Quick-enough disconnect

[BOAT]

I can see it both ways - if you are mostly power boating then I think it is better to just leave it connected to the helm. I use the motor very little in usual conditions, but if the wind is zip and I have a long ways to go it's WOT baby!!

On the sailing part I really Really like a light helm because I tend to trim the sails so I don't need to use the helm much - to do that I am making only very slight like one and two inch corrections on the helm, often with only one or two fingers - I like a light touch for that. Some guys are just the opposite, they like to lock the helm down - that's another way to do it but it's not my way. I don't want the drag of the motor on the helm when I sail. I can feel a SIGNIFICANT amount of resistance when the motor is connected to the helm.

[Tomfoolery]

- I like a light touch for that.

Like a tiller. I like a wheel better, but for tactile feedback, there's nothing like a tiller.

One of these days I'll get the disconnect kit, assuming it fits an . The wheel is kinda heavy with rudders and OB attached.

[jimbo]

Quite used to the weight of the motor but rather have it connected as still getting to know the and would rather have an emergency exit at this stage.

[mastreb]

You may want to take some safety-wire and attach that pin (i.e. make a lanyard) to keep it from getting lost. Generally those centre-push fasteners do stay put, but if it should for some reason come adrift, given it is part of your navigation control system you're not going to want to take a lot of time to be searching all over for it (or worse yet, for it to go overboard or down the drain hole!).

Well, I have to remove my recommendation to use this quick-pin. After 30 minutes at 15 knots, the pin came out and the motor flopped over, making the boat do a quick U-turn at speed. Fortunately the turn was very stable and I wasn't near anyone. I re-rigged the original screw and nut in about a minute (I'd left the original in the well for just such an eventuality) and got back underway.

So yeah, bad idea. The knob is still working great though after 4000 miles pinned on the trailer.

[Mikex]

BWY's Quick connects are for Suzuki and Nissan motors how hard is it to modify to fit a Honda

I installed a BWY Quick connect to my 2002 50hp Honda, no mods required - works great.

Mike.

[BOAT]

I did not mention it - I should have: I DO INDEED use the BWY Quick Disconnect - it's one of the first things I did to the boat before I even put it in the water.

The BWY unit is not perfect - it adds a limit to the amount of port helm you can apply because the little trailer ball knob thingy on their steering arm (they make you replace) bangs into the underside of their own rod when the motor is tilted ALL THE WAY up - you can tilt the motor a little back down to avoid this but I find that on 'boat' if I do the motor is dragging slightly in the water. (I think 'boat' might be heavier than a normal MAC when ballasted, not sure why, maybe our pacific ocean water is heavier with more pollution or something or maybe they made a mistake in the factory and made the ballast tank too big)

Anyways, I try to get that motor pinned in the straight ahead position as fast as I can - (as soon as I back away from the dock right after I shift from reverse to forward reach down, pin the motor to straight ahead, close the helm seat and forget about the motor pin from then on until the end of the day when I am approaching the dock to come in. After I have the motor pinned and that seat down the only thing I do with the motor is tilt it up or down or turn it on or off - and I never use much throttle - maybe 5 knotts max if ever - mostly slower.

[Russ]

The BWY unit is not perfect - it adds a limit to the amount of port helm you can apply because the little trailer ball knob thingy on their steering arm (they make you replace) bangs into the underside of their own rod when the motor is tilted ALL THE WAY up - you can tilt the motor a little back down to avoid this but I find that on 'boat' if I do the motor is dragging slightly in the water.

Got a photo of this. Maybe it's an Etec thing. My Suzuki had the disconnect installed (at BWY) when I bought it and this doesn't happen.

(I think 'boat' might be heavier than a normal MAC when ballasted, not sure why, maybe our pacific ocean water is heavier with more pollution or something or maybe they made a mistake in the factory and made the ballast tank too big)

I thought our boat was heavier than most. Blamed it on the thinner fresh water, high altitude (5000 feet) and 24 gallons of fuel and heavier 70hp motor plus my fat arse at the helm.

Actually, I would think salt water laced with pollution would make the water denser and therefore float your "BOAT" higher. My motor has an adjustment that needed to be made to lift the thing completely out of the water when tilted and not too high as to hit the helm seat.

--Russ

[BOAT]

I have the ETEC 60 and it's really really SMALL - LOT'S of room under the Helm Seat - in fact there is so much room I am considering a mod to the helmseat - but that's another project down the road - as for the picture - I will try to get one today.

I just don't know about the weight thing!? It's a puzzle from day one - at first I thought the boat was heavier than it was supposed to be because i really can't move it around on the trailer much - I need a big electric tractor - it does seem to be a lot thicker in the hull than i expected and I do not see the flexing of the hull issues that I have been told to look for in heavy waves (still looking).

I am in heavy waves every time I go out because our harbor has a shoal break - you must slam the waves to get out, sometimes 2 footers, sometimes 6 to 7 footers. I'm still waiting to see any flexing.

The boat is a lot stiffer against the wind than I expected too - I run the Genoa all out almost all of the time. (Yes I get to 30 degrees often but I still find the boat very VERY stiff at those angles.) I was expecting it to be a lot more 'tippy'. If it's not fiberglass, and it's not sails it must be ballast? Would another 20 gallons even make a difference? I hardly doubt it because 20 gallons is barely another person - that's not gonna do it - and I can't imagine there is a 40 gallon variance on these boats?!? ? Could there be??? Does anyone know what the ballast tank capacity is?? The factory only says "approximately" I wonder what it really is? There is NO WAY there could be a 40 gallon variance from boat to boat??? Could there???

[Russ]

I have the ETEC 60 and it's really really SMALL - LOT'S of room under the Helm Seat - in fact there is so much room I am considering a mod to the helmseat - but that's another project down the road - as for the picture - I will try to get one today.

I have lots of extra room under the helm seat. I store a washdown pump, propane canisters, a small gas can for the dingy. Was thinking of storing a throwable ring under there too.

My quick disconnect works very well. I too put it on center once I've cleared the marina, reconnect upon return. Simple little device that works so well.

[Baerkanu]

you can tilt the motor a little back down to avoid this but I find that on 'boat' if I do the motor is dragging slightly in the water. (I think 'boat' might be heavier than a normal MAC when ballasted, not sure why, maybe our pacific ocean water is heavier with more pollution or something or maybe they made a mistake in the factory and made the ballast tank too big)

On our boat, about 4-6" of the skeg/lower unit of the Suzuki DF70A stays in the water at all times - the amount we can raise it is limited by the cowling clearance to the helm seat. Todd at BWY said that was the case when I was deciding on which motor to get - it apparently wouldn't have been an issue with the DF60A. It's not a big deal.

- Clay

[gabid]

I installed the BWY disconnect, not necessarily for sailing but to hold the motor for trailering. BUT, the final reason that parted me with my $$$ was the fact that the factory linkage folded up like a pretzel while on the Chesapeake Bay - I could only motor in a tight circle. Ever try to straighten thick steel on a fiberglass boat?

I keep it disconnected all the time, except when I pull the kids in the tube. On my with both rudders down and 1/3 of centerboard I have no problem docking with engine disconnected.

[Russ]

On our boat, about 4-6" of the skeg/lower unit of the Suzuki DF70A stays in the water at all times - the amount we can raise it is limited by the cowling clearance to the helm seat. Todd at BWY said that was the case when I was deciding on which motor to get - it apparently wouldn't have been an issue with the DF60A. It's not a big deal.

- Clay

I have the DF70 and it lifts completely out of the water. There is an adjustment that does this. Not sure if the DF70[bold]A[/bold] is longer.