manual propulsion

[Hirilonde]

I guess I should learn to write better.....I meant length of paddle.

Aha!  Well, I learned the ideal length for a paddle is from the ground up to your chin.  Mine is about 5 inches short of my chin, which is 52½".

 

Hmmm, I have a clamp on sculling lock some where, gonna have to try that Robert.  Thole pins are a cool idea, they could be removed.  But using them will destroy the finish on my decks and a block to mount them in is my problem with rowlocks in general.  Now if you have a design for an easily removable and installable one that leaves the deck looking good when stowed away I am interested.  Someone mentioned carbon tubing for break apart oars in another thread.  I may yet have oars.

 

I look forward to your first schematics for the electric paddle Paul.  ;-)

[Ken_Potts]

   I think a paddle is a good thing.  Oars are too much of a commitment.  When you put them into the locks it's too much like you're ready to travel long distances but that what sails and motors are for.

   A paddle just isn't comfortable enough to use for any length of time on a sailboat but it's really good for getting to and from the boat ramp when the wind isn't cooperating.  You'll never be tempted to paddle "just a couple of miles" the way you would be with oars.

   I went for over a year with just a paddle on Southbound and I sailed pretty often.

[Action Tiger]

Okay.

I'm at a bent shaft paddle with a euro style blade, with a little pitch carved into the blade.

I'm thinking direct drive, motor and batteries stuffed into the birds mouth shaft, which can be larger than normal, because you're only holding it.

The motor controls could be in the handle. Or maybe a twist grip on top of the shaft?

I may actually sketch something up.

Or, you could just bolt a weedless trolling motor prop on a weed whacker... Long tail anyone?

And, seriously, perhaps the tholes could be supported by sub deck backing blocks, which would still require, at least, a hole in your beautiful decks. I'm never shy about molesting my boats, but they don't usually look like they came from Fabergé.

I'm still leaning toward scull, especially if you make a two part carbon ferrulled scull.

[PAR]

I'm working on a setup I've had in my head for a few years. A trolling motor that can be deployed and retracted, from a cockpit seat locker, all in one motion. To complicate matters, also tied to the rudder, for vectored steering. The idea is using just the motor and shaft, removing the control head and placing this on the underside of the tiller, with an umbilical to the seat locker/motor compartment. A quadrant arm on the rudder shaft, with a cable to the motor shaft's similar arm. The motor and its shaft are attached to a bifolding arm on a perpendicular base pivot. This allows the motor to "fold" up into the compartment, yet extend aft enough to clear the back of the boat. A single quick release pin locks it about 12" below the LWL. 

 

The idea is to have a regular seat locker, open the lid, pull up the motor and swing it aft over the stern and down into position, all in one movement. No parts to hook up, adjust or fiddle with. The only hook up is the electrical connection from the motor to the bulkhead connection, which could stay in place if necessary. Control is at the tiller, so you're where you need to be during operation. When at your sailing area, you pull the pin, fold the rig up and forward to the locker and close the lid. I stole this idea from a bow mount trolling motor rig I saw and am just making it backwards and with more reach. Because the control head isn't attached, folding it into a locker is relatively simple, once I work out the geometry. The hard part has been enough leverage with the small quadrant arm on the motor shaft.

[Action Tiger]

PAR, I've seen those. We have TONS of bass boats around here. Well, really just glass johnboats with 300 horse outboards, but a little sparkle paint will make a guy pay through the nose, because then it's a BASS boat.

Meanwhile, we're both jigging the same humps, but I use a paddle, an anchor, and a cheap punt we built. And, I only fish one rod...

I have been really close to those fancy motors you're talking about. Some of those guys whoosh up at about 70, drop the trolling motor out of it's cave, and proceed to do intricate maneuvers using a foot control. Pretty cool. Then, into the cave, and gone!

I've never seen a spotted bass take one of those big boats on a sleigh ride, though.

I'm pretty sure I saw a pic on the internet where someone had put the trolling motor head IN the rudder blade. Lots of drag, but if you got a tiny feathering prop...

[PAR]

I do have a rig that uses a trolling motor on the rudder blade, but it's retractable, just using the rudderhead to align it in the down position. It's the same setup, with the powerhead mounted under the tiller and a pivot on the rudder head that lets the motor rotate up and down. When not in use, it's rotated up and locked in this position. Bolger designed a box boat with a trolling motor built into the blade. I'm sure it sacrificed a knot of boat speed for this convenience.

 

The bass boat bow mounts don't steer remotely, from what I've seen, the foot pedal just controls forward, reverse and speed. I want the motor to be slaved to the helm, so it will be effective at slow speed maneuverability. Nothing worse than to need more way on, just to get the boat to turn under rudder alone or even worse, backing up in tight quarters. Having vectored powered steering is so far superior, that nothing else is reasonable. My needs for power are light, with the sailing area just a few hundred yards from the dock. I can sail out on some days, but most often I'm pinned against the dock with the prevailing, so need to power out to get some sea room to hoist, without banging into something.

 

 

The old version, which is fine on a sloop, but fouls mizzen sheets.

 

[Chick Ludwig]

One correction, the bow mount lifting trolling motors are steered by the foot peddle.  

[PAR]

Cool Chuck, I've never seen one, but it seems an easy enough thing to work out. All I've seen are the ones the guys kick with their foot to change direction, while the pedal is power.