Backup outboard motor?

[Tom.Watson]

I am having sudden shutdowns on my Calatina 30, which I expect to figure out. But I have been towed three times this year and I sail with my young daughter, so I was thinking about keeping a 9.9 outboard on a transom mount for backup. I plan to get a dingy, so I'd be hauling an engine on the rail anyway. Anyone, do this? Will a 9.9 give me a knot or two over short distances, meaning into my slip after sailing home? If so, what is best mount?

[Jesse Delanoy]

Tom, it should work out ok. When Catalina first went from the A4 to diesels in the Catalina 30, the first model was an 11 hp Universal diesel. This was discontinued for being underpowered, but obviously it had the ability to move the boat under normal conditions.

I have to say, though, I sure wouldn't want an outboard hanging off the back of my Cat 30.

Jesse Delanoy
s/v Agape (Cat 30 #664)
Baltimore

[Tom.Watson]

Backup motor

Thanks Jesse

Not sure I want one. Frustration is at work. I have had two family trips sunk this summer and crew is set to mutiny. Why do you not want one off the back. Weight. Location. Do you haul a dingy? If so, where do you keep motor?

Tom

[Tom.Watson]

Backup motor

Thanks Jesse

Not sure I want one. Frustration is at work. I have had two family trips sunk this summer and crew is set to mutiny. Why do you not want one off the back. Weight. Location. Do you haul a dingy? If so, where do you keep motor?

Tom

[Jesse Delanoy]

Tom,

My reasons are personal preference. My last boat had an outboard. I hated the way it looked on the back, I hated hauling it up and down, it was hard to work on hanging over the stern. When I got the Catalina 30, I swore I was done with outboards, and I've done lots to get and keep the A4 working properly (up to replacing it with a rebuilt engine two years ago!).

Since we have sister vessels, my experiences may be of some use. I experienced frequent and anomalous shutdowns with my old engine. Never actually got to the bottom of all the issues, but I always had compression and spark, and usually had fuel.

When dropping to idle for docking or anchoring, after running at cruising speed for some period of time, the engine would often falter and die. I suspected various things over the years, including a bad coil, carburetor problems, fuel pump; all of which were eventually replaced. I also think I had a problem with a deteriorating ignition wire, running from the battery terminal on the solenoid to the ammeter in the cockpit, as this problem surfaced early this season.

I now think that the oil pressure was dropping below the level needed to keep the oil pressure safety switch closed - as this happened to me a couple of weeks ago, and I solved the problem by jumping a hotwire to the fuel pump terminal on the switch.

Best of luck.

Jesse Delanoy
s/v Agape
Baltimore

[Jesse Delanoy]

"now think that the oil pressure was dropping below the level needed to keep the oil pressure safety switch closed - as this happened to me a couple of weeks ago, and I solved the problem by jumping a hotwire to the fuel pump terminal on the switch."

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that this was the permanent fix. This got me back into the slip, and I have corrected the oil pressure problem so that it hopefully doesn't recur.

Also, I do carry an outboard for a dinghy that I seldom use. It's a 3.3 hp, I keep mounted on the stern rail. I doubt it would move my boat, even if I had a way to mount it for use.

[superdave474]

I thought I would chime in on the outboard thread. I've recently replaced my A4 with an overhauled one, and for the last year I've had a 4 horse Evinrude outboard attached to my transom. Granted, it looks horrible, and raising and lowering it isn't exactly fun, but I was extremely surprised at how well it pushes my Catalina 27 in calm water, even in a little headwind. The boat isn't as responsive as it would be with the inboard, and reverse is tricky, but as long as you are not trying to motor into a swell (even a small one makes an outboard prop raise out of the water) you should be OK. Go ahead and spend the two bills on the heavy duty bracket from West Marine. I think its a Garelick, retails for about 180.00. Don't get the smaller brackets with the single joint on the bar, its not stable with more than a 4 horse engine.

