Searider Refit

Texel Tom · 26 June 2007, 08:29

Just refitting a 1991 Searider and have a couple of questions:-

1. Would like the reassurance of an auxillary engine but wondered about stowage/mounting position. Space is limited, has anyone fitted an aux motor to a Searider and if so how?

2. Otherwise I am trying to keep the boat as original as possible and it was fitted with back to back bucket seats. The back two are missing - any ideas on where I could find replacements.

Any help would be appreciated.

MustRib · 26 June 2007, 18:21

Hello Tom..
I am not exactly refitting, but modifying a similar boat myself at the moment.
The original seating had already gone from my boat and been replaced with someones wooden bench interpretation of it.

I was wondering how to mount an auxiliary myself, even thinking about making some sort of cradle for it and laying it on the floor in the bow.

it would look a little weird perched high on the A frame!

What size Aux did you have in mind?

Andy

Texel Tom · 26 June 2007, 19:48

Hi Andy

I got a good deal on a Honda 2.3. I don't know if it will be man enough but I only need something for emergencies and also for some shallow close in manoevering, we have some interesting sea caves locally which are worth exploring. Because of this I would like it to be ready for use and am thinking of a bracket fitted to the transom. I am just a bit unsure about making this sort of permanent fixture to an otherwise original boat.

Tom.

MustRib · 26 June 2007, 21:49

hmm... to be honest, if its close in...sea caves... what about some paddles?
If you put "SR4" into the search facility on here you can turn up quite a few threads and I have seen a few posts with pictures on the very same subject.
the last concensus seemed to be fitting an aux bracket offset to one side was the best way.
Where I launch from, I'm not sure a 2.5hp aux would fight a searider back into the Tyne against the tide. I would have suggested a 4hp as a minimum, and even then it would be very slow progress.
I'm not quite sure myself about what I'm going to do on the same subject.
I would like to have an aux as I do like to go off and explore a bit, so may well
look for the smallest 5hp unit I can find and prefab a cradle for it to live up front in the bow, or in a locker/seat combo at the very back if I can squeeze it in.

Nos4r2 · 26 June 2007, 23:05

Actually a 2hp will get you up to about 3-4mph which is about the displacement hull speed of an sr4 and if you get the old type Johnson/Evinrude 2hp with a single transom screw it fits on the transom (just) without a bracket.

I did have a 4hp on mine as an aux once but when I changed engines there wasn't room for it. It did push it better but not appreciably faster than the 2hp did.As long as it gets you ashore then it's served its purpose.
I doubt a 5hp would make any difference-once you hit the displacement hull speed you aren't going to go any faster unless you've got enough power to get on the plane.

Nos4r2 · 26 June 2007, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by MustRib

so may well
look for the smallest 5hp unit I can find and prefab a cradle for it to live up front in the bow, or in a locker/seat combo at the very back if I can squeeze it in.

If you put an auxiliary anywhere in an sr4 it needs to be on the transom or on a bracket on the transom.
If you put an aux inside on brackets or in lockers etc it'll get drenched and be useless if you stuff-and that's the time you're most likely to need it. It's very easy to fill an sr4 til water is coming over the transom.