Need for an auxiliary engine on a SIB???

[kaman]

When the sea turns rough its always good to have a big engine to push against strong tides and big waves.
I had a Plastimo 3.3 with Johnson 2.5HP for three years prior to acquiring a Honwave 35ae three years ago. This set up never let me down. In rough strong tidal conditions it was slow returning to port, but I doubt I would have wanted to go much faster at times, nevertheless an extra bit of ooomph would not have gone amiss should it be required.
Last summer I foolishly ran out of petrol four hundred yards from port with my tohatsu 20 HP. Unfortunately for me and my old man there was a strong tide receeding out to sea. Coupled with a wind blowing from shore out to sea we were unable to row against the tide/wind for even 400yards.
Once we knew the oars were not working I got out the spare petrol can and began filling/priming the tank/engine. It took afew minutes or so to get the engine up and running. Despite the fact that my old boy was rowing furiously against the elements we drifted quarter of a mile out to sea!
I carry flares and a vhf radio and wear self righting life jackets etc etc.
This outlined to me that a set of oars is not a back up system of propulsion for all conditions.
In many instances the elements will not conspire against so much and you will be able to row ashore to safety without calling mayday!
I have used my 2.5HP Suzuki as the main engine on my Honwave 35ae and it really toiled on one occasion against a strong receeding tide at the Mull of Galloway. This area is renowned for strong tidal surges. Nevertheless it pushed through it and got me to port. Therefore I see thus as the minimum back up that I would be happy going to see with on my SIB.
This highlighted to me the need for an auxiliary engine regardless of how far from shore you are going!
Due to being unable to mount a 20hp and a 2.5hp on the transom of my honwave 35ae i am making a bracket to mount the 2.5hp outside the tube from the transom. It will of course be anchored to the transom and protrude over the tube. Once i have fabricated my auxiliary engine mount I will post pictures.
What are the thoughts on auxiliary SIB engines for sea use on here?????

[Exe treme]

"Last summer I foolishly ran out of petrol four hundred yards from port with my tohatsu 20 HP"

There might be an alternative, simpler solution. Clue above...

[Harrys Game]

Engines do break down and I have been considering this particular scenario for a while. I have a block mounted behind the jockey set which appears to be suited to just this purpose.I am thinking about a good old seagull, little to go wrong and quite powerful for size.Also should the engine breakdown in choppier conditions I like the idea of an engine thats light enough to move around the boat. Regards Jim

[chris.moody]

Originally Posted by kaman

It took afew minutes or so to get the engine up and running. Despite the fact that my old boy was rowing furiously against the elements we drifted quarter of a mile out to sea!
I carry flares and a vhf radio and wear self righting life jackets etc etc.

An anchor would have stopped you drifting. It's one of my favourite bits of safety kit.

Chris

[Festinghouse]

i agree with chris, when my engine decided to imitate a cuttlery tray, it was the anchor that stopped us from drifting straight back into the overfalls which we had just come through.

[kaman]

Originally Posted by chris.moody

An anchor would have stopped you drifting. It's one of my favourite bits of safety kit.

Chris

Cheers Chris
I do carry an anchor, 6ft of heavy chain and 200ft of rope.
In the conditions I described above I didn't fancy dropping anchor with two 6ft 4 inch 18 stone men plus loads of gear aboard.
I thought it better just to let my old man steer the sib with the oars in the chop.
Anchoring at the mercy of sporadically breaking waves I feared that the waves could easily have broke over the low SIB tubes, risking swamping us.
I only ever anchor the SIB when conditions are fair otherwise you get dizzy with the damn thing being battered around with the waves/wind/tide.
Until this point I always thought that the oars would be sufficient to steer me out of harms way......... obviously not in these conditions.
This incident made me aware that all, even the biggest vessels are completely at the mercy of the sea.
In a SIB you are more at her mercy.
I am very safety conscious and take all the safety precautions before going to sea.
This incident has unsettled my confidence going to sea as it was a flat calm sea on leaving in the morning and forecast predicted conditions going from wavelets to slight in the afternoon.
I think tide and wind conspired at this point to make conditions worse than forecast predicted upon my afternoon return to port.
Maybe old age but I am now of the opinion that you can't be careful enough when out at sea.
Conditions do deteriorate suddenly engines do break down.
It is damn near impossible fix a break down in a sib if you are alone being battered about at the mercy of the elements.
I fish near sheer cliff in my SIB a place larger vessels do not dare go.
A mechanical break down on certain conditions would see me up against the ragged rocks and capsized being battered off the cliffs.
I have two well maintained engines one 20hp and the other 2.5hp.
From now on both engines will get accompanying me on my excursions as the surplus engine ain't going to be any use to me in the garage if things go wrong.
I know that others on here use their sibs for other ventures and Auxiliary engines won't be needed by all.
I have made the decision that when going to my usual fishing grounds mentioned above I will be mounting my 2.5hp auxiliary.

[Festinghouse]

well you seem to be able and happy to get the best use out of your sib, and if i was you then i would definately be carrying the spare with me. welcome to ribnet by the way

[bartiny]

Also a sea anchor would have been handy to help against the wind element of your drift, if you get my drift

[Wild_Bill]

Originally Posted by kaman

What are the thoughts on auxiliary SIB engines for sea use on here?????

I think it's a great idea! I recently purchased a saltwater electric trolling motor as a backup to my Honda 20hp. It would absolutely kill my pride in being a self-sufficient guy to make a call for help, so I do whatever I can to prepare for contingencies.

My SIB doesn't have room for two motors on the transom, so I'll keep the trolling motor lashed to the deck until it's needed. I'll pull up the gas motor if something happens to it and put it in the boat and then drop the electric motor in place and go. I've been wanting to get a battery for lights and cell-phone charging anyway.

