motoring with outboard

[gargrag]

Hi community,

My E25+ has an outboard, that has no tiller (installed by PO) and it has a remote control unit.

PO told me he used to reach down, and steer the engine using his hand while steering with the tiller.
I'm not a super expert sailor, I have like 2 y of experience and some ASA certs.

I find this method really unsafe, as I need to keep looking down, and also the tiller can kick to the side if I'm backing.
so I attached a line with a quick release to make the engine sit straight, and steer with the tiller.

problem is that, with that configuration, I need some speed for the rudder to be effective. So in close quarters, it can get complicated due to the trade-off between speed and safety.

I would love to hear your stories, and how you have dealt with this

 

[Christian Williams]

My guess is that there's a tiller available for your outboard. I had one that folded, and I used it for close maneuvering on my 25-footer with the same design of bracket.

As you know, inboards have no choice but to get going to make the rudder work at all. The compensation for that is to maneuver the boat by hand at the dock, in order to start in the direction desired.

 

[bigd14]

With the engine mounted down that far you would need a tiller and a tiller extension to make it work. I had a similar arrangement on a Ranger 22 and it was problematic especially when backing. On my E27 with outboard the motor would only turn to port which was useful for backing but maneuverability was limited as you have found. But it did lock in place in the center position which allowed steering by boat tiller only. See if yours can lock. If you do get a tiller for the motor you could try lashing the boat tiller in place which would then allow steering with the motor only. The severely limited low speed maneuverability was one of the reasons I moved to an inboard (I deal with sideways currents and wind at my slip).

 

[gabriel]

The PO used the remote in cockpit + tiller? or reached over transom and steered the outboard that way + tiller??

 

[klb67pgh]

I have an E25 with a transom hung rudder and outboard on a bracket to port, so a bit different set up than you. I use a line from a stern cleat across and around the tiller and cleated to the opposite stern cleat to keep the tiller centered but still allows me to move the tiller. This is especially helpful when backing out of the slip and keeps the tiller from kicking to the side as you mentioned will happen. I will reach over and use the handle on the front of the outboard to turn the motor if I need to swing the stern around in reverse or turn the bow in forward much more substantially than I could do so with just the rudder. I tend to get the boat moving in reverse out of the slip by hand as well, and often don't need much in the way of reverse before I need forward momentum to head out of the marina. Occasionally due to wind, I will continue in reverse out of the slip and turn and out past the main dock before shifting in to forward. My outboard has a tiller with throttle and I do use it to turn the motor sometimes, but I often have it pointed more vertical and just move the motor and then use the tiller for the throttle.

I would think that if you need to turn in close quarters (backing out of slip) and you are able to do so and you need the motor turned (the rudder isn't enough), you might turn the outboard before doing anything else, so you are set up for the turn. With my set up, I can have the motor turned to some direction, and give opposite rudder, and the end result (without wind) is more or less a straight reverse, then I can bring the rudder around and I'm now using the rudder and motor to turn the stern. You'll need to experiment. With controls in the cockpit, I would think you should try to do as much turning as you can with just the rudder and leaving the motor position straight.

 

[gargrag]

With the engine mounted down that far you would need a tiller and a tiller extension to make it work. I had a similar arrangement on a Ranger 22 and it was problematic especially when backing. On my E27 with outboard the motor would only turn to port which was useful for backing but maneuverability was limited as you have found. But it did lock in place in the center position which allowed steering by boat tiller only. See if yours can lock. If you do get a tiller for the motor you could try lashing the boat tiller in place which would then allow steering with the motor only. The severely limited low speed maneuverability was one of the reasons I moved to an inboard (I deal with sideways currents and wind at my slip).

The PO used the remote in cockpit + tiller? or reached over transom and steered the outboard that way + tiller??

The remote is for throttle and gear, not remote steering. and yes, I guess PO liked to bump my dear E25 against the docks he used his hand to flip the engine

 

[G Kiba]

The remote is for throttle and gear, not remote steering. and yes, I guess PO liked to bump my dear E25 against the docks he used his hand to flip the engine

Know that you are skill building and that maneuvering (especially backing) is not easy with an outboard if you cannot steer both the boat and motor together. Know that if/when you move up to a boat with an inboard motor you will feel like a professional!

 

[Stuphoto]

If you don't mind paying an insane price there are some electric outboard steering systems out there run off a joystick.

However if you are handy you could probably make your own from some Harbor freight odds and ends.
Or Princess Auto here in Canada.

I just took a quick look and you can also get a snow mobile steering rack for around $100 that you could probably adapt into a steering system.
They are compact and would almost hide behind the motor.

 

[gargrag]

Know that you are skill building and that maneuvering (especially backing) is not easy with an outboard if you cannot steer both the boat and motor together. Know that if/when you move up to a boat with an inboard motor you will feel like a professional!

So I learned in colgate boats, you need a person dealing with the engine, or you need to secure the tiller really well, and operate the engine. Then I moved to bigger boats, with inboards, and did all sorts of practice to learn how to deal with propwash, propwalk etc.