I've got my A4 up and running now, and plan to leave the outboard bracket on the back of the boat. I mount the outboard to the stern pulpit, so if, heaven forbid, I ever need the outboard, I'm already set up.

[msauntry]

It'll work fine.
I ran around for almost two years with a 3.3hp long shaft on the back of a Triton after I removed the engine. It sometimes stalled out and fouled the plug when it was porpoising in a chop or wake, but generally moved the boat up to 4 knots in flat water, slower if a head wind and chop.

If there was wind, I'd sail. If not, chances are the water was flat enough for this to not be a problem. A 9hp will be more than adequate for your motoring needs and shouldn't stall out if it goes in and out of the water while running.

Sorry your A4 isn't running well. I'd recommend loosing the ammeter, especially on a Catalina. The long wire runs, numerous bulkhead connections, and sometimes heavy charging loads are a recipe for disaster.
Switch to a voltmeter and simplify that wiring.

Good luck.

[marthur]

Just a thought:

If it is just for use when the A-4 fails, why not harness up the dinghy and push the mother-ship home (pushing or lashing alongside worked better than towing)? We have experimented with this on our boat and have actuaully used our dinghy on another boat. It works well when you can't sail.

The advantages are: low cost and no installation (and a speed in the 2-3 knot range with our 4 hp evinrude).

The disadvantage: some one has to sit in the dinghy and run the throttle.

Good luck!

Mike

[windrider1]

Compromise installing an outboard on the back.

Why not install the mount on the transom without the outboard actually being stored on it and have piece of mind that if you have a problem you can easily put and outboard on it. Even a smaller outboard would at least give you forward motion for docking and emergencies. The outboard motor mount could also be used to climb aboard if someone fell over board.

I like my boat to look good, But I'm more about safety and backup plans. especially when my family and children are onboard.

[msauntry]

Sure. It should be pretty easy on a Catalina 30. The 3.3hp I used weighed all of 28 pounds so it was easy to throw it in a locker when it wasn't needed. Pulled double duty as the dinghy engine, too.

Mount it so you can get the prop as deep as you can and as close to centerline as you can. You should see speeds around 4 knots if your bottom is clean and the water is smooth.

[lat 64]

9.9 should be enough

There are lots of ways to jury rig a spare motor for emergencies.
I live where often there can be no options for a tow except to figure it out yourself, so I always leave the dock assuming I will have to get back on my own. It also impresses the crew when you are prepared.
9.9 seems like enough for a get-home motor. You're probably only using 10-15 hp when you are motoring anyway. I attached a horsepower chart that was in a pdf copy of an old A-4 brochure on Torrenson's web site. I bet none of us see 30 hp very often if ever.

[High Hopes]

Here's my 2 cents. I test drove a Catalina 30 with a 9.9 HP outboard last year before I bought my Sabre. It worked very well in the calm waters that day. -S

[sbradbur]

A 4 Shutdowns

The A4 is an INCREDIBLY reliable powerplant. It takes almost anything you can throw at it!!

Couple of hints that I've learned.

Marvel Mystery oil in the gas.

You'l find links in this site to tell you how much.

DO NOT go to your local auto parts store for the "compatible" part ESPECIALLY for the coil which is very prone to just shut down the whole shebang. I've had crew ready to swim too.

And oh yes, you'd be surprised how well an inflatable can push, pull or side tie to a sailboat and get it home safely, so I'd not transom mount IMHO.

[domenic]

Outboard...no,no.

I have a Columbia 28. She has a well for an outboard. Like all A4's I'm having problems, and was thinking about buying an outboard in case my A4 failed.

After much thought...I came to understand my A4 problem was me. I just did not know my engine. I talked to Ted at Moyer's. Ted told me about the A4 repair manual. I have ordered it. My A4 is a 1968. It is a great engine. I could have had someone fix it...but, at sea, I need to do it myself...so I'm learning. My outboard well area is great to store other junk.

Between the help of Moyer's, the manual, and mates on this forum...my A4 will see more years.

Domenic of the yacht GERONIMO.
Martinez CA U.S.A.