Secondary motors?

A

Alpine-tug

New member
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
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1
Fluid Motion Model
C-288 C
Is any one running with a kicker? If so, whats your mounting solution and can the kicker be mounted in a way that it can power the 29' or be loaded onto the dinghy etc. we are considering either a 9.9hp or a 15hp...
 
Believe it or not. We use the electric outboard motor on the dingy attached to the swim step and can cross current at 2 kn for up to two hours. this allows us to get to an Anchorage and then call for help. consequently I don't have to carry separate fuels. we have a 29. I perform this maneuver just to see what we can get. with current we got up to 5 kn. with that said we were in relatively calm waters. not sure what it would be like in 5 foot waves.
 
Hmm. How is the motor mounted to the swim step? I have a 2.5 hp gas motor for my dinghy. I don't think it could push my R-29. It's an interesting thought, though!!
 
I have a detachable transom from Weaver Industries in Idaho, that goes on the swim platform and a 5 hp Honda. It will push my 27' at 3 knots...not sure how well it would do with a stiff headwind. You can see the det. Transom if you go to Commander Ed's photo page. His is off center to port, mine is centered on the swim platform.

Phil
 
Thanks!
 
Forgot to mention. My 5 hp is a long shaft due to the height of the swim platform above the water.

Phil
 
Another option: you can always hip-tie your dinghy to your tug. No additional motor mount required. You won't move fast, but you will still move. Of course, the assumption there is that you have a motorized dinghy.

Jim
 
There is always the crude but effective 2X4 through bolted to the swim platform and covered with aluminum with aluminum straps to keep it from twisting as my boat came to me. It has since been removed but it worked quite well.

 
daviduphoff":1fovgexu said:
There is always the crude but effective 2X4 through bolted to the swim platform and covered with aluminum with aluminum straps to keep it from twisting as my boat came to me. It has since been removed but it worked quite well.

Click to expand...

Hello David,

What size OB kicker would you rec for the 21EC? I'm sure a 9.8 would work but do you think a 6 hp would be enough?

/david
 
David,

Do you use the extended throttle just to adjust power? It seems to me you could still steer with the regular rudder.
 
David & David-

What my 21 came with was a long shaft 4.5 hp Mercury. It would push the boat around. With two oars I think the speed could have been doubled. The 4.5 horse was not enough to really "move" the boat. I only used it a couple times before removing the mount as the ladder for the swim platform was blocked by the outboard and we like to jump into the Columbia River on hot days. I guess since we all have that crazy Yanmar sitting in the middle of the boat the kicker would mostly be used for emergencies so If you have a 6 hp that would get you where you need to go.

The previous owner of my boat was quite the fisherman. I believe the boat had 14 pole holders on it plus the factory one when I bought it. He used the kicker for trolling around San Diego Bay. I don't think speed was ever a consideration for him.

I never put the extended throttle on the outboard as it came over the rail and across the seat. About half the time we are out with friends and it would have been in the way. The previous owner said he used it just to adjust throttle and used the rudder to steer. My guess it was a little of both as all he did was big loops around the bay according to him. When I used it I used the outboard I kept the rudder centered an steered with the outboard. It worked fine but as I said I was not winning any races. I think my 18 would have outrun the 21with it's huge 7.5 HP Yanmar and I'll be the first to admit that my 18 is very, very, very slow.
 
Has anybody installed an electric outboard motor on the tender of an R29 or 31 RECENTLY? All the posts I see here on Tugnuts are from 2014 or earlier. Maybe technology has changed since then. I would look forward to hearing from you if you have any info to share.
 
I installed a fixed outboard transom just off-center on the stern of my '92 R21. I use a 50 lb thrust Minn-Kota trolling motor as an auxiliary and, for my purpose, it serves me well. Under calm conditions I'm guessing that it pushes the tug along at about 2-2 1/2 knots. The transom is rated for a 15 hp outboard but I would guess that 10 hp would get me up to hull speed - and that would be my choice as an auxiliary for serious cruising. It's a pleasure to periodically shut down the diesel (---although I love the sound of that little 18 hp Yanmar!) and silently slip along. The '92 has the full displacement hull so there's not even any gurgling noise! As an aside, the Minn-Kota makes a terrific stern thruster in the hands of my second mate.
 
Thanks for the info. As I have an R31, I might go for the 55lb thrust Min Kpota, which could act as an emergency engine should the main one fail. It might allow me to crawl slowly into the nearest port.
However that is only the 'Doomsday' scenario and most use of the Riptide would be to power the tender to shore regularly to "water the dog", if you get my drift. Thanks again for the input.
 
.. I installed a 9.9 Yamaha with electric start and power tilt on a custom aluminum swim grid on my R21 Classic .. you can steer the tug reasonably well with the tugs rudder, but you have to have some speed / rpm on the 9.9 .. at trolling speed, the tug wonders around a lot .. I put a second control station just in front of the aft seat for trolling, recessed on an aluminum plate, inside the storage opening below the gunnel .. Rob
 
During our trip to the Broughtons this summer we saw a number of Rangers with outboard motors mounted to the swim deck. The swim deck was cut to allow the motor mounting with lift and interior controls. I believe there were 2 tugs in Port McNeil a 27 and classic 29. Also these were outboards of 25 and 50 horse.
 
... I had my R21 Classic out for a few hours. I wanted to see how the 9.9 Yamaha performed with idle and 3/4 throttle and how effective steering was using the 9.9 at various speeds and then compared with the tug rudder, with the 9.9 tilted. Good positive steering with each at 3/4 throttle. For salt chuck trolling, you could steer from the tug helm, but it's not as positive as being driven by the inboard .. For slower trolling for freshwater lakes, steering with the o/b will work well, but any wind is going to make a lot of correcting necessary . One question that I had was .. the tug prop shaft turns at a pretty good rate when operating the o/b .. is there anything to be aware of with this ? .. and should the sea cock be closed when operating the o/b ? .. I was surprised just how fast the o/b drives the tug .. it's center mounted on a custom swim grid .. TIA Rob
 
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