P 19 and 5hp Nissan 4 stroke transport

Eric Zilbert (eezilbert@ucdavis.edu)
Wed, 26 May 1999 14:52:17 -0700


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Curt Westlake and other Potterers:

I took my 1990 in to my local boat store and asked the guys what they
thought of my motor mount and its ability to handle 60 lbs of motor on the
highway. They were no help except to say it was an expensive motor to
have fall off on the road, and the transom mount did'nt look that strong.
Looking on the inside the backing is minimal, only a few large washers. I
decided that the piece of mind one gets by having the motor safely stowed
outweighs the problem of lifting it on and off the mount.

I solved the problem by lashing a 7' 2x4 bunk board covered with carpet to
the rear uprights of the cockpit rails. I mount the Nissan 5hp, 4stroke on
the board with the prop facing the bow. The bottom of the motor rests on
a cushion of rags in a cardboard box on the cockpit floor. When we set
up I get into the cockpit an swing the motor out onto the mount, then
unlash the board and put it in the car. This setup allows me to keep the
fuel tank in the cockpit for transport as well. The box turns out to be a
convenient place to keep the sail ties and misc. other stuff that comes off
the boat during setup.

BTW Jerry B. has a cool motor mount on the front of his trailer for his
motor, my trailer doesnt have space for this, I would have to lengthen the
tongue. There was a discussion about this last winter and as I recall the
consensus was that the factory motor mount was probably not up to the task.
Someone said they had used aluminum plates inside and out to stabilize the
mounting. All in all I like the way I do it. Also, when I go into a
restaurant I know it will be damn hard for someone to take that motor, at
least without a ladder. I could lock it to the rails but haven't yet.

One downside is when I come home I have to swing it out on to the mount to
flush it. Oh well, nothing is perfect! If I know I won't be sailing for
awile or know we are all going away, I store the engine in the garage.
Hope this gives you some food for thought.

Eric Zilbert
Davis "not by the sea" California
P19 #621 "Riptide"