Trojan Boat Forum

Ok, try not to laugh too hard at this, as this is a feel the crown moment.

Planning on doing the loop in a few years once I retire. Our boat is a 1988 11 meter. Should be perfect for the trip as she is in tip top shape. Just need to add portable washer/dryer and first mate will be “on board”. Here is the question:

First lets start out by saying I am fully aware of the fuel cost (estimating $10-15K) to putt through the loop. So I am going into this eyes wide open, so its not the fuel cost that is prompting this question. It is more for greatly reducing the wear, and potential damade from under water hazzards. I cross the Mississippi quite often and sat along its banks watching trees, barrels, dead cows etc float on by looking for a prop to meet up with. So,,, here goes,,,,, I was wondering what the feasibility was to put a 30-40 hp 4 stroke outboard on my hard botton dinghy and let it push me down the river? Guessing if I prop it right, I could cruise aroung 6-8 MPH, and let my big screws just turn with the flow. I’d also run stop/start, throttle control to the helm, lock the outboart in so it cannot turn, and use my rudders to steer. Dinghy would be attached to swim platform, in a manner it cannot move from pushing. Fuel would pull from main tank.

Ok, floor is open and I have thick skin so fire away,,

Won't laugh any harder than I did at this: https://www.instagram.com/p/BpCN_GoFGHm ... hare_sheet

Ok, more seriously.....

You're doing this when you retire, right? I wouldn't bother. It's a lot of trouble for something that might not happen, and it's a PIA. Just use ur boat as it was intended. If something happens, you'll have the time to wait out a repair. Bring a dinghy to go entertain yourself in if you get way layed. At best I'd consider bringing extra props, which would have a resale value later. Seen sportfishermen pack an extra shaft too.

Say hi when you get to the upper Chesapeake!

P-dogg, Wow, that boat in the link is a work of art..... The comments even better. Still laughing. Nope, certainly not gonna do anything remotely close to that. And if anyone sees me with something like that, permission to launch torpedoes granted. Yes, will use the boat as intended, but for giggles, Im gonna give it a test run in 6 months when Michigan finally thaws out (15 deg today) and at night so no witnesses

This is the way its done

Ok now on a serious note . While is sounds ok in theory its a NO. For one thing the stopping power is not going to be good . But your steeing is going to be really bad . Your rudders work best with thrust .. That's why power boats have small rudders vs sail boats with very large ones . and Rudders work best at the stern . with this idea it would be like having the rudders mid-ship . Get in some current or wind and it won't be pretty .


On a not so serious note you could become a u-tube star

Now that is ..... um.... impressive. However, being a supplier to a large boat engine supplier, that is the trend for small to midsized cruisers. Fill the transom with outboards.

Waiting for someone to post a power boat with a sail...

Sail Boat with a mule

Jimmy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2019 9:52 pm Now that is ..... um.... impressive. However, being a supplier to a large boat engine supplier, that is the trend for small to midsized cruisers. Fill the transom with outboards.

Waiting for someone to post a power boat with a sail...

That Viking sank up north during Sandy . It was sold then the outboards where put on so it could be moved to Fla by the buyer it sunk