Outboards: sailing with the motor down.
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get her up...it really sucks on small boats, you lose rudder feel, drag, etc...
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One of the few advantages of an outboard vs. an inboard is that you can pull it up to improve speed, avoid snagging crab pots, etc. Even in neutral, it does slow you down and makes a little splashing noise.
If I'm around a lot of heavy shipping traffic, fearful of getting caught in irons, or other potential hazards, I'll leave it down. Otherwise I pull it up.
If I'm around a lot of heavy shipping traffic, fearful of getting caught in irons, or other potential hazards, I'll leave it down. Otherwise I pull it up.
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I heard that's a wive's tale. But maybe I'm wrong. Please explain, mechanically, how the damage happens.
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in light air I get it out of the water as soon as possible. in heavy wind I leave it down for 2 reasons. I might need a little push in a hurry and it helps to add a little drag sometimes. I'm not racing but I do like to go fast.
I guess it depends in your circumstances. If you will need it again in a short while and you don't mind the drag, leave it down. Same thing if there is bound to be a need due to weather or whatever. I very much doubt that leaving it down in neutral will damage gears. I had mine mounted in a well for years where I couldn't lift it and had no damage.
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I always raise the outboard when sailing my Oday 23. It does make a difference in speed, but not a ton. I tilt it up; I don't use the springs on the mount to pull it straight up. That's too much work. Aside from the drag issues, I would rather the unit be out of salt water as much as possible.
no one has mentioned it either but the main reason is undue stress on the transom and mount...if you leave it down, especially once your speed goes up.
when in gear under power the mount is designed to pushed on, only briefly in reverse...with the engine down under fresh winds you are talking a lot of effort being exerted on the mount, this will start to bend things, transom included, fasteners, the bolts etc...
you will find your bushings being worn too soon, and the mount becoming floppy etc...
so thats why the tiltup and spring loaded mounts are awesome...snap it up and spring it down when needed....
when in gear under power the mount is designed to pushed on, only briefly in reverse...with the engine down under fresh winds you are talking a lot of effort being exerted on the mount, this will start to bend things, transom included, fasteners, the bolts etc...
you will find your bushings being worn too soon, and the mount becoming floppy etc...
so thats why the tiltup and spring loaded mounts are awesome...snap it up and spring it down when needed....
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I would think dragging the outboard around will slow you down more than a little. It could easily cost you 1kt of boat speed, and on a small boat that could be 25% of your potential!
Sailing with your engine in the water is like sailing with your fenders hanging over the side. It makes you look lazy, incompetent or both!
Sailing with your engine in the water is like sailing with your fenders hanging over the side. It makes you look lazy, incompetent or both!
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We sailed a Coronado 25 in & out of San Francisco Bay for 10 years. It had a well that allowed the lower unit to be tipped up completely out of the water. When in close quarters and/or busy traffic conditions we left it in the water in neutral, which was a lot of the time. I wasn't aware of any stress on the mount as Christian mentioned, as the motor was basically still with no turbulence that I could notice
From a speed standpoint, we couldn't really tell much as it was before GPS & we didn't have a knot meter. In neutral, I don't think the drag was much.
On all the outboards we had the gears ran in oil & there were no clutches or cones, just dogs. About the only wear I could think of was in the seals, which are lubricated by water on the outside & oil on the inside. We never had any wear or other problems in the 10 years we left the motor down.
Paul T
From a speed standpoint, we couldn't really tell much as it was before GPS & we didn't have a knot meter. In neutral, I don't think the drag was much.
On all the outboards we had the gears ran in oil & there were no clutches or cones, just dogs. About the only wear I could think of was in the seals, which are lubricated by water on the outside & oil on the inside. We never had any wear or other problems in the 10 years we left the motor down.
Paul T
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3,136 Posts
Definitely pull the outboard out of the water, it can cost as much as a full knot of speed, at least half a knot in neutral.
Tilt that motor OUT... like this:
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By the way, it makes a great sharp object off the stern if someone wants to duck you too close (hehehe)...
