likely to be damaged backing up
• May be easier to reach

Well Disadvantage over Outboard

• Takes up locker space
• Harder or impossible to take out of water
• Turbulence around hull hole slows boat down.
• May Smell More

What did I miss or get wrong?

[sailingdog]

Disadvantages over a transom mounted outboard:

Engine may not work as well due to less air flow.

Boat may not be as maneuverable due to well restricting/preventing outboard from being used to steer.

May be more difficult to reach, depending on the well design.

May be more difficult to start the outboard in a well due to limited space to pull the starter cord.

May suffer from more corrosion related problems, since engines in wells are often not able to be lifted clear of the water—where outboards on some brackets can lift clear of the water.

Possibly greater risk of exhaust getting into boat, depending on well design.

More difficult to remove rope or line from outboard if prop gets wrapped

More drag due to the outboard not being lifted clear of the water.

Advantages:

Engine head is more protected from elements and salt water.

Engine less likely to get swamped

[sailboy21]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Advantages:

Engine head is more protected from elements and salt water.

Engine less likely to get swamped

I would argue both of those. I have owned two boats with transom hung outboards and never got close to swamping them. Reason being you simply can't use them in any sort of sea, so they sit in their up & retracted positions. With a well mounted OB you might be able to use it in bigger seas which could result in the well getting filled up so to speak...

On the protection from the elements... rain is outboard friendly. UV is irrelevant other than for cosmetics on any quality outboard. Plus, I bet transom hung outboards get fresh water rinsed and flushed by their owners a lot more. But that is just a guess.

[Faster]

I think all outboards should be well-mounted..... otherwise they may fall off..

Seriously, though....

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Disadvantages over a transom mounted outboard:

Engine may not work as well due to less air flow.

This is very true.. have seen people needing to run snorkels to the engine cowling to get enough air to run the motor reliably.

Wet, noisy & splashy if it's a cockpit well, if it's a lazarette well you're dealing with the air issue, access, etc.

Aesthetically, though, well mounted wins hands down.. nothing spoils the lines of a pretty little boat like an outboard perched on the transom.

[poopdeckpappy]

Originally Posted by davidpm

I would like to know all the advantages and disadvantages of bracket mounted vs. well mounted outboards.

Well Advantage over Outboard

• Prop More likely to be in the water in a seaway.
• even with a long or Xlong shaft they still come out of the water, depending on conditions
• Less likely to be stolen
• maybe
• Less likely to be damaged backing up
• LOL true
• May be easier to reach
• True and that's could be a biggie

Well Disadvantage over Outboard

• Takes up locker space
• If you have a well, the space is already lost, also depending on transom, most likely worthless space anyhow
• Harder or impossible to take out of water
• Not at all
• Turbulence around hull hole slows boat down.
• not noticable, and only a 1 knot loss with motor in place under sail
• May Smell More
• True unless you get one the exhaust thru the hub, then not so much

What did I miss or get wrong?

_________________

[poopdeckpappy]

The boat I had, the OB set in the well in such a way that the head and it's controls were easy to access. steering was done by the tiller, so there was no need to move the head, just the pull start, forward and reverse, choke and throttle was all you ever needed to touch.

Mine was easy to lift out, but I knew some people perfered motor lifts

When we first got the boat the PO had a transom mount and it was a PITA to operate it, so I cleaned up and redid the well.............big difference in the two mountings

[merc2dogs]

My portager had a transom mount, and while it worked nicely, unless you were on the port side with the motor it was awkward to maneuver. Pulling up to a dock to starboard was a real pain.
The Ariel has a well, and it's positioned in such a way that the motor controls can be easily reached from either side, so it's no problem docking at all.
I don't think the space could be considered as wasted, the well gives you a place to store fuel and a battery with the motor while keeping it out of the cabin or anywhere that the fumes could get into living space.

Also keeps the weight of the motor closer to the center of the boat, not hung way out where it has a lot of leverage.

The only drawbacks I really see is the steering, you can't crank the motor off to the side to push the stern around, and you are often limited in physical size, especially when considering a 4 stroke.

And as stated earlier, it's also more attractive to see a nice clean transom, and less attractive to thieves, simply because there's more work to get them out.

Ken.

[Lostmt]

I will not own another boat that has transon mount outboard. It will be stolen. Mine was last Sunday night. Not even a new motor. 1982 Johnson 7.5 hp 2 stroke.

[sailingdog]

Did you have a lock on it??

Originally Posted by Lostmt

I will not own another boat that has transon mount outboard. It will be stolen. Mine was last Sunday night. Not even a new motor. 1982 Johnson 7.5 hp 2 stroke.

[Lostmt]

Bolt cutters A lock only keeps the honest man honest.