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Outboard link (Or: Whipping a dead horse.)

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essen48183
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/11/2009 : 12:16:53

I am pondering and searching for the holy grail of engine links. I would like to be able to hoist sails and set them turn around and kill the motor and grab the back of the motor and lift the motor without doing any additional steps. Due to the narrow opening in the transom... I'd like motor travel to lessen or disengage completely on lifting.

I would like the freedom to raise the rudder mostly out of the water and with raised keel and doused sails, steer around a shallow area like a powerboat using the steering wheel... (part of the reason I selected a sailboat with a swing keel and kickup transom hung rudder.)

I don't want to be leaning way over the back of the boat disconnecting a hard link, at the back of the motor etc. I also don't want to be forced to move my heavy engine aft.

Tomorrow I planned on engineering a "front of the motor" hardlink that would not need to be disconnected. I looked at all the designs of the hardlink and softlink systems and it seems as though the hardlink is possible with 2 oval shaped holes in the wetlocker, that when raised, the narrow space would limit rudder travel unless motor travel was limited severely by design from the start, or unless a disconnect was part of the process. I'm pretty much scrapping that idea after literally hours of staring at it. It is going to require big holes in the boat that won't be easily undone, and it won't be the "holy grail" I'm looking for.

I have a Nissan 9.8 XL shaft... this weekend I did the mod underneath (moved the pin) and added a spring to the catch lever so I can just grab it and pull it up without flipping any levers. So I got that going for me.

I looked at Arlyn's softlink and It seems easy enough to implement, but I'm not fond of the steering system always pulling to one side... which was the main reason I was leaning towards a hardlink. There is still the disconnect lean over deal (which seems easier/safer to disconnect as is it is on the end of the rudder and there is a pushpit rail there.) There are many times where I could see myself just leaving it connected if not for the pull of the system to starboard.

If I could eliminate the starboard pull of the system I'd be happy with that inexpensive system. I'm thinking the softlink, as it stands, is only missing a counter-force from a bungee on the other side (port side) of the rudder, I drew atop Arlyns drawing here to show this. (Obviously the bungee and the 3/16 line would need to be moved up to the ridder pivot point to cancel any feel on the system disconnected.

I plan on implementing this tomorrow and testing Saturday.

Now to the disconnect issue. If there were mounted atop the rudder a sliding ring on a track where the 3/16 line and the portside rudder bungee were permanently attached... disconnecting the rudder would be a matter of sliding the ring forward and engaging it wound be as simple as sliding the ring aft. The disconnected motor would be pulled to port by the 3/16" line and the starboard bungee would tighten, but it wouldn't matter as you'd be pulling it out of the water. (This may only work for a wheel steered boat as the track and the tiller would interfere... although it may be attached to the top of the tiller - I don't know)

Furthermore, it may an easy mod later to connect the movement of the ring to the pivoting of the motor. I.E. raising the motor moves the ring forward, dropping the motor moves the ring aft. This last solution would complete the holy grail outboard link.

Can anyone see any reason this would not work? Can anyone see a way to make the ring move forward and aft automatically according to motor position? Does anyone have a cheap source for such a ring and track? Did this ridiculously long post put anyone asleep?

Essen Davis
Trenton, MI

"Cornbread"
1995 Catalina 250, Water Ballast , Hull #161
http://gallery.me.com/essen#gallery

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 14:06:22

Essen,
My 7th or 8th grade math teacher called it "giving an enema to a dead horse".

I sympathize with your dilemma, I had a perfectly working system until I put my new Tohatsu on a Garelick mount and I haven't found a good substitute yet. Having the engine/rudder linked is crucial for maneuvering in my situation, and my current solution (a handle extension on my OB tiller) is less than satisfactory.

With my previous system, you did have to remove the link to tilt up the engine, but I considered this a minor annoyance. I used 1/2" bronze bushings epoxied onto aluminum "L" brackets which worked pretty well. I could pretty easily sit on the fuel locker, reach down & pull the 1/2 pin & retaining pin, fold the connecting arm against the engine, and re-insert the 1/2" pin to keep it in place there and a third retaining pin kept the arm against the engine. My one complaint was that it was sort of rattlely, but with a 2 stroke, how would you notice?

I have abandoned my efforts to rig something to the front of the engine/rudder, it's beyond my design capabilities. I envisioned some sort of sliding arrangement where the rudder would keep pivoting when the engine attachment hit either side of the transom well. I thought I could attach the whole thing to my autopilot pin making it easy to connect & disconnect, but I've given up that idea as well. My current plan is to rig something down lower on the rudder with SS hose clamps around it and the lower end of the outboard with a connecting arm between them. I want to make an extension pin operator, basically a 2-3' long pipe with an internal cylinder that you can push to depress the locking button on a 1/2" SS pin to engage/disengage the system. You'd be able to reach it from the stern rail and it would take a bit of lining up to get it engaged, but if you do it at your slip or before launching, it shouldn't be a big deal. The trick will be engaging it on the way back in. However, I intentionally leave my engine down in the water while I'm sailing, so this won't be as big of a deal for me.

