Storm 17 cutting hole for engine

[Bill Strange]

Storm 17 engine fitting.
I need help please.
I have a new Honda 2.3 outboard that I am trying to fit to my new Storm 17.
So far I have cut a hole to the instructions given by Matt. In order to clear the hull with the first anti-cavitations plate I have also reduced the height of the mounting bulkhead by 1”.  The bulkhead has been fitted with tapered sacrificial pieces so the engine will be just beyond vertical, as recommended. It is difficult to tell if it will be until it is on the water.  I have not yet cut the hole so that the engine locks in an up position.
Before enlarging the hole I would be grateful for any guidance as to how much manoeuvrability of the engine I should expect.
As it is at the moment any turn of the engine has the front part of the anti cavitations plate touching the hull. This is with the mounting level on the bulkhead so the engine is nearly vertical in line with the hull.
1.   Should there be 180’ turn so you can go in reverse? Does the engine need to be tilted sideways and the bulkhead sloped to achieve this
2.   Should the engine be fixed and all steering done with the rudder?

Also any good ideas for filling the hole when not mounting an engine.

I wish you all a happy new year and good and safe sailing in 2010.

Bill Strange

[Julian Swindell]

Hi Bill, and Happy New Year,
I have never done this job, but I have used the Honda engine. I found I needed to use it in "reverse" quite a lot when going into pontoons and jetties, but not much otherwise. It is not the easiest job, spinning it round, flipping the tiller arm over and then remembering which way to twist the throttle. If you are just working off a trailer or a mooring, I would just use the rudder to steer, but if you are going anywhere you want to stop, you might want it to be spinnable. Because the engine is on a centrifugal clutch, it is hard to go at low speed. I wasn't keen on the clutch arrangement, but it did make the engine simple.

[Tony]

I have a dirty great hole in the Four Sisters to accommodate a Yamaha 4hp. Just about do-able for size and weight on what is basically a S19 hull. She wont spin around, in fact it only has enough steering movement to trim for straight running with no hand on the tiller, but she does have a reverse gear which is useful for backing out of trouble, off beaches etc. A brilliant motor - when its running well. So. Not much help to you except to wonder how you can spin the 2.3hp around for reverse without fouling the rudder with the prop and the sides of the engine well with the twist grip.    A better option might be to hoik the rudder up out of the way to give free scope to steer with the outboard....is the shaft long enough to put the prop under the keel? You will need to lock the thing in the raised position to avoid drag when sailing and for clearance at dodgy launch sites.

Good luck.

[Simon Holden]

Dear Bill
I've just been going through the same head scratching exercise as you but I think I may have found a solution.
I'll be sailing mainly around the Norfolk Broads and rivers so I figure being able to reverse in and out of tight spots has got to be a good thing! My understanding is that the engine only provides forward or backward motion and all steering is done with the rudder.
I cut the slot in the hull according to the instructions and the upper horizontal cut is 70mm below the CB line. I also cut 40mm out of the angled bulkhead such that my engine - also a Honda 2.3, sits with the upper anti-cavitation plate just below the bottom corner of the hull cutout - I hope the attached photo comes out OK.
As you can hopefully see however I have raised the engine, turned it round, and dropped it back down facing backwards. The 'back' of the anticavitation plate prevents the shaft from 'locking' down however because of the curvature of the hull. I have worked out that in my boat a further 30mm cut from the angled bulkhead will allow the engine to lock down fully whilst the anti-cavitation plate will still lie above the bottom of the keel. I think this will work.
When you flip the engine over, I found that the handle is quite a tight fit against the side bulkhead, requiring the engine to be shifted 2cm to port along the bulkhead.

I'll admit to being new to outboards - does anyone with more experience think that lowering the upper anti-cavitation plate as I describe will be a problem before I get out the trusty saw?!!

Hope this helps

Simon

[Bill Strange]

Hi Guys   
Thanks for replies.
I am fortunate to be retired so I do not have to make the horrendous journeys in the snow, but it is frustrating not to be able to work on the boat without risking frostbite.
So it is all in the head in the warm!

Most of my experience is with small very manoeuvrable racing dinghies and not with engines except for manning the rescue boats at the Club.

The prop is below the hull and forward of the rudder that is clear to give full steerage. It might be better to lift the rudder and steer with the engine when close manoeuvring.
The problem is the top anti cavitation plate fouling the hull and skeg. The mounting would have to be lowered by a minimum of  2” to clear. Is this right?

Simon, your picture shows that you have exactly the same problem.
(the picture is very large so I copy to a photo album program and view there.)
I have taped the engine to protect the paint while messing about trying the fit.
It looks like you still have to paint. I used car filler to smooth some of the hull. It seems to have worked ok so far. Just a warning. It will take a long while to paint. The worst part of the build for me. Sorry but good luck.

I will let you know of progress but it has to warm up first. We have 4” of snow and even a shower this morning.
Bill