Tilt that motor OUT... like this:
By the way, it makes a great sharp object off the stern if someone wants to duck you too close (hehehe)...
a well is designed for that...a well that allows for tilting up is even better....but does really look bad in my opinion...a mount on the transom of a small boat NO.
I had a boat with a well and the amount of turbulence during sailing was a lot...most guys with an outboard in a well design a flapper of sorts that covers the big gaping hole with lower unit passing through... and lessens the amount of splash, turbulence and noise...
just sayin
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The well in the Coronado was basically a slot in the bottom which went back to an opening in the transom, unlike some I have seen as just a hole in the bottom of the boat. Under sail, there appeared to be very little turbulence created by it, motor up or down. I have seen "plugs" made for some wells to be inserted to make the bottom "flat, instead of a bottom with a hole in it.a well is designed for that...a well that allows for tilting up is even better....but does really look bad in my opinion...a mount on the transom of a small boat NO.
I had a boat with a well and the amount of turbulence during sailing was a lot...most guys with an outboard in a well design a flapper of sorts that covers the big gaping hole with lower unit passing through... and lessens the amount of splash, turbulence and noise...
just sayin
https://www.google.com/search?q=Pic...om%2Findex.php%3Fshowtopic%3D121282;1600;1200
The one in the picture looks like the hole in the transom has been raised to accommodate what looks like a larger than "normal" motor?
This one looks like what I remember of ours:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Pic...om%2Findex.php%3Fshowtopic%3D121282;1600;1200
https://www.google.com/search?q=Pic...F2010%2F08%2F22%2Fsailing-ebb-tide%2F;500;386
Although we always took our fenders in, I was never very concerned about what others thought about our appearance, If they didn't like seeing the motor down, that was their problem.
To the OP's original question, just try it with the motor up & down, check your speed with GPS, check any buffeting or turbulence on the mount, & then do what you want to do.
Paul T
we agree...we are talking about the same things...many guys with standard wells make a slit to tilt up...of course there is less turbulence there, some boats came like that(cal, columbia etc)
mine had a plug...but then whats the use o the well unless you cruise long distances...I didnt take out the engine it was too much if a nuissance for short sails
and then if you do that then why even have a well? use a mount on the transom
the issues Im talking about and what the op is asking is leaving the motor DOWN on a transom mount, AND in gear will add a lot of unde STRESS, flex in the mount and DRAG making the transom weak and flex unless heavily backed up and even then you have the issue if drag and motor "damage"
if you have a mount on a transom that can be tilted up, or even if not at least tilt your engine up to minimize drag.
thats my cents
cheers
mine had a plug...but then whats the use o the well unless you cruise long distances...I didnt take out the engine it was too much if a nuissance for short sails
and then if you do that then why even have a well? use a mount on the transom
the issues Im talking about and what the op is asking is leaving the motor DOWN on a transom mount, AND in gear will add a lot of unde STRESS, flex in the mount and DRAG making the transom weak and flex unless heavily backed up and even then you have the issue if drag and motor "damage"
if you have a mount on a transom that can be tilted up, or even if not at least tilt your engine up to minimize drag.
thats my cents
cheers
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I have no experience with a transom bracket other than to watch many boats with them trying to beat back from Alcatraz with their props out of the water about half the time, & the engines screaming their guts out (before rev limiters). I can imagine with all the leverages involved that the stress on the transom could be considerable. Some brackets look to be more complex than others. No question that pulling or tipping up the motor is best.
Paul T
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45 Posts
Yep, I tilt mine out of the water when sailing.
The lower unit is oil lubricated so it would not cause any damage from it turning as the boat moved, just cause drag. I agree it reduces boat speed by at least a knot.
I have an 8 hp Sailmaster that weighs about 60 lbs, if I could easily remove and stow it while sailing I would.
The lower unit is oil lubricated so it would not cause any damage from it turning as the boat moved, just cause drag. I agree it reduces boat speed by at least a knot.
I have an 8 hp Sailmaster that weighs about 60 lbs, if I could easily remove and stow it while sailing I would.
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