What worries me on off-engine powered equipment is the belt tugging
away on the engine to that one side. On Geoff's old boat, you could
see the engine vibrating sideways as the freon pump went over TDC each
cylinder, then releasing as the piston went down slackening the load.
It's GOT to pull the engine mounts and wear them that way. This is
not an issue where the load is mounted directly on the engine and not
pulling against the engine mounts. Engine mounted, however, needs a
little weight and balancing, too. I see too many engines, especially
in outfitted sailboats with limited space, that have too many addons
bolted to ONE SIDE of the engine, unbalancing the weight distribution
on the engine mounts, which again must be bending with that load.

Either way, I'd think it would be hard on shaft alignment, worse after
time, wearing out those shaft bearings and cutlass bearing.



Larry W4CSC

"No, NO, Mr Spock! I said beam me down a WRENCH,
not a WENCH! KIRK OUT!"