What size for a'get me home' engine?

[rnwright1969]

Many thanks for the sage advice regarding the motor and indeed perils of trying to nail one on the back of a SR5.4.

Following a great deal of head scratching I went down the bracket route so that the A frame with associated lights n stuff could stay in place......so far so good, however there was a 'foul' with the A frame bracket. Using my not considerable DIY skills I manufactured a plastic spacer plate that allowed me to fit the motor bracket tight to the A frame bracket. (Hope the photo comes thru)

Bolting everything together and then dropping on the motor it actually all hung together quite well, with the spare lifted the main motor can go lock to lock without any clashes and with the spare dropped and the bracket fully deployed I can go lock to lock without the tiller snagging the A frame.

So a qualified success I think and a little peace of mind for the worried partners of the 'Duo-divers, three nutters in a RIB trip' (my good lady refers to it as 'Brokeback Mountain in Neoprene', can't think why) which is planned for round Mull in August!

[boristhebold]

Here is a question, for those who have a get me home engine fitted, how often have you had to use one ? Just thinking about how reliable modern outboards are is this still a useful thing to have fitted (hope im not tempting fate saying that). Thoughts ? I guess its the same argument as having two VHF sets, two batteries etc etc.

[rnwright1969]

I 'blow bubbles' most of the time and follow the mantra 'one is none' when it comes to important things, maybe a touch anal and you could argue that your VHF radio or mobile is the back-up?

I've never had an issue with a motor, well apart from my next trip out, but how useful if the main engine does go belly up? To answer my own question one day early last year two RIBS were towed back into Beadnell bay by the RNLI with f..f..failed motors so it does happen! Oh and one was a commercial operator!

The ancillary isn't there for show and I have used (and will) for general pottering about the dive sites just to make sure it works!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

Just thinking about how reliable modern outboards are is this still a useful thing to have fitted

I think it depends on where you are in the world and the conditions you boat in. If a breakdown is a 1 in 15 yr occurrence then for a leisure user in a busy area who goes our in reasonable conditions it might be acceptable; if you are on the west coast of Ireland in a F6 with the fetch all the way to Canada and a lee shore, rather than a tow you might be leaving be helo! I'd always rather have the right ground tackle than an aux though. In most family leisure conditions a tow rope, a VHF, the luxury of time and a wallet full of notes can get you safely ashore!

PS. I have an aux, which lives in the shed because it is unreliable! Giving it some proper TLC is on my to do list...

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

Here is a question, for those who have a get me home engine fitted, how often have you had to use one ? Just thinking about how reliable modern outboards are is this still a useful thing to have fitted (hope im not tempting fate saying that). Thoughts ? I guess its the same argument as having two VHF sets, two batteries etc etc.

i had one for five years on a fast fisher and 6 years on my rib only time i used them was to trial and see what they did performance wise.but i felt better with them there.cost wise its about £100 a year

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by rnwright1969

Many thanks for .................. 'Brokeback Mountain in Neoprene', can't think why) which is planned for round Mull in August!

Don't you find that unbalances the boat?