Just curious to see if anyone has made their own motor mount and how they did it.

I have a very small 1.5/2hp motor that I would like to mount on the 5.2 for days when the weather is calm but expected to pick up a little. I hate to hang around the dock when I could be on the water. It would be nice to be able to motor out and catch the wind back in...or vice versa. I have also gone out many times in light air and have the wind die down completely and then take forever to return. Not all days are great days! I certainly do not want any type of permanent mount.

The motor only weighs about 20 lbs. and I thought I could lash it to the front beam when not in use. When I am out cruising the lake, the additional weight is not an issue. I thought about making some sort of plug/mount to insert into the end of the rear beam and have the motor to the outside of the hull..??? (shape a 2/4 to fit into the end of the beam and hang the motor off the end...too simple?) I don't believe the monstrous torque of the 1.5/2hp will hurt anything.

Might very well be a stupid idea, but when it is too cold to sail, ones mind does think of strange things!

"I thought about making some sort of plug/mount to insert into the end of the rear beam and have the motor to the outside of the hull..??? (shape a 2/4 to fit into the end of the beam and hang the motor off the end...too simple?)"

What happens when the wind picks up and the motor is on the leeward hull? No hull flying allowed…LOL…gurgle…gurgle…

I made an aluminum mount for my Prindle 18. The details are here on Thebeachcats.com site.

Jack Hoying
Fort Loramie, Ohio

But seriously…how about getting a couple of the inner beam castings (the half moon ones you bolt thru when attaching your beams to the hulls) put them inside the forward beam half way between the hull and the mast. Make up your motor mount with the shape of half the beam cut away, and use machine screws to thread right into the beam and the casting inside the beam. It would be strong, look very professional if done properly and would not be to intrusive when the motor is not used…this is assuming you are not using a spinnaker to get hung up it.

Just a thought…

Bob

Bob, If I am having to use the motor, I have no wind and the sails would be down. The wind does not pick up that quickly in my area.

Jack, I saw your mount and was impressed with your engineering!

TD

Lots of people have made home-made motor mounts. Even Rick made one for one of our boats. It was real simple, just about a 40-inch length of 1"x6" teak with a built-up place in the back to screw the 2-hp motor to. It was designed to be tied down to the center tramp lacing and to the aft beam. We never used it because we couldn't get the motor to work. (Internal combustion engines belong to the same union as bilge pumps -- none of them work when you most need them.)

I am told that we have an outboard motor mount available through our on-line store, but it is not listed there yet. You have to e-mail rick@catsailor.com and ask about it.

However, I think it is a lot more fun, and cheaper, to figure out how to make one yourself.

I actually have a large aluminum 'fork' that I made for my 5.2 for a small outboard. It's aluminum, 1.5" square stock, expertly welded (not by me!) to form an offset fork and worked well. The arm of the fork goes up to the front beam and it branches out to two legs just before reaching the rear beam. It then 90 degrees upward to attach a piece of plywood for the motor mount behind the tiller. Weighs about 5 lbs. It has holes through the tubing right at each beam is a snap to tie to the rear beam and around the mast base. Since I sold my 5.2 I haven't had the heart to throw it away. It's your's for a very minimal $$...email me. I'll see if I can post a picture tonight.

Cat sailors "DO'NT NEED NO STINKIN' MOTORS (OR MOTOR MOUNTS)!"