Where do you stow your dinghy engine

hypersloth said:

My bracket is located under the stairs leading to the flybridge. It's kind of a dead space on most sedan type boats.

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HS, does that interfere with your stbd aft door opening?

My early model, 1977 34 LRC seems to have a steeper ladder than later models which leaves me less space between the ladder and the door/wall. I think an external transom mount is in my future to avoid having to lift the motor over the aft rail. (no transom door on my boat.)

I think there is theory and there is common sense. A small outboard that is run from an external tank and run dry after use is not going to have any fuel in it. Even our big 90 hp Yamaha, when run dry, has nothing in the three carburetor bowls when I remove the drain screws to make sure before putting the Arima away for the winter.

So while an outboard that does have some fuel in it would pose a hazard if stored in an engine room or any other enclosed space where sparks might be present in a pump motor or something, if the outboard doesn't have any fuel in it and has been wiped down to remove any fuel from the exterior-- which I would imagine would evaporate within minutes anyway--- to my way of thinking it's an inert object and poses no danger.

We are fortunate enough to have the Weaver setup with the articulating motor mount. Our outboard runs on propane and stays on the bracket full time. We use as sunbrella cover when not in use.

Our dingy and motor are on our swim grid via a SeaWise system......

On the dinghy carried on Kato transom davits. the Monk has a bracket welded to the mast which works well too but I prefer to leave on the dinghy no pic now maybe in a few days.
When I had a Camano as shown below on the ladder to the FB.

My engine is electric and weighs about 13 lbs. It fits neatly in the salon under the bench on the starboard side, alongside the group 24 battery that powers it.

FlyWright said:

I'd never store cans of gasoline in the bilge of my diesel boat. My 2-stroke engine, which runs from an external tank, is run dry (with the tank disconnected) before being hoisted aboard, wiped down and stored in the ER. There is absolutely zero chance of ignition without any gasoline in the engine.

Like PSN suggests, let's get realistic here! You can light a match all around my outboard after wipedown (maybe even before) and never cause an ignition. There's no way at all it can cause a problem in the ER.

I knew someone would jump on the issue here. When did you last try to get a water bottle past the TSA 'guards' to bring onboard? They won't allow that either. Of course they won't allow a gas combustion engine, or diesel for that matter, onboard. You can't even bring compressed air like a CO2 canister for a PFD on a plane.

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Al, despite your engine being run dry, just curious as to how do you ensure there are no gasoline vapors in the carb and the fuel lines? Gasoline vapors have a tendency to lurk for a long time.

When I was considering purchasing a gasoline powered outboard, I called the CG station in Rio Vista and asked about the proper protocol for storing the engine in the bilge. They said it is technically acceptable if it is run dry, as you do for your outboard. However, they emphasized it is the least desirable storage option -- as there have been documented instances of fuel from the outboard posing an ignition risk in the bilge because it was either not fully drained (despite being run dry) or inadvertently spilled into the cowling during the fuel line disconnect and had dripped into the bilge. While unlikely or even next to impossible for the right conditions to be there to incite an explosion, it's enough to push me toward exploring alternatives. Just my two cents...

If you plan to store your outboard in your bilge...take the proper precautions...if the carb bowl doesn't run dry drain it...if there is spillage in the cowl...air it out, if in the line to the tiny filter (which shouldn't have any if run dry just purge it.

This isn't really all that hard or dangerous. Even the fuel from the line attachment to the carb bowl isn't but a few ounces and by the time it runs down the side of your storage area and evaporates...keep your blowers running a few minutes.

I'll bet on most of the boas here...I can find as much explosive/flammable substances stored below decks with free drainage to the bilge.

While being careful is smart...then go though your boat and get out all the aerosol cans with flammable on them including any pam in the galley, after shave lotions, etc..etc...all of it can be a hazard if you look for gremlins under every hatch or locker cover.

My dink will be stowed on Weaver snap davits, 4.5 HP motor in the cockpit.

Storing the separate gas tank presents a conundrum. I have 55 gallons of gasoline stored in the bilge already, may not have room for another 3 gallons.

On the dingy. on the upper deck.

