JJ wrote:
I am new to boating and am trying to add a small 6 hp outboard to my fishing
boat for trolling. Can I simply move my existing 30hp over 6 inches to make
room on the transome ? or is it crutial that this main motor be centered ?

Thanks
John



You should try it, oft the simplest solution does turn out to be the
best & given it will cost you nothing; try it first & see.

Given your main motor is 30Hp I'm guessing the boat isn't too big (no
offense intended) & in smaller boats having the OB offset while not
exactly common is still seen regularly.

Mainly used by the real boaters, like the pro fishermen who use dories
for a living. They're not too concerned with "convention" at the
marinas, just outcomes:-)

The Whaler catamaran brands used to be sold with a single offset OB.

If your OB is tiller steered or wheel with you to one side, this means
you're biasing your weight to one side in the boat anyway, indeed you'll
notice that this means to traverse a straight course you actually need
to have the OB at a slight angle anyway to counteract the weight bias of
you to one side, the engine torque & the prop water wheel effect.

So experienced boaters who want to actually "use" a boat & have it
track easily, or want to stand & do work related things without their
weight upsetting the track too much often move the OB slightly to one
side (the engine must remain vertical, don't just tilt it sideways)

How much depends very much on the weight bias to be counteracted, the
boats beam, size, speed etc. However be a real boatie JJ & experiment
with it you'll be astounded how much extra performance you can get out
of a small boat if the motor can actually be pushing directly forward &
fun you'll have doing it:-)

I read the thread with some real disappointment because
........................... well because as usual parody Harry (the last
one) seems to actually be a boater & actually know about boats unlike
the original Krause who is just a non boating liar, imagine that??? with
the boating experience Krause claims & he's totally unaware of offset
OBs???? Dear dear dear flat on his lying arse yet again:-)

K


& the Krause lie for the day is??........

For years this lying simpleton union organiser has denigrated the
US military in all ways.

He especially denigrates anyone who was in Vietnam because after
all "he" was against that war too.

It doesn't seem to occur to him that it's the same brave people he
denigrates that allow the likes of him to lie & BS their useless way
through life. The very same military that has prevented a repeat of 911
the worst atrocity in history??

Anyway this idiot as usual creates a lie so he can claim to have a
legitimate knowledge, he creates lies about boats he doesn't own, posts
false pics, even a jetski at one stage so he could pollute that NG for a
while.

For me it's his Vietnam lie that is especially offensive to all who
served & risked "their" lives to protect cowardly him & to those that
did much more than just risk their lives. A lowlife lying grub is our
Krause.


It's so much fun keeping pea-sized, right-wing "brains" spinning. You're
being far to analytical here, John. Just to make your day, not only was
I a civilian employee in SE Asia, it was in Vietnam, it was during the
war against Vietnam, I did see some horrific sights and I was working at
the time for a U.S. general. Is that straightforward enough for you,
John, or is your amoeba still chasing your synapse?

--
Email sent to is never read.

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:27:40 +1000, "K. Smith" wrote:

JJ wrote:
I am new to boating and am trying to add a small 6 hp outboard to my fishing
boat for trolling. Can I simply move my existing 30hp over 6 inches to make
room on the transome ? or is it crutial that this main motor be centered ?

Thanks
John



You should try it, oft the simplest solution does turn out to be the
best & given it will cost you nothing; try it first & see.

Given your main motor is 30Hp I'm guessing the boat isn't too big (no
offense intended) & in smaller boats having the OB offset while not
exactly common is still seen regularly.

Mainly used by the real boaters, like the pro fishermen who use dories
for a living. They're not too concerned with "convention" at the
marinas, just outcomes:-)

The Whaler catamaran brands used to be sold with a single offset OB.

If your OB is tiller steered or wheel with you to one side, this means
you're biasing your weight to one side in the boat anyway, indeed you'll
notice that this means to traverse a straight course you actually need
to have the OB at a slight angle anyway to counteract the weight bias of
you to one side, the engine torque & the prop water wheel effect.

