Rb12 motor question

Boats up to 15' for oars, power or sail. Please include the boat type in your question.
jwassdo
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Rb12 motor question

Post by jwassdo »

Jacques,

I built an RB12 a few years ago. It's time to renew and refresh the boat. It's set up with an old Johnson 30 which was fairly light weight but had electric start and remote controls. I know I was over the recommended weight, but I really wanted electric start. Well, of course I've seen the light about keeping it light. I'm carrying too much weight. But if I drop down to a 2-stroke pull start, was the plan to turn around to go faster and slower and change gears? I've never seen a pull start motor that had remote throttle and transmission control. What am I missing?

Thanks,

Jeff

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cape man
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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by cape man »

You can purchase a kit to turn a tiller into remote steering, but it might just be easier to get a smaller battery to save weight. You can start a small outboard with a motorcycle or lawn tractor battery.
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bklake
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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by bklake »

At one point I had an Evinrude/Johnson 15hp remote electric start. It was made that way. It was light enough to bear hug it and lift it on the transom. 85lbs? They are out there, good luck finding one.

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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by jwassdo »

Thank you for the responses.

The steering is no problem, I can rig any motor for steering, I think. It's the throttle and gears. If the motor is pull start then I can ditch the battery which I think is what the plans intended. I just don't understand how that could have been the intended configuration - pull start, no battery, remote throttle - when I've never seen a motor that is pull start but has remote throttle control. Does this animal exist, or do I misunderstand the original plans? I can distribute the weight better by moving the battery forward (it's behind the seats now) but that would mean keeping right next the gas tank. This makes me nervous (should it?)

Thanks,
Jeff

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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by Jaysen »

Many small pull start (my experience is up to 30hp mercury) have remote throttle options. Runs about $400 for the full kit. Look at tohatsu and mercury for the most common and cheapest. Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda in increasing cost order.
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
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jwassdo
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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by jwassdo »

I'm assuming you are referring to a newer motor? I'll take a look, thanks!

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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by Jaysen »

I’ve been looking at 2022 tohatsu for my sailboat. I only need 8hp but I looked at higher hp. I recently helped a neighbor repair a 2014 Merc 30hp on a Carolina skiff. E start capable but no battery in boat. Other newer motors have been Yammy 20 and 15.

At to older 2smoke and 4s, my ‘04 Merc 9.9 has explicit connections for remote control. All the Merc motors I’ve seen have the same connections. There aren’t many 2s around here that aren’t Merc but I see a lot of ooooollllld evanrude and Johnson’s with remote control but folks at the transom pulling like mad at the dock.

My experience is that it’s always been possible. Just not sure how available the kits are.
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by bklake »

Newer 4 stroke 9.9-20hp outboards are not much lighter than your old 2 stroke. 25-30hp 4 stroke motors are in the 170lbs range. Your engine is listed as about 120lbs, about the same as my Suzuki 9.9. You will have to drop down to the 9.9-15hp 2 stroke range to get a lighter engine.

Suzuki is the only manufacturer that will sell a remote engine direct up to 30hp. All the others make you go through a dealer for a remote engine. Mercury smaller outboards are made by Tohatsu up to 60? or so HP. Older Johnson 4 strokes were made by Suzuki. You have to dig deep in the catalog to see if a smaller engine can be converted to remote. At one time, I wanted to buy a Tohatsu or E-Tec and convert it. The kit for the Tohatsu was $300ish dollars. There was no kit for the E-Tec but the dealer went through the parts diagram and added up the needed parts. The total was about $12 on the engine side plus a $30 steering arm. Then you need a shifter and a bunch of other stuff. The tiller handle connected to the engine via standard cables. Take the handle and its cables off, run longer remote cables, cap off a few things and done. The E-Tec 25 weighed as much or more as any 4 stroke. No weight savings there.

I never looked into Yamaha or Honda. They seem to be big in the sailboat market. There may be more remote options available there.

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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by TomW1 »

Yamahas new 25 HP 4 strokes weigh 127lbs for a 15" shaft length and 147lbs for a 20" shaft length, both can be had in remote steering and controls. The 30 HP is over 200lbs not one for the RB12.

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jwassdo
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Re: Rb12 motor question

Post by jwassdo »

Thanks, all of you! I think it's going to be hard to save any weight. Now I remember why I went with what I did... Even 20lbs more that far back is probably enough to negate the loss of the battery weight. Not worth the trouble of switching. What's the consensus of putting the battery next to the fuel tank? Bad idea??

Thanks,
Jeff

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