[C320-list] Securing outboard engine and gasoline

[allan.field at comcast.net]

Scott - The Garhauer crane is a much better buy than was the Kato by $200-$300 although the Kato is truly a work of art.  At the time, I could not get Garhauer to return phone calls. Gerry Douglas finally stepped in and I got a call from the Garhauer owner but it was too late - I had already placed the order with Kato.  Patience is not one of my virtues...especially when I feel like I have to beg someone to take my boat bucks!  I have never seen a Garhauer crane but from what I hear of them, they are a good value and well worth looking into.

Allan S. Field
Sea Shadow - #808
Columbia, MD

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Peter Herron <peteherron at adelphia.net> 

> Scott - We also store our outboard on a WM mount on the aft rail. It's 
> been there for 10 years and shows no sign of falling off. We use a 
> Garhauer lift for moving the motor. These lifts are a great buy. The 
> gas tank is a U-shaped tank that mounts to the dinghy transom. When 
> not in use it fits nicely in the anchor well, and the anchor well vent 
> lets vapors go overboard. 
> 
> When back at the dock, I attach a water hose to the motor with 
> "earmuffs" to run fresh water through the engine and to run the fuel 
> out of the motor. It's an old, smoke belching 8 hp two-stroke and the 
> fuel runs out in just a couple of minutes. 
> 
> Pete 
> Dreamtime, #329 
> 
> 
> On Jun 24, 2006, at 10:12 AM, allan.field at comcast.net wrote: 
> 
> > Scott - I'll weigh in on this one from our experience. We have a 
> > Nissan 5 HP, 4-stroke with an external fuel tank. I have had 
> > 2-strokes in the past with internal tanks but would not go back to 
> > them as the fuel left in the tank tends to wax the carb if stored for 
> > a time. Plus the 4-stroke is more environment friendly. 
> > 
> > We keep the motor on the aft stern rail on a motor mount we got from 
> > WM. The motor weighs about 80 pounds. We also had Kato Marine in 
> > Annapolis make us a lifting crane with a 4:1 purchase. With the 
> > crane, moving the engine from rail to digny transom literally is a 
> > one-handed job. The stern rail is no worse the wear for holding the 
> > motor these past 4 years or so. 
> > 
> > Our external tank holds 2.5 gallons of gas. Even after being out for 
> > 18 days (as we are now) and all the other times we use the dingy 
> > during the season, we will not empty the tank. We do add Sta-Bil to 
> > the tank. After each trip, we disconnect the hose from the tank to 
> > the motor at the tank with the motor running so as to exhaust all fuel 
> > both in the hose and in the engine. We found that leaving fuel in the 
> > hose stunk up the boat and leaving fuel in the motor for an extended 
> > period gummed up the carb. What is really surprising is that once the 
> > hose is disconnected from the tank, it takes a good 15-20 minutes for 
> > all the fuel to burn-off. Little wonder we can't use 2.5 gallons of 
> > gas in an entire season. 
> > 
> > The final lesson learned is to keep the fuel tank vent slightly 
> > cracked open even when storing the tank. Otherwise, pressure builds 
> > up in the tank and eventually gas starts to blow past the seals. The 
> > tank directions also recommend doing this but in our case, Field's Law 
> > prevailed - If Field has a 50/50 chance of doing something right or 
> > wrong the first time, 90% of the time Field will do it wrong the first 
> > time... 
> > 
> > We also purchased a Honda 2000 generator. It will not start a 12,000 
> > BTU air conditioner. However, it will run the microwave, outlets and 
> > charger fine. We store ours in the anchor well and have the factory 
> > cover (extra cost) in place. However, we do not carry spare gas cans 
> > on board. If we did, I imagine that I would lash them to a side 
> > stanchion somehow but again, these motors use so little fuel that 
> > carrying spare just is not necessary. 
> > 
> > We did see another Catalina on this trip with the Honda generator. 
> > They removed the seat between the 2 aft lockers and store their 
> > generator in that space. The geneator stuck out maybe 6 inches past 
> > the seat. This may be something we do in the future as since 
> > installing the NavPod for the chartplotter, that seat has become 
> > virtually worthless anyway as we can no longer see forward under the 
> > instrument pod. 
> > 
> > Hope this helps. 
> > 
> > Allan S. Field 
> > Sea Shadow - #808 
> > Columbia, MD 
> > -------------- Original message -------------- 
> > From: Scott Thompson 
> > 
> >> I'm in the market for an outboard for a dinghy and possibly for one of 
> >> the Honda 2000 generators that Orlando is keen on. Questions: Where do 
> >> others secure their outboards when not on the dinghy? Do the Johnson 
> >> or 
> >> Edson mounting brackets work well on the stern rail of a 1999 vintage 
> >> 320? What kind of weight limit are we talking about to use these? 
> >> Also, where do others store a spare gas can on board? 
> >> 
> >> Scott Thompson 
> >> Surprise, 653 
> >> 
> >> 
> > 
> 
>