I realize this doesn't help you with the softlink, but it might give you some other ideas to solve your problem, and maybe your solution will work for me.

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 14:53:35

Essen... something else to throw in your mix.

I found that I never wanted outboard steering at other than low throttle where it of course is a necessity. Thus the reason for no counter bungee because as soon as possible after leaving the docks, I disconnect the link and with it disconnected... the motor tilts with no issues. With a wheel, the bungee force is of no issue... it might be with a tiller but as you now have a wheel, I doubt you find it an issue.

With the first motor that was on my boat, I used the loop of line through the pintle for straight running. The current engine has an easy to use center lock up front.

A beaching rudder in the full or nearly full up position is so much load on the steering system that it should not be done. Much better is to helm completely with outboard steering in such conditions that the rudder must be raised.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 17:50:32

Essen, the lakes and seas are littered with the dashed dreams of those who sought to improve upon the Arlyn Soft Link.

Edited by - on

essen48183
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 18:17:28

You are probably right.

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ed_spengeman
1st Mate

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USA
98 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 21:17:24

Essen:

You discuss adding a spring to your Nissan. I have the Tohatsu version. To raise mine, I have to reach around and push the lever down. To lower the motor, I have to pull the lever up. How did you hook the spring up and what did it accomplish? I can tell you it's a real pain without the spring.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 21:23:14

A bungee cord attached to the lever and then to the angle adjusting bolt works well to automatically engage the lever when you lift the outboard. Folks have also rigged a cord from the lever up to an eye bolt under the starboard catbird seat to release the catch & drop the engine when needed.

Edited by - on

essen48183
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2009 : 07:07:25

Nissan and Tohatsu are the same. This is from the tohatsu manual. There is a pin that needed to be moved on mine to disengage the lock in neutral.

Then there was only that other small lever on the starboard side that had no "preference" I used a spring to pull it toward the front so that when you lift the motor, it falls into the notch that keeps the motor up. You have to push the lever to disengage it now, but it automatically engages.

Edited by - on

essen48183
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2009 : 07:34:52

David is right. The bungee is a better solution. My spring was getting all bent out of shape after only a few tests. Bowline around the center with a bungee up through to the bolt hole near the outboard clamp held in place with an overhand stopper knot is the way to go. Works great and is "smashable".

Edited by - on

txbigfoot
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 05/13/2009 : 14:24:59

can someone put up the link to arlyns soft link??

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2009 : 07:45:33

[url="http://pages.suddenlink.net/arlyn/sailing/sailing.html"]Here[/url] is the link to the whole sailing side of my web site.

[url="http://pages.suddenlink.net/arlyn/sailing/softlink.html"]This [/url] is the link to the Softlink only.

Edited by - on

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2009 : 19:18:51

I did find a steering system that may give Arlyn's system a run for it's money. It is almost as simple and allows for the engine to be lifted up. Basically it is a length of line fed through 2 pulleys on each side of the transom and to the tiller in the cockpit and the rear of the outboard. Basically forming a path the shape of a triangle. No bungee is needed as it becomes a pull / pull system. Nothing stops the engine from being lifted up.

Here is a link to the company that makes it. I talked to the owner about his powertiller and he mentioned this product. It could easily be built from spare parts.

Here is a link to their video page. The video on the top right shows the steering system running although briefly. There is not much detail but one will get the idea. Also the 3rd and fourth video show it in action on the water.

http://www.powertiller.net/demonstration21.htm

What do you think!

Edited by - on

essen48183
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2009 : 11:36:44

Wow, cool! I saw that last year and was trying to figure a way to incorporate that style system with my last boat with an underslung rudder... I ended up leaning over the transom and steering it with my arm.

I must now agree with the proponents of Arlyn's simple system. One bungee and one disconnectable rope is the way to go. I'm putting the disconnect on the motor side. Unclip and raise the motor in the same lean-over and motion. There is enough mechanical advantage to the wheel helm that the single bungee if adjusted correctly pulls the engine when you turn the wheel, but at rest, it does not pull the rudder to port. Sweet and simple design. No need for the second bungee as I had imagined. Probably would for a tiller model though.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2009 : 17:33:55

Ever notice that they always do docking videos when it's dead calm?

Edited by - on

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