# Outboard motor on Willy 1



## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

*Transom*

If your motor isn't a long shaft (20") you're fighting a losing battle... (see how long it takes buzzards to comment on that...)
There are ways to build a transom that you can adjust vertically, especially if you use modified cross Speedrail or Nurail fittings and 1 1/4" (NRS) or 1 1/2" (DRE) pipe. But any short shaft outboard run on tubes much bigger than 19" is going to have pro'lems because you have to run it so deep that the powerhead will be below the top of the tube. That means in order to steer you have to hang the motor further out off the back of the boat to turn it without bumping into the tube, and that creates design issues.
It's possible, but then you really ought to have a jackass (device for raising and lowering the motor with an arm, sort of like a jack handle). I can't think of the brand name(s) at the moment but there are a couple of different ones available for small (3-10 hp) outboards. Tain't cheap - maybe $200 minimum for a decent one.
And then you still need the frame/transom, Metal Supermarket on Pickett Circle just south of 17th South here in Salt Lake often has good scraps or will sell you full sticks (20') of whatever diameter pipe you go with.
It's just a lot easier to start with a long shaft...


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## HasBen (Mar 15, 2014)

Thanks for the reply. I'd already counted on a long shaft motor and if that alone is the fix then I'm happy. Maybe I'll look into an adjustable transom as well. One more question. Considering it's usually just the wife and dog along, I'm thinking a 4hp 4 stroke Yamaha might be all I need. And, I just might be able to secure the motor mount and motor w/straps alone, no tubing connecting transom w/frame. What do you think? BTW I do have experience w/larger motors pushing much larger boats on very long rivers, just not the little ones. Thanks again.


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

I once owned a hole in the water you threw money into called a Catalina 22 Sailboat.
It had a outboard mount on the stern that was adjustable up and down.

Suggest you visit some sailing sites or stores and look for motor mounts. Might give you some ideas.


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## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

We've used the 4 hp Yamaha (4 stroke, the one with the little gas tank on top) to push 3 boats down to Cat as well as off the lake (current now all the way to Dirty Devil and beyond, but still speeds things up to motor). That's a great little motor, I probably prefer it to my 5 hp Honda but it just depends on who is on a particular trip what we take.
I'm not a fan of motor mounts that don't connect to the frame. Maravias run relatively high pressure and have relatively big tubes (23"?) so to get even a long shaft down into the water without some kind of frame and adjustable transom is going to be difficult. What usually happens is the tube gets run soft (deflated) - and the flex factor goes way up. It's possible to design a mount/transom that connects with straps only, but likely you'll end up building one yourself to fit the back end of your Willywaw. I've just never seen the "off the shelf" ones work very well.


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## HasBen (Mar 15, 2014)

Thanks again for the info. I'll need to do some motor mounting work before the rig is ready for a 6da trip but now have some ideas. Don't want the motor cavitating with each little riffle and don't want to deflate my rear chamber either. The only given is the 4 horse Yamaha. There are some good rebates if purchased before end of March, but still they're kinda pricey.


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## Brotorboat (Apr 14, 2009)

"Panther" adjustable transom mount is the ticket. Pricey, but worth it.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Long shaft and rig your boats to the frames w/ 2" straps. Lots of builders out there but I had to re weld my buddys mount last year. Propper rigging goes a long way when motorized toruqe is involved .


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## rioperro (Jan 11, 2013)

My friend Hank simply rolled up a foot or two of his inflatable 
floor, dropped in a short shaft Yamaha and we made easy work from Snake Lake to Heller Bar.


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