Outboard Counter Weight for Typhoon

[Jim1945]

In looking at all the pictures of Tys you can easily see that an outboard hanging on the bracket noticeably pushes the stern down and probably affects sailing and most certainly effects appearance. I have a 4 hp two cycle Mariner that weighs about 53 pounds with some fuel in it. What I'm considering is putting one of these sand tubes which weigh, I think, 60 pounds in the front most compartment to offset the weight of the motor and provide better trim to the boat. I know weight in the ends of a boat is generally not good but for this small amount of weight I wouldn't think it would matter much.

What say the experts? Reasonable? Really stupid?

[Jeff D]

Fifteen years ago I had a CD 22 that came equipped with two lead bricks in the anchor locker. I left them there and never noticed a problem, but that is not saying a lot.

[swhfire21]

I had a 6 Hp Nissan plus two adults on my Ty every weekend and saw high 5 to 6 knots (GPS) on a fairly regular basis under different conditions. I think counterweighting (unless your moving essentials around) will just increase overall weight, thus wetted area and cause more speed loss than you will gain from balancing the boat. Then again, I live in an area where reefing is a common occurrence.

I personally think sail trim (i.e. ,HP produced) is more important than minor fore-aft weight changes under all but the lightest wind conditions. Concentrate on use of topping lift and vang to maintain proper twist in the main (keep it drawing over full height) and you'll get more speed.

Happy sailing

[NateHanson]

I think a bigger problem might be keeping the prop in the water when someone walks up to the pulpit. These small boats are sensitive to moving 180 pounds of rail-meat up to the bow, and you will make that worse by putting a sand or lead counterweight in the foc'sle. I'd leave it be.

[chuck carmichael]

A 2 or 2.3 hp Honda long shaft, at 31lbs is more than adequate to propel a typhoon under power. At 31 lbs, rather than adding ballast to the boat, I remove the motor and the motor mount and store them under the cockpit.

[Jim1945]

A 2 or 2.3 hp Honda long shaft, at 31lbs is more than adequate to propel a typhoon under power. At 31 lbs, rather than adding ballast to the boat, I remove the motor and the motor mount and store them under the cockpit.

Long term I may get a 2.3 hp Honda. Right now I'm going to keep the motor I got with the boat. That's a 4 HP Mariner and weighs 53 pounds with fuel.

[Jim1945]

I think a bigger problem might be keeping the prop in the water when someone walks up to the pulpit. These small boats are sensitive to moving 180 pounds of rail-meat up to the bow, and you will make that worse by putting a sand or lead counterweight in the foc'sle. I'd leave it be.

When I look at pictures of Ty's with motors they do seem to hog a little on the back end with the motor and crew weight. I'm not talking about putting 180 pounds up front. Just an amount equal to the weight of the motor I have. Seems reasonable to me and at around 50 pounds that's the weight of a small child.

[Jim1945]

I had a 6 Hp Nissan plus two adults on my Ty every weekend and saw high 5 to 6 knots (GPS) on a fairly regular basis under different conditions. I think counterweighting (unless your moving essentials around) will just increase overall weight, thus wetted area and cause more speed loss than you will gain from balancing the boat. Then again, I live in an area where reefing is a common occurrence.

I personally think sail trim (i.e. ,HP produced) is more important than minor fore-aft weight changes under all but the lightest wind conditions. Concentrate on use of topping lift and vang to maintain proper twist in the main (keep it drawing over full height) and you'll get more speed.

Happy sailing

It will increase the weight, but 50 pounds isn't that much especially considering I sail single handed 99% of the time.

[svreleaseme]

I say it can't hurt. We all know how moving body weight around on a TY effects trim greatly so a fifty pound bad of sand in just the right place probably will help in this case with just one person on board. But I agree that the real answer would be to get a lighter engine when the time is right. As an aside with the Honda 2hp our Ty appears, with no one on board, to sit on its lines just fine. However I think the engine does make a little difference in performance port tack vs starboard tack
Randy

[ariasis]

Not sure how that will work I know when I go up to the front of my Ty to throw the dock lines off it pulls the prop out of the water. But I only have a 2 hp merc. 2 cycle also so it is really light. Might work for you with your heavier motor let us know how it goes.