So experienced boaters who want to actually "use" a boat & have it
track easily, or want to stand & do work related things without their
weight upsetting the track too much often move the OB slightly to one
side (the engine must remain vertical, don't just tilt it sideways)

How much depends very much on the weight bias to be counteracted, the
boats beam, size, speed etc. However be a real boatie JJ & experiment
with it you'll be astounded how much extra performance you can get out
of a small boat if the motor can actually be pushing directly forward &
fun you'll have doing it:-)

I read the thread with some real disappointment because
.......................... well because as usual parody Harry (the last
one) seems to actually be a boater & actually know about boats unlike
the original Krause who is just a non boating liar, imagine that??? with
the boating experience Krause claims & he's totally unaware of offset
OBs???? Dear dear dear flat on his lying arse yet again:-)

K


& the Krause lie for the day is??........

For years this lying simpleton union organiser has denigrated the
US military in all ways.

He especially denigrates anyone who was in Vietnam because after
all "he" was against that war too.

It doesn't seem to occur to him that it's the same brave people he
denigrates that allow the likes of him to lie & BS their useless way
through life. The very same military that has prevented a repeat of 911
the worst atrocity in history??

Anyway this idiot as usual creates a lie so he can claim to have a
legitimate knowledge, he creates lies about boats he doesn't own, posts
false pics, even a jetski at one stage so he could pollute that NG for a
while.

For me it's his Vietnam lie that is especially offensive to all who
served & risked "their" lives to protect cowardly him & to those that
did much more than just risk their lives. A lowlife lying grub is our
Krause.


It's so much fun keeping pea-sized, right-wing "brains" spinning. You're
being far to analytical here, John. Just to make your day, not only was
I a civilian employee in SE Asia, it was in Vietnam, it was during the
war against Vietnam, I did see some horrific sights and I was working at
the time for a U.S. general. Is that straightforward enough for you,
John, or is your amoeba still chasing your synapse?

--
Email sent to is never read.

One of my big treats in Vietnam was to visit the 'Aussies' at their base in Bien
Hoa, just outside Saigon. They were a great group and always willing to unload a
few beers on us 'Yanks' at their officers' club. They also had a very small Post
Exchange (PX), but it carried the best selection of cameras and lenses to be
found anywhere outside Japan.

I flew once as an observer on a US Air Force plane which was supporting (marking
targets) for an Australian B-57 Canberra bomber. We were marking a very small
(5m X 5m) shack which was a suspected ammunition storage site for the Viet Cong.
The bomber dropped three bombs. The second one landed dead center on that shed,
and the resulting explosion was astounding. Their accuracy was unreal.

Great group of folks, those 'Aussies'. We always loved visiting or working with
them.

Of course, the Canadians are great fun to visit also!
--
John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."

"K. Smith" wrote in message
...
JJ wrote:
I am new to boating and am trying to add a small 6 hp outboard to my
fishing boat for trolling. Can I simply move my existing 30hp over 6
inches to make room on the transome ? or is it crutial that this main
motor be centered ?

Thanks
John

You should try it, oft the simplest solution does turn out to be the best
& given it will cost you nothing; try it first & see.


I tried that once when my outboard was in the shop. I borrowed a 10hp
outboard from a friend and mounted it orver to the right on a rubber pad.
The boat steered screwy. Might be my boat though .Its just a fairly light
flatbottom skiff.

Unless the two motors are of equal horsepower and mounted as twins,
there is no reason why you would move the main motor to anyplace other
than directly on centerline. I can't imagine what a boat would be like
to steer if it is up on plane with the main motor pushing from one side.
I have never seen it done and am not likely to, either.

Ca[t. Jeff

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 04:16:28 -0700, "JJ" (ziemba) wrote:
I am new to boating and am trying to add a small 6 hp outboard to my fishing
boat for trolling. Can I simply move my existing 30hp over 6 inches to make
room on the transome ? or is it crutial that this main motor be centered ?

Depends on the boat and configuration of its bottom, but I would bet
you could get away with it no problem. Especially just six inches.

Many commercial oystermen and shrimpers in my area offset the
outboards on their skiffs. And literally tens of thousands of
auxilliary sailboats mount their outboards on one side or the other.
Point being, it can be done and it's commonly done. Just depends on
your particular boat's bottom.

If you have any sort of strakes and/or keel, I'd give it a try. If it
works,and it probably will, you'll have a boat with less list than
otherwise. One BIG caveat.... make absolutely sure the two props will
always remain clear of each other.

Rick

I am going to try a kicker plate that will hold my small trolling motor to
one side and leave the main motor in the center.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

--
John