And then we bought our beloved frankstein. haha

For some reason, I have way more control motoring in reverse, with the engine set straight and secured, and then steering with the tiller. Hahah, definitely a lot of skill building, My "neighbor" in the marina, has a similar setup, and he backs out really fast to get momentum and tiller control. but I don't know, I prefer slow .

Thanks for sharing!

 

[bigd14]

when you move up to a boat with an inboard motor you will feel like a professional!

Hmmm. Sometimes.

 

[G Kiba]

So I learned in colgate boats, you need a person dealing with the engine, or you need to secure the tiller really well, and operate the engine. Then I moved to bigger boats, with inboards, and did all sorts of practice to learn how to deal with propwash, propwalk etc.

And then we bought our beloved frankstein. haha

For some reason, I have way more control motoring in reverse, with the engine set straight and secured, and then steering with the tiller. Hahah, definitely a lot of skill building, My "neighbor" in the marina, has a similar setup, and he backs out really fast to get momentum and tiller control. but I don't know, I prefer slow .

Thanks for sharing!

A friend taught me what your neighbor is doing (maybe). Get speed enough to have steerage, then get off the throttle and let the inertia work for you. Finding that speed is the trick (wind and current). I prefer slower as well, so finding that sweat spot that works for you is best.

 

[gabriel]

The remote is for throttle and gear, not remote steering. and yes, I guess PO liked to bump my dear E25 against the docks he used his hand to flip the engine

Ok I use this technique with my boat but it’s only necessary when slowly maneuvering into the dock. My boat would dock just fine with only the use of the outboard but if I don’t steer the rudder along with it, the outboard prop would strike rudder when I turn hard to port. You don’t have this problem.

I guess what I’m saying is that when you are docking maybe you can just use the outboard and leave the rudder be that way you can free up a hand?

once I’m off I lash the outboard (set screw won’t hold it unless it’s to tight for steering) and steer normally.

i would also like to comment that on a traditional inboard setup, isn’t there some steering even without movement thru the water since the rudder sitting behind the thrust line deflects some of it to the side when giving throttle?

 

[gargrag]

i would also like to comment that on a traditional inboard setup, isn’t there some steering even without movement thru the water since the rudder sitting behind the thrust line deflects some of it to the side when giving throttle?

I think this is why I have way more control backwards

 

[Christian Williams]

on a traditional inboard setup, isn’t there some steering even without movement thru the water since the rudder sitting behind the thrust line deflects some of it to the side when giving throttle?

A little, but not much until headway is achieved. In reverse, prop walk trumps rudder at first, and needs to be controlled by short throttle bursts and coasting until sternway allows rudder control.

 

[gargrag]

If you don't mind paying an insane price there are some electric outboard steering systems out there run off a joystick.

this would be neat hahaha,

 

[Guzzisailor]

On my E27 (with Tiller) I have a extra long shaft 9.9 Nissan outboard with remote control (Throttle and F/R) mounted on a retractable bracket. The Nissan remote control console is mounted near my legs where the original inboard engine controls were. I leave the outboard in a fixed position (even though it also has a tiller) and I use the engine's remote control with left hand and use the boats tiller with my right hand. I've used this set up successfully for 5 years. I have never used the outboard's tiller to steer. Easy Peasy.

 

[gargrag]

On my E27 (with Tiller) I have a extra long shaft 9.9 Nissan outboard with remote control (Throttle and F/R) mounted on a retractable bracket. The Nissan remote control console is mounted near my legs where the original inboard engine controls were. I leave the outboard in a fixed position (even though it also has a tiller) and I use the engine's remote control with left hand and use the boats tiller with my right hand. I've used this set up successfully for 5 years. I have never used the outboard's tiller to steer. Easy Peasy.

Thanks for sharing this!
I'm considering moving my remote, which is mounted in the transom, into that original position, as yours, also

 

[gargrag]

On my E27 (with Tiller) I have a extra long shaft 9.9 Nissan outboard with remote control (Throttle and F/R) mounted on a retractable bracket. The Nissan remote control console is mounted near my legs where the original inboard engine controls were. I leave the outboard in a fixed position (even though it also has a tiller) and I use the engine's remote control with left hand and use the boats tiller with my right hand. I've used this set up successfully for 5 years. I have never used the outboard's tiller to steer. Easy Peasy.

@Guzzisailor do you have a pic showing where is your engine mounted? mine is not centered, is to port, and I think that's complicating the game too

 

[Loren Beach]

I can verify that the picture in reply 16, is close to the exact suggested position for the (removable) tiller/control handle combo that Yamaha published in their brochure for the Hi Thrust 10 extra long shaft motor that I used on our previous Niagara 26. I could easily reach the tiller control from the helm position, so I did not remove and relocate it with the optional long pair of cables.
Truly Excellent motor !

 

[Gaviate]

Thanks for the pic Guzzi. I also have a 9.9 Nissan but mounted in cutout of transom and am planning to add remote control this season. I was struggling with location as my 27 never had an inboard, and so no clues as to best spot. Maneuvering with separate throttle, shift lever and reversed tiller handle, all at furthest aft point in cockpit has been sometimes challenging, tho always fun. I'm looking forward to "Easy Peasy"