[Jim1945]

Not sure how that will work I know when I go up to the front of my Ty to throw the dock lines off it pulls the prop out of the water. But I only have a 2 hp merc. 2 cycle also so it is really light. Might work for you with your heavier motor let us know how it goes.

There is a problem going forward on any boat with the outboard running. I even had this problem with a 24 footer I owned. In my case with the Ty I have a dock that runs along side of the boat and I would release lines from the dock and then step aboard.

[Skeep]

Good discussion. There seems too, to be a bit of an assumption in this conversation that the Typhoon should perhaps sail even better than it does with the motor hanging off the taffrail?

So, I recently purchased a 2.5 Yamaha 4 stroke which has quieted my life and nerves significantly. Doesn't weigh that much I guess, I haven't looked at how much it weighed...hangs on the bracket real well, sort of, wasn't designed to hang on a 40 year old bracket. And, it acts like those described above, coughs a bit when I go forward, and gets happy again when I'm near her. I know how much I weigh however, and so with my 195 pounds I can shift toward the cabin cuddy if it is a question of weight, and I'm heavier than the motor...

Yet as for sailing, the motor for me is inconsequential. It's not a J boat, nor a catamaran, nor shiny either. It's a 40 year old, shall we say "Antique" sailboat, and I usually place near the last in any racing fleet of other more modern vessels....yet my last race I achieved 3rd place! Even received a nice Scotch Glass engraved with the Club's burgee and the 3rd place win...quite an honor. Well, there were only 3 boats in the race you see... She's old and tippy, but just right for my sailing needs.

So I don't worry about a bit of motor weight. After all, unless the shaft were a foot longer, she needs all the help she can get just putting that screw in the water! I leave my motor on all the time. If we're going to go out for a party or a photo shoot, I'll probably remove the bracket and motor for the event!

She's quite a gal that Typhoon...

[Jim1945]

Good discussion. There seems too, to be a bit of an assumption in this conversation that the Typhoon should perhaps sail even better than it does with the motor hanging off the taffrail?

So, I recently purchased a 2.5 Yamaha 4 stroke which has quieted my life and nerves significantly. Doesn't weigh that much I guess, I haven't looked at how much it weighed...hangs on the bracket real well, sort of, wasn't designed to hang on a 40 year old bracket. And, it acts like those described above, coughs a bit when I go forward, and gets happy again when I'm near her. I know how much I weigh however, and so with my 195 pounds I can shift toward the cabin cuddy if it is a question of weight, and I'm heavier than the motor...

Yet as for sailing, the motor for me is inconsequential. It's not a J boat, nor a catamaran, nor shiny either. It's a 40 year old, shall we say "Antique" sailboat, and I usually place near the last in any racing fleet of other more modern vessels....yet my last race I achieved 3rd place! Even received a nice Scotch Glass engraved with the Club's burgee and the 3rd place win...quite an honor. Well, there were only 3 boats in the race you see... She's old and tippy, but just right for my sailing needs.

So I don't worry about a bit of motor weight. After all, unless the shaft were a foot longer, she needs all the help she can get just putting that screw in the water! I leave my motor on all the time. If we're going to go out for a party or a photo shoot, I'll probably remove the bracket and motor for the event!

She's quite a gal that Typhoon...

You must have a short shaft then? Other than the Honda 2.3 air cooled I haven't seen any of the 2.5 HP's that have a long shaft. You have to go to a 3.5 HP to be able to get a long shaft. My 4 HP Mariner has a 20 inch long shaft.

[Skeep]

Well, I prefer to think of it as a normal shaft. It functions quite well. Interestingly, the 2.5hp Yamaha is a strong little bitty. I think technology has done it well. Lots of torque and plenty of speed in that little guy.

[Jim1945]

Well, I prefer to think of it as a normal shaft. It functions quite well. Interestingly, the 2.5hp Yamaha is a strong little bitty. I think technology has done it well. Lots of torque and plenty of speed in that little guy.

Quite right, normal. I have a 2.5 HP Tohatsu with the 15" shaft and it's a real nice motor with lots of power and 28 lbs dry weight. I'll try it out on the Ty but I don't think it will do the job. Ultimately I will probably get the Honda 2.3 air cooled.