[alberg30] outboard engines

[finnus505 at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/22/00 3:22:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
blancs at altavista.com writes:

<< 
 Disregarding the onomatopoeia of the purists for a minute, if you could 
figure out a way to mount an outboard so that you couldn't see it under sail 
or power, I think it would be a terrific solution... less noisy, less 
intrusive into the living space, easier to work on (at home on a sawhorse - 
sigh) etc.
 
 If you figure it out, I, for one, would love to hear about it.
 
 
 
 On  >>
Hey guys,

Not to pour lower unit oil on all of your plans for upgrading you Alberg 30s 
with an outboard, I too have two cents on the matter. (surprised?)

My beloved Alberg 22 which I have gone on and on and on about for other 
reasons in this list, had an outboard in a well.

The well was a very sturdy construction on the forward floor of the aft 
lazarette. Four walls, for, aft, port and stbd, were very thick constructions 
of what I would guess were a plastic  or woodend mold that was encapsulated 
in many layers of fiberglass.

As I said, this 'box' open at the top and bottom was immensely strong. The 
clamps for the outboard were tightened on the forward face of the box.

The top of thebox was more or less parrallel to the waterlind, so it was the 
bottom of the kbox  That took the angle of the rising counter stern.  When 
the engine was in, all you could see was the bit of the lower unit between 
the bottom of the counter of the boat, and the waterline.

Beccause the top of the box was only  about 8 or 10 inches above the 
waterline, when she heeled over under sail, water would plop over the top of 
the box, and swirl around the entire lazzarette.  An athwaerships waterproof 
bulckhead between the forward end of the lazzarrete kept the compartmant 
water tight in relation to the rest of the boat.
When it was really rough, >20 kts. with a steep chop,ALOT of water swishd 
around in the well, and when we were power sailing, with not that extreme a 
pitcch, the 8 hp yamaha would get nearlyy sunberged. I don't think the engine 
was ever totoly immeressed, but the water was definitely half way up the 
cover for the upper unit. It would all empty out when the stern pitched up, 
and the bow down.

Another thing you should know about outboards in wells, is they need a good 
air source, and a ready course for the exhast overboard.  Our set up was a 
huge lazzarett hatch that had two 3 inch airhorns in it.  But the air horns 
were insufficient. If we tried to motor with the hatch closed, the engine 
would choke and cut out.
 When the engine was on, the lazzarette hatch was opened all the way, with a 
clip on the backstay for just that purpose.  On windless days that we had to 
motor, those exhaust fumes filled the cock[it.  Fortunately, we rarely 
motored that boat.  She was such a beautiful, balanced sailor, that we could 
pull up to dock 'without
cracking an egg' as they say.

I saw an interesting design on a couple of early 60's Seafarer boats, which 
seems to be a morepractical solution..  The engine clamps were mmounted on a 
very strong 'bracket' that is at the forward end of the lazzarete.  The motor 
swung up more than 90 degrees, into the 'lazarette.  When the motor was up, 
two fiberglass door swung up to hide the engine completely!  When the engine 
was down, you could not close the doors, and I could see where that might be 
a problem in rough weather. But then why should you need the engine if there 
is all that wind?  Sophmoric question, of course.  How many times have we all 
power sailed to dodge a squall, keep a meeting date, make a draw bridge in 
time, etc.
I'm sure the vintage aircraft gang among us is already thinking of the 
landing gear doors on the old Mustangs, P51's.  The door is made of two 
parts' ;one that rideson the strut of the landing gear itself, then a second 
door which attaches to the wing, and opens to let the wheel of the landing 
gear go by, and then closes again, to decrease drag.
It shouldn't be too hard to design a similar system for the boat.  You will 
lose most of the space of the lazzarete, of course, but if you don't mind 
that, no problem.  I saw this on a 24 foot seatarer, and a 32, (or 34?)
The larger boat had a 25 hp Johnson in the well, with all remote controls 
seading to the cockpit. Because these doors were so long, the engine got the 
ventilation it needed.

The Pearson Ariel, another alberg design, had a setup very similar to the 
Alberg 22. For the times you wanted to race, or just sail without the engine 
slowing you down, Pearson had made a 'hatch' for the well.  This was a 
fiberglass ;plugg' that fit into the well, and fastened down with wingnuts.  
The bottom of this plug set just even with the gell coat on the bottom of the 
countre, and was even molded with the contours of the ccounter at that point. 
 I made a homemade version for the Alberg 22.  It fit fine, and kept the well 
and lazzarette dry, but the only problem was there no real place to stow the 
engine on the 22!  On the Arial, the extra beam of the boat allowed the 
outboard to go into the aft lazarette.  Very convenient.
Though it may be obvius, I just have to say that if you are planneing to sail 
your boat in protected water where there is always a cove or a place to drop 
an anchor to waitout bad weather, then the outboard propbably will be 
sufficient auxillary power for your purposes.  But, if you think you  may go 
out into the big blue stuff, you should have an inboard that you can depend 
on, and won't get dunked on a pitching stern of a big boat.

Hope this helps,
Lee
Stargazer #255

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get 6 months of FREE* MSN Internet access!
http://click.egroups.com/1/5725/10/_/476031/_/961887314/
------------------------------------------------------------------------


 961887304.0