Scott,
I always run my dink engine carb dry and store it in the hold. That's a 3' X 4' X 10' storage compartment under the salon floor in my Willard. It's as far down in the boat as you'll get w a small OB. Never smell gasoline. Not a concern. Actually the 2hp Yamaha 2 stroke has a fuel tank and it's not dry. The cap on top has a vent that shuts tight and of course there's a shutoff valve on the fuel line between the carb and tank.

I started doing this after carrying the Yamaha in the car many times and not ever smelling gas or seeing ant leaks.

SCOTTIEDAVIS,
Your wake looks just like Willy's.

Steve said:

On the dinghy carried on Kato transom davits. the Monk has a bracket welded to the mast which works well too but I prefer to leave on the dinghy no pic now maybe in a few days.
When I had a Camano as shown below on the ladder to the FB.

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What about the saloon door hitting the motor? Or leaving the door open.

OMG...could it go nuclear if the door hits it!!!!!

Maybe the bilge IS safer!!!!!

psneeld said:

OMG...could it go nuclear if the door hits it!!!!!

Maybe the bilge IS safer!!!!!

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Yea, right.

That is just like my boat and putting the motor there keeps one from opening the door all the way so it can latch. There's nothing dangerous about it, but you might have to hold the door open with a bungee cord.

I considered this and other places in the cockpit but every place in the cockpit was in the way of something. It's a small boat with a small cockpit. My best solution was to carry it up the ladder and store it on the rail as shown in my photo above. The PO had the same solution.

The door opens 90 degrees, and more, without hitting the motor. To leave the door open I used, as you said, a bungee cord letting it rest against the motor. no problems. In my opinion this was the least obtrusive way to store it.

Steve said:

The door opens 90 degrees, and more, without hitting the motor. To leave the door open I used, as you said, a bungee cord letting it rest against the motor. no problems. In my opinion this was the least obtrusive way to store it.

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That would work.

On the dink. Both ride nicely on the swim platform, no davits needed.

ronlord said:

On the dink. Both ride nicely on the swim platform, no davits needed.

View attachment 32140

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What do you do if you have to back into a slip or need to get on and off the boat via the swim platform?

rwidman said:

What do you do if you have to back into a slip or need to get on and off the boat via the swim platform?

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Dump it in the water. Has never been a problem yet.

ronlord said:

Dump it in the water. Has never been a problem yet.

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Unless we side tie we almost always back into a slip. When towing the dinghy I just move it to the bow , tie it off, and drag it into the slp with us. Then usually tie it tucked in under the bow. Not a problem. Some people think it looks strange a boat backing down a fairway dragging a dinghy. Works for me.

Moonstruck said:

Unless we side tie we almost always back into a slip. When towing the dinghy I just move it to the bow , tie it off, and drag it into the slp with us. ........

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That's fine if you make it on the first try. What if you don't and have to start over?

rwidman said:

That's fine if you make it on the first try. What if you don't and have to start over?

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Don is a first try kind of guy.

I heard that one tea-spoon of gas was equal to one stick of dynamite if it were to explode. Just Sayin !!!

SCOTTEDAVIS said:

Don is a first try kind of guy.

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Scott, it just wouldn't be proper for me to comment on that.

We keep ours on the transom of the dinghy which rides on the swim platform via trick davits. It's a big dinghy (11' Caribe) with a heavy 4 stroke (20 hp Suzuki) so it is not easy to manhandle around.

I stored the motor in the lazarette clamped to a stringer for a while, then decided that wasn't the safest option as the genset and its battery are in there as well. Plus, it was a struggle for even me and my two teen sons to get in and out of there. It was nice in that it was out of sight when we left the boat though.

For long open water crossings I've been running a line with a 3x jam block on it from the aft rail of the flybridge down to the motor handle. It takes a lot of pressure off of the davits/swim platform and the dinghy sits there really secure.

Only bad thing is backing into slips. I can't see the dinghy from the FB, so I rely on my crew to tell me how close I am. Well, that and the braille method. It's taking me a while to get them to actually say "two feet from the piling" instead of "you're getting close!"

Usually if you tie a rubber ducky up pretty tight...it just goes along for the ride and really doesn't change any handling characteristics unless it a big one. so aborted attempts or whatever...it just nudges alongside along for the ride.

It's the situation where inflatables really earn their keep.

Just don't try to get up on plane with it strapped under the bow....