| International Folkboat Tech Tips
Reinforced Outboard Well Grace, Ken Kurlychek |
The previous owner of Grace re-inforced the outboard well in
order to support a heavier motor (Yamaha 8hp). What he did was to sandwich
the orignal glass work with a thin plywood backing plate inside the
well and a thick solid teak board outside the well. The teak rests on
the floor of the lazarette. Both are bolted together. The lower part
of the outboard itself had to be modified to fit through the well. This
consisted of shaving the trim tab slightly. Although the motor does
a great job it is a bit of trouble to pull out and re-insert. Since
I do not race, I leave it in all season. I have no idea how much it
slows me down since I've only sailed with the motor in place. Ideally,
I would like to have a 4hp motor for day sails and use the 8 for long
cruises in the summer when the wind on the Chesapeake disappears.
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