Hi All
I'm re-building the cockpit area on my 30' cat and I'm looking for a simple solution to mounting the outboard. Currently the boat is stern heavy so I want to mount the outboard (a Yamaha 4 stroke 9.9Hp) further forward in the center pod area. It needs to tilt up to clear the water but was wondering if anyone had a fabulous idea for mounting it. Currently it's on a fixed mount and just tilt up but still catches the water a fair bit. I've been trying to think up all sorts of ways with tracks and pulleys but simple would be better. Diagrams would help me too.
Thanks
Jethrow
Hi Jethrow,
what clearance have you got under the bridgedeck?
I have same arrangement with 9.9Yam on fixed pod.
With manual tilt, I have had sufficient clearance.Pain in the butt to get to the tilt leevr though.
any pics of current setup?
that makes it a little clearer.
My pod is fixed, but I think I may have a little more underdeck clearance than you have.Not sure if this photo is clear enough, but you may be able to zoom in.
Your other option would be to just have your pod or sled pivot on the front edge. You tilt the outboard as normal, then raise the back of the skid just with a pulley block to give more clearance. If you go this way though, the top of your outboard will probably be raised above the tramp or deck level, depending how high you want to try and get it out of the water.
My other boat (tri) had this, but it the pivoting skid was only supported on one side, and when I upgraded the outboard to the heavier Yam 9.9, I ended up glassing it in at a fixed height to make it more secure. On your Cat you would not have this problem since you can locate both sides of the rear of the skid.
Some stainless tube, fibreglass and a bit of imagination and you'd be good to go.
I've got two set up asymmetrically one in the centre, which is more forward is less prone to cavitaton, and i made it steerable and tilts up. The other is on the starboard side and i made a vertical sliding set up from aluminium and nylon
I can still tractor style steer and can crab sideways using the centre one which is really good for outboard cats as there is no prop walk
This is slightly off topic. My yacht tender is a 14 foot windrush which I normally row or use a centrally mounted Tohatsu 3.5. The trouble with centrally mounted outboards on cats is the propeller is often in the wrong place hydrodynamic wise. I first tried a large cavitaion plate which improved things but now have a Korts nozzle. The Korts nozzle is made from a section of plastic wire drum cut to length and several layups of epoxy and some carbon fibre for strength. This transforms the performance of the outboard. More thrust and greatly improved steering. Does not answer your problem but it does enable the outboard to be mounted higher up. I would be inclined to use a similar unit to what trailer sailors use.
