National City to Shelter Island (sail)
Shelter Island to Oceanside (Power)
Oceanside to Dana Point (sail+motor)
Dana Point to Newport (sail)
Newport to Two Harbors (power + sail)
Two Harbors to Small Harbor (back-side) (motor + sail)
Small Harbor to Avalon (motor)
Avalon to Oceanside (power)
Oceanside to National City (power)
Power = 15 knots
motor = 5 knots
Sail = 3 knots
And wish I would have taken some pics (that turned out) I got some great video of my foot right after I thought I filmed a pod of dolphins in a feeding frenzy.
If you sure there is a potentiometer inside that is set by the throttle cable, then you could easily create the mechanical movement by using a servo, like the ones used for RC-planes, instead of the cable. You could then control the throttle position by modulating the pulse train to the servo. This could be done from multiple positions, by switching the source line to the servo.
Rather than go mechanical I would have thought it easier to provide an electronic control signal direct to where the potentiometer provides control voltage to the engine management computer. Measure the voltage change on the pot when moving the throttle though it's range and then replicate that using a potentiometer mounted wherever you need throttle control. Is the forward and reverse also controlled by the pot on the motor or is it mechanical?
I have to apologize for my inaccuracy, it's a throttle POSITION sensor, not a potentiometer. It actually reads a voltage from Neutral (maximum voltage) to WOT (minimum voltage) which is a calibrated number that's set in the motor. A potentiometer changes resistance and only orthogonally affects voltage (voltage drop as a function of resistance) so calling it a pot is technically inaccurate even if it likely uses a pot.
The transmission shifter is a separate set of cables actuated by the same lever, and the "neutral" lockout is a mechanical function of the lever, not the transmission, motor, or linkage--without the "stop" you can jam the transmission over from forward to reverse at power.
While it's easy enough to build your own custom voltage delivery system as a replacement TPS, I'd have to be certain I knew exactly how the stock TPS works, there's the matter of connectors and reliability, warranty (which I think I'm through) and the fact that bugs in your design show up as motors that either stall or run WOT uncontrollably. And you still don't have a FWD/IDLE/REV cable set, which is mechanical.
I'm a hacker, but I'm not that hacker.
Teleflex/morse makes what are called "Dual Station" controls--essentially the same throttle cable linkage but designed to be run to two locations and there's a linkage system that combines them into a single control for the motor. I'm sure there's an existing system compatible with smaller outboards with the same "throw", its just a matter of finding the right part number and pricing it.
Then the problem of where inside the boat to put it. A mechanical system is going to be large.
So... There is the Teleflex KE-4+ electronic control system. Its a system that controls cable-controlled motors by placing a cable actuator nearby the engine and then has electronic throttles that remotely control the actuator.
A single-engine complete kit is $2800 and then the "add a station" kit is $700. So for $3500 you can have a completely compatible existing remote throttle station that will work with the ETEC, and as an added bonus you can get (mostly) rid of that cable assembly in the middle of the aft berth.
I'm more of a "run outside, set the throttle to 5 knots, steer from inside until I get within 250 yards of something, then run back outside and helm there" kind of a guy.
Well, that price is what it is and money is not the issue except at that price your really stepping up to a new outboard motor. It's not a price that makes sense.
I think the way to go is sort of like you said - just get out of neutral and then run below. Down inside you can set the forward speed with a single cable. Pull the throttle back too far when below decks and she drops into neutral, so run back out to shift back into forward.
I do not think we would ever be using reverse from inside the cabin. (?)
BOAT wrote:Well, that price is what it is and money is not the issue except at that price your really stepping up to a new outboard motor. It's not a price that makes sense.
I think the way to go is sort of like you said - just get out of neutral and then run below. Down inside you can set the forward speed with a single cable. Pull the throttle back too far when below decks and she drops into neutral, so run back out to shift back into forward.
I do not think we would ever be using reverse from inside the cabin. (?)
I can't imagine a situation where I would reverse from inside the cabin. An engine kill switch is actually all you'd need for safety purposes. I also wouldn't pilot from inside the cabin in any kind of close quarters irrespective. Honestly even steerage is probably unnecessary--really we're just maintaining a watch from inside the cabin while the autopilot does its thing.
I've not yet done that, and it will be a while before I do because it wouldn't be safe inside the bay, but I'd be willing to give it a try next time we're 3nm out doing a transit in the ocean. You also have to be certain you're away from paddleboarders and surfers along the coast here. And kelp.
