Woods Skoota 32DM

[fallguy1000]

FG1k,

Where are your outboards relative to hull centerline? Just had an “experience” at the marina with motor well mounted outboards that are “inside” the hulls (between cockpit and inner edge of hull). The mounting killed maneuvering and requires a big upgrade to HP. I think yours are transom mounted.

They are in each hull centerline on the transom. The boat will turn on a dime with one engine forward and the other in reverse. They are 12' 6" apart on center.

[Jaysen]

Sweet. That’s what I thought. As I watched the struggle this morning I was asking “what is different” and it was just the motor placement. I chatted with the owner and he commented that the placement killed handling and he was upping a few motor sizes once he made St Augustine.

[jonnymac]

Sweet. That’s what I thought. As I watched the struggle this morning I was asking “what is different” and it was just the motor placement. I chatted with the owner and he commented that the placement killed handling and he was upping a few motor sizes once he made St Augustine.

is there no way to move them more outboard, seems crazy to me to spend lots of money on hp, when the solution is obvious.

[Jaysen]

In this case he’s stuck. The transoms are not flat. Would need cut. The fuel tanks are center cockpit and under. No real way to run fuel back. Relo the tank would require moving head and bunk.

Just a bad design for areas with current.

[jonnymac]

In this case he’s stuck. The transoms are not flat. Would need cut. The fuel tanks are center cockpit and under. No real way to run fuel back. Relo the tank would require moving head and bunk.

Just a bad design for areas with current.

gotcha, sounds like a bad design regardless of your local conditions. I wonder if design was setup for inboards or something and someone did a halfass outboard redesign.

[Jaysen]

It’s a small sailing cat that was inland use only. They realized the issue once they hit the icw they realized the problem.

[jonnymac]

It’s a small sailing cat that was inland use only. They realized the issue once they hit the icw they realized the problem.

ok, that’s making a lot more sense. I assumed power cat.

[fallguy1000]

In this case he’s stuck. The transoms are not flat. Would need cut. The fuel tanks are center cockpit and under. No real way to run fuel back. Relo the tank would require moving head and bunk.

Just a bad design for areas with current.

Transoms on sailing vessels should NOT be flat.

One thing that can fix the issue is a thruster in a bow, but so $$$ and then chancy.

The tanks location is irrelevant because fuel lines can go anywhere.

Another idea would be a custom built mount that drops the engine(s) when not sailing.

Another thing is to check the trim tab to make sure the boat tracks each direction. This requires flat water, little current. The boat should track straight and each rudder direction should turn the boat the same. If the boat doesn't track straight or equal each direction, the trim tab can be adjusted and this can help stop a fail in one direction.

[Jaysen]

Transoms on sailing vessels should NOT be flat.

I’m hoping we have two different meaning die “flat” as a lot of sailboats have flat transoms.

What I’m calling “flat” is the primary transom surface is relative to a single plane and is not compound curved like in a canoe stern or double ender. On this cat with the bad motor placement, right act hull was a double ended with “junk” internally all the way to the end.

I just wanted to make sure you wouldn’t wind up in the same problem handling wise. Glad RW has the motors in the better spot.

[fallguy1000]

Well, a lot of stuff on the to do lists now.

But also cold here. Too cold for most paint and epoxy work.

So, I have three work lists.

Outside
inside the boat
Inside the shop which I call the boat barn

And everytime I go anywhere I see stuff not on the list, but winter gives me more time to work on the boat.

30F, windchill 20F