I'm sure that this has been asked before, but do most people carry a backup motor? I've got a 2.7 seago with a 3.5 tohatsu which is super reliable, but can't help worrying that it could splutter to a stop on a breezy day
If the wind is strong offshore and you're in a tiny 2.7m SIB with a 3.5hp then I'd would not go far from land regardless! Your oars would probably give more effective thrust than an egg whisk of an electric on the back. You'd need a heavy battery as well - all in a heck of a lot of faff and gear in a 9ft boat. Trust to instincts, judgement of weather and good maintenance - most Ribbers with boats twice the size don't bother with an aux.
I'd stick with oars, a VHF, a mobile and a usable anchor.
I tried putting 2 3.5 hp engines on the back of a small sib, like a twin engine plane
It wasn't a success.I reckon the too close props interfered with each other causing cavitation and over speeding and not much better performance than one engine only
I had two engines on my 2.7m Seago. I used it mostly for sea loch, loch and near shore fishing.
Had a detachable piece of wood bolted to transom which carried aux.
It did require lifting the centre engine off of the transom and swapping but it did the job.
Best mod I made tho was the spray hood as a little 2.7m Sib with its small tubes is a very wet boat in a chop
Couple more pics.
I used an old chopping board on the wooden baton as a pad to mount aux.
For packing away I removed the baton by removing the nuts from the bolts
The bolts were sika flexed in with a a locking nut holding them in position - a notch chiseled into the baton to allow flush mounting.
I sold the Sib and bought a larger more capable Honwave T3.8 instead last year.
Just now I use a load of old towels cut into 10 inch strips stitched together like an extra long bandage.
I wrap the 2.5hp aux like a mummy with the sharp edges covered.
I just carry it in the sib now.
Might add a baton like I had in the Seago at some point to allow carrying the aux on the transom.
You'd need a heavy battery as well - all in a heck of a lot of faff and gear in a 9ft boat. Trust to instincts, judgement of weather and good maintenance - most Ribbers with boats twice the size don't bother with an aux.