Right now on autopilot I stand watch from the windward stern rail seat if sailing (to reduce heel and improve visibility) and the leeward seat if powering or motoring (to avoid spray).
Yeah, mostly it's the noise and spray I hate - it's the 'under power' mode that is uncomfortable to me and the wife just hates it - but many years of sailing in small boats brought me to the conclusion a LONG time ago that in SoCal to really get the most out of a sailboat smaller than 40 feet you really need a boat that can power FAST with a motor. Even in the A23 leaving from Los Alamitos we would end up "power sailing" with the little 9 HP Honda nearly all the way to Avalon and it's only 23 miles on that leg! And it STILL took 5 hours!
Nope, that's one of the things that turned me off about sailing back in the olden days - the endless morning hours bobbing around in the Pacific waiting for wind. The wind is usually fine after 11 AM but we need the AM time to make transit.
The MacGregor was built for exactly what was needed to navigate the SoCal coast - it's the perfect boat for this area. I was just thinking of more comfort and quiet when under "power mode" over long distances.
At 16 knots were you running with the ballast tanks full? I do notice I get a lot of spray when I go over 16 knots and I always have the ballast tank full. Should I unload the ballast when under 'power mode'?
I was hesitant to power without ballast, but given the right conditions I dump ballast every time now that I power a lot. It's hard to argue with 3 knots additional speed for free. Those conditions are:
1) No more than 600lbs of people onboard
2) everyone either in the cabin or the cockpit
3) Sails furled and bagged
4) No weight topside
5) Flat seas of 2 feet or less
Then I'll open the ballast tank and vent plug (which in my case is right next to the tank gate). I leave both OPEN while powering. The water drains out quickly when at 90%OT (within two or three minutes) and you'll feel the boat rise and watch the speed gain from 14.5kts to 17.5knots as it drains. The tank remains empty as long as you're on a plane.
I leave it open as a safety measure: As soon as you're done powering and slow down, the ballast tank will automatically and immediately refill with water. It's much safer to forget to close the gate valve when the tank is full than it is to forget to open the gate valve if the tank is empty. I actually hoisted sails and started sailing once after powering and didn't remember the tank for a few minutes, which could have led to a knockdown if this wasn't my routine. With the tank left open, if you begin powering again, the tank will just empty again. I see no reason to ever close the gate while you're powering.
I intend to fit a whistle on the end of my tank vent. It's right under my helm seat, so the whistle will both ensure that I remember the tank when I slow down from powering as it starts blowing air, and let me know when the tank is either full or empty. Just looking for the right whistle.
I agree with your 5 quotes, but on a macx, you either have the ballast full or empty as any type of waves will prevent a full ballast back in the boat.
Having a half full ballast will cause much more heeling and unstable boat.
Dave
mastreb wrote:I was hesitant to power without ballast, but given the right conditions I dump ballast every time now that I power a lot. It's hard to argue with 3 knots additional speed for free. Those conditions are:
1) No more than 600lbs of people onboard
2) everyone either in the cabin or the cockpit
3) Sails furled and bagged
4) No weight topside
5) Flat seas of 2 feet or less
Then I'll open the ballast tank and vent plug (which in my case is right next to the tank gate). I leave both OPEN while powering. The water drains out quickly when at 90%OT (within two or three minutes) and you'll feel the boat rise and watch the speed gain from 14.5kts to 17.5knots as it drains. The tank remains empty as long as you're on a plane.
I leave it open as a safety measure: As soon as you're done powering and slow down, the ballast tank will automatically and immediately refill with water. It's much safer to forget to close the gate valve when the tank is full than it is to forget to open the gate valve if the tank is empty. I actually hoisted sails and started sailing once after powering and didn't remember the tank for a few minutes, which could have led to a knockdown if this wasn't my routine. With the tank left open, if you begin powering again, the tank will just empty again. I see no reason to ever close the gate while you're powering.
I intend to fit a whistle on the end of my tank vent. It's right under my helm seat, so the whistle will both ensure that I remember the tank when I slow down from powering as it starts blowing air, and let me know when the tank is either full or empty. Just looking for the right whistle.
You don't want a half-full ballast tank because as Dave says the boat is unstable.
But a half tank is still better than an empty ballast tank for ballast weight, so I'm recommending leaving the tank open when powering to automatically refill only as a safety measure in case you forget about the tank between powering and sailing, not as a replacement for shutting the valve when it refills.
I got some great video of my foot right after I thought I filmed a pod of dolphins in a feeding frenzy.
