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Outboard engine

bluewarrior567
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bluewarrior567 Explorer

bluewarrior567

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Can anyone tell me what size outboard engine I will need for a 40ft narrowboat. I know I'll need an extra long shaft but not sure whether a 10hp, 15hp or 20hp is best. boat.gif It will need to power the boat on the rivers. Thanks

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Paul's Nulife4-2 Influencer

Paul's Nulife4-2

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Hi ya,

what Make / Model / Size / Weight is the NB in question,

I have seen many a NB style boat with Outboards used for propulsion.

Has yours ever had an onboard Engine, if so what HP was that ?.

To give a guide, I have used a 15HP Outboard on my current boat,That pushed it along quite happily, once it got moving. Stopping wasn't so good, but it would have got me out of trouble if ever I had to use it. (I've got a 41 x 11 Widebeam with a V Hull, of approximately 13T weight).

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u4msmq5boatc9nh/IMAG0218.jpg

You can see the Bracket I used on the Stern.

 

This is it in the Down position, ready for use.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/buchen18rjx5okj/IMAG0309.jpg

Edited by Paul's Nulife4-2
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bluewarrior567 Explorer

bluewarrior567

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Hi

Its 40ft x 6ft and it was a burnt out shell when I got it so don't know make and model but its always had an outboard. Fitted it out with oak so very heavy, I would say about 14T approx. Its all steel with wooden coach roof on cratch.

Need to know what make of engine people recommend. I have been told Honda is best.

Thanks for all replies

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Guest

Guest

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I would be looking for something in the 25-30hp range not for the forward power but for the stopping power!! Its going to be working hard to stop that size steel boat

I think the stopping will be the issue.

A tiny outboard can shove a big boat; a geezer by us shifted a widebeam for miles with a little Seagull, but he couldn't stop it anyway as the Seagull had no reverse gear :)

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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I think the stopping will be the issue.

A tiny outboard can shove a big boat; a geezer by us shifted a widebeam for miles with a little Seagull, but he couldn't stop it anyway as the Seagull had no reverse gear smile.png

 

Indeed our 6hp Mariner pushes our boat along quite nicely but it takes a lot of stopping wacko.png

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Neil2 Veteran

Neil2

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It's not an ideal way to go but if there's no alternative get the biggest one you can...

 

Just bear in mind how you are going to remove the thing for servicing, given that a 20hp motor is about the heaviest o/b that can be lifted/carried manually.

 

Honda would be my preference, the 15 and 20 hp versions are the same engine, so the same weight. The 20 has higher output but only at maximum revs and you won't do maximum revs on this boat so I'd go for the 15.

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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Hi

Its 40ft x 6ft and it was a burnt out shell when I got it so don't know make and model but its always had an outboard. Fitted it out with oak so very heavy, I would say about 14T approx. Its all steel with wooden coach roof on cratch.

Need to know what make of engine people recommend. I have been told Honda is best.

Thanks for all replies

 

That seems a lot for a 40' boat. How deep in the water is it?

 

Easiest way to find out is to try and hook the end of a tape measure under the bottom, I'd do that half way along the boat

 

Richard

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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I have a friend who used to move a 72ft steel butty with a 25hp outboard mounted on a big bracket. Pushing it along on a canal was fine, but stopping it required some skill.

 

Any size outboard will push any size boat on a canal, but for rivers I'd be looking for more power.


You could always use more than one outboard, of course!

 

Sea-Vee-390.640px.jpg

 

1200hp seems a tad excessive. That thing must fly!

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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You do need to confirm a few aspects of your 'new' engine :

 

Model

Year of Manufacture

Has it had the 'fuel mixture upgrade' ?

 

Models from 1931 to 1976 are all 10:1 mix

Models from 1967 to 1977. could be either 10:1 or 25:1 (if they have had the modification)

 

All engines manufactured from January 1978 are designed to operate on a 25:1 petrol/oil ratio.

Engines manufactured since 1967*** can satisfactorily use this ratio, providing the following modifications are made:

  • FORTY FEATHERWEIGHT and FORTY PLUS MODELS - F & FP series fitted with the Seagull - Villiers carburetor. The No. 3 taper needle at present fitted should be replaced with a No. 2 needle (Part No. V654/2)... taper needle adjustment setting is standard... please see Service Sheet No. 7
  • FORTY FEATHERWEIGHT and FORTY PLUS MODELS - GF & GFP series fitted with the Seagull - Bing carburetor. No modification required.
  • SILVER CENTURY and SILVER CENTURY PLUS MODELS - WS & WSP series fitted with the Seagull - Amal carburetor. The No. 45 power jet should be replaced with the slightly smaller No. 40 jet (Part No. S7/062/40).
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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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Just don't mix it in those quantities unless you're going to use it all within a few months. It's better to buy fresh petrol as required rather than store stale fuel.

 

They are not the most economical of outboards using between 0.97 and 2 litres per hour (depending on how hard they are working) the 5Hp model averages 1.65 litres per hour.

 

Fuel doesnt have time to get 'stale' as 10 litres only lasts a couple of days at best.

 

They are cheap to buy but very expensive to run when you take into account both petrol & 2T oil.

 

Around £10 per litre for the oil (castrol)

Around £1.35 litre for the petrol

 

£23.50 for 10 hours running if using the baby Seagull a 1 litre per hour, or £2.35/hour.

If using the bigger models at 2 litres per hour (or working it hard) then the cost is £4.70/hour.

 

Makes a Narrowboat inboard at (say) 1.5 litres per hour @ £0.90 per litre seem remarkable value.

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