Wing Engine

[healhustler]

Sometimes I think it would be better if I just towed a back up boat with me.
dan

Yeah, in fact, Janice brought that up not so long ago in the case of Man-a-Tee, a Krogen 36 that tows it's own tow boat, a big inflatable with big ole bull-bars on the front and I think a 40 HP outboard, which through a special stern-mounted hitch, will push the Manatee at 4 knots and has it's own auto-pilot. It would definitely limit one to towing the dinghy underway, but it would do (and has done) the job. He does have a super-heavy mast and cradle setup for putting the dinghy aboard when docking at a marina. I suppose this design was boiled down from many happenings during the boat's 23 loops and 4 down-Island round trips.

 

[sunchaser]

So how old was your Coolant pump and why did it fail? With an old single engine vessel replacing things that rotate is a good thing to do wing engine or not.

Now if you had twins -----

 

[ranger58sb]

The diesel outboard with it's own day tank makes an independent system that isn't subject to main engine, electrical, fuel, or drive-line failures. Above a knot or so, the boats rudder becomes responsive and there's no need to steer the outboard, Above two knots, maybe even the auto-pilot could be engaged. If the rudder has also been damaged, there again, one has an alternative way to steer the boat. In a pinch, docking from the veranda or cockpit with hand control on the outboard might be challenging, but hardly impossible. Frankly, I don't like the idea of an outboard hanging on a stern bracket. I just can't think of anything more practical or easy to do/undo. I already have two starting batteries, a fuel supply from the main tanks, a day tank space, and a solar charger all within 6 ft. of my stern.

Larry, I'm with you an auxiliary motor hanging on the swim platform does not seem practical to me. It might be functional, but not practical. I also don't have a lot of room unless I go into my engine room and start rearranging.
Hoping we would get someone that has actually gone through an installation of a wing engine and/or the PTO take-off.

Since diesel outboards don't grow on trees around here...

I wonder if the newer Lehr 15-hp (for example) propane outboards might be viable instead, at least for those who already might have boatloads of propane on board.

Permanently mounted? That'd probably drive me crazy. Mount-able in a pinch -- perhaps with a block from an onboard mast and boom if one exists -- might be bearable, although less convenient if the main engine's failure happens and the back-up must be put in place in an uncomfortable sea state.

Still, just throwing out an idea...

Perhaps it'd be easier, though, to just lash the dink into a stable and consistent pushing position, use it's outboard to get enough way on, steer from the big boat... or else tow.

-Chris

 

[twistedtree]

I think for anything short of serious off-shore cruising, I wouldn't bother with a wing engine. Just get good tow insurance, stock up with lots of spares, and go for it.

 

[healhustler]

If one is a decent mechanic and is reasonably confident that, in time, one could fix what is needed to get underway again, one might be looking more for a "get control" option than a "get home" option. Neither would be cheap or very practical, and outside of the instantaneous response of an electric hookup with it's own props, if one is in a dangerous drift in a high-traffic river current, under a bridge, or maybe shooting a rocky inlet, there's probably no other option out there that one would be able to engage quickly enough to save the boat anyway, including dropping anchor. There's a difference between a controlled grounding, for example, and bouncing of some bridge pillars or coral reefs (and who knows what after that). I'll take the breakdown in the middle of the Gulf Stream anytime to a loss of control in an inlet. If I planned my weather well, at least out there, I can throw in a sea anchor and run down a list of what-to-do options....maybe even get help from another boat you're traveling with.

 

[kingfish]

Interesting: Then the wingengine is a seperate power system to cruise on and help in docking etc. Great idea. How close to centerline is it mounted. Also, what about the drag of the prop??

Kingfish

 

[Bay Pelican]

Interesting: Then the wingengine is a seperate power system to cruise on and help in docking etc. Great idea. How close to centerline is it mounted. Also, what about the drag of the prop??

Kingfish

Kingfish,
I don't know to whom you addressed these questions, but on Bay Pelican, a Krogen 42, the wing engine is off on the starboard side with its shaft perhaps three feet from the shaft of the main engine. (I am 4,000 miles away.) The Yanmar 27 hp was selected for several reasons including that its rotation was the opposite of the Lehman 135. Thus the Lehman backs to starboard and the Yanmar to port. A Max prop was selected on a one inch shaft so that the self pitching feature of the Max prop would reduce drag. The self-pitching feature works particularly well in reverse. Because of the off center Yanmar and the Max prop, Bay Pelican, using the Yanmar, backs to port much better than it backs to starboard using the Lehman.

An added feature of the Yanmar is that being a sailboat engine it accepts a large alternator so that it can be used to charge the batteries if the genset is down.

 

[rpeterson]

Sunchaser, original pump. She is a 1997 Kadey Krogen. So the pump gave good service. In this case I just had the alternator rebuilt, and the mechanic tighted down the belts (2) REAL tight which made the pump bearings finally go out.
I am going through this excercise because we plan to go down the coast to Mexico next year so I need to decide to take a lot of parts or refit with a wing of some kind. Kadey Krogen dealer say that a ABT.TRAC will drive my boat up to 4 kts using the generator. That may seem like the way to go.

 

[twistedtree]

Our wing is like Bay Pelican's - about 3 feet off center to starboard. The prop is a Gori folding prop for minimal drag. It will push the boat about 5 kts.

 

[marcoh]

I would consider installing an electric motor to match the generator and use this to drive the prop shaft. If I was building a new boat I would look closely at this ZF gearbox which is designed for a main diesel and a small supplementary electric motor. http://www.zf.com/media/media/docum...ystems_1/20_MAR_HYBRID_Technology_2011-01.pdf

 

[sunchaser]

Sunchaser, original pump. She is a 1997 Kadey Krogen. So the pump gave good service. In this case I just had the alternator rebuilt, and the mechanic tighted down the belts (2) REAL tight which made the pump bearings finally go out.
I am going through this excercise because we plan to go down the coast to Mexico next year so I need to decide to take a lot of parts or refit with a wing of some kind. Kadey Krogen dealer say that a ABT.TRAC will drive my boat up to 4 kts using the generator. That may seem like the way to go.

There is no substitute for redoing your hang ons weather going to Mexico or Catalina.

A wing engine is a great idea especially if sized to give you adverse condition handling . I consider the little hydraulic get homes as inadequate as does KK if one looks at what they put on as original equipment.

BTW, I priced out a JD 4045 NA wing engine last year for $40K. This was on a vessel designed for it but never installed. Quote was from vessel builder.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

WESMAR "Get Home" Auxiliary Propulsion Unit