[Poly]

I'm not convinced that a tiny aux on a boat this size doesn't lead you into a false sense of security.

Close proximity to cliffs with a Lee shore, conditions where it is apparently too choppy to anchor - 2.5hp on an infrequently used engine, that you will have to get in position and started (having probably wasted a minute doing the obvious checks on the main engine) when things go wrong on a small boat it happens quickly.

[Wild_Bill]

Originally Posted by Poly

I'm not convinced that a tiny aux on a boat this size doesn't lead you into a false sense of security.

I certainly hope that nobody thinks they're immune from trouble by having a 2nd engine. What a 2nd motor gives you is options that you wouldn't have otherwise. Here in Puget Sound there is a lot of ship traffic so paddling is a scary prospect to me.

If someone has a 2nd motor, I would hope that they would test it out every couple of trips and make sure that PM is performed, just like they do for their primary. That's one of the reasons that I got an electric backup. Light, cheap, easy to maintain, and easy to test in the shed.

[kaman]

Originally Posted by Poly

I'm not convinced that a tiny aux on a boat this size doesn't lead you into a false sense of security.

Close proximity to cliffs with a Lee shore, conditions where it is apparently too choppy to anchor - 2.5hp on an infrequently used engine, that you will have to get in position and started (having probably wasted a minute doing the obvious checks on the main engine) when things go wrong on a small boat it happens quickly.

I am making a bracket to mount the 2.5hp on the outside of the tube. I have cardboard / wooden template at present and am due to make a metal version in the fab shop. Once completed I will powder coat it and use stainless bolts to mount to the HONWAVE transom. The 2.5hp Suzuki only weighs 30lbs and packs a fair punch for its size. I will test and use the 2.5 whenout also and intend to use it for trolling occasionally, as the 20hp at idle goes a little too fast when trolling. When not in use it will be mounted on a bracket I am due to fabricate. I intend to have it raised out of the water ready to be dropped down into the water when needed. As stated once I have completed the project I will post pictures. I agree that fishing near cliffs isn't the best but that's where the best fishing is to be had. I used to fish from the rocks / cliffs but that presents a whole other set of dangers! Mounting an auxiliary engine will in no way make me complacent or lull me into a false sense of security it will merely give me another option if things go wrong. I will get some pics on here once the project is complete.

[kaman]

Aux bracket as detailed earlier has now been fabricated for my Honwave. Completed it during my night shift last night........ naughty naughty!!!
Just letting the paint harden then I will mount it next week and post pictures. Had minor issue with tohatsu 20hp tiller being impeded by the bracket when on full lock this has been resolved.
Was hoping to get away to Ullswater this weekend but couldn't make it for one reason and another.
I'm hoping the aux bracket is a success. Time will tell I look forward to some feedback next week if I can master how to attach photographs.
Happy sibbing!!!!

[kaman]

Testing to see if I can upload images

[bartiny]

Originally Posted by kaman

Testing to see if I can upload images

Do not give up I for one would like to see the result

[kaman]

Testing testing
Trying with the wife's ipad now as my android tablet is naff.
This is not completed article.
This was early stages of head scratching and pondering
I will post pics of completed job through the week once I get it mounted

[kaman]

Finished bracket Honwave aux engine bracket!
I will get the Honwave into the workshop tomorrow evening and get it mounted along with tohatsu 20 and Suzuki 2.5.
Curved plate on left of picture sits inside boat and will be bolted to transom with m12 stainless bolts.
Square 50mm box section will sit snug on top of tube to support weight of bracket / engine.
Engine to be mounted to plate on left of picture.
Engine elevated to locked up position clear of the water when not in use.
The Honwave has two handles at rear close to where propellor will be when it is tilted up in it's locked position.
I intend to ratchet strap the shaft to theses handles so it does not bounce up and down when I'm on the move.
I intend to clamp bracket onto transom first to make sure I think it is going to work then drill if successful.
Any how's I will post some pics tomorrow hopefully of a successfully mounted aux

[teamplonker]

"Maybe old age but I am now of the opinion that you can't be careful enough when out at sea.
Conditions do deteriorate suddenly engines do break down."

I have read your post with interest as I am looking at getting an aux for my searider.
I think it is an age thing as when your young you just don't see the dangers.
I'm only 43 years young and I get a healthier respect every time I go out to sea.

[kaman]

Originally Posted by teamplonker

"Maybe old age but I am now of the opinion that you can't be careful enough when out at sea.
Conditions do deteriorate suddenly engines do break down."

I have read your post with interest as I am looking at getting an aux for my searider.
I think it is an age thing as when your young you just don't see the dangers.
I'm only 43 years young and I get a healthier respect every time I go out to sea.

Yep I hear you!
I am 5 years your junior and my eyes are opening wider and wider to the dangers of the sea.
I have been sibbing for 7 years now.
I purchased my first Sib to do a spot of fishing in sheltered bays in the south west of Scotland.
I have been getting more adventurous of late and have been going further afield - ten to fifteen miles from port and probably never no more than 3 miles from shore.
Still happy with my Sib but I feel that the natural progression to something bigger is only maybe a few years off now.
I used to assemble the Sib from the car boot and go.
Then came launch wheels.
Then a trailer.
Now I have got rid of the sporty hatch for a 4x4.
With the addition of an aux there is not much scope to further improve the SIB.
Maybe give it 3 to 5 years before I step up to a Rib.
By then the kids will be old enough to come along too.

[Wild_Bill]

Originally Posted by kaman

I intend to ratchet strap the shaft to theses handles so it does not bounce up and down when I'm on the move.

Looks good.

I would recommend that you connect your engines to the transom (with a rope or cable) to prevent accidentally dropping them off the back of the boat while you are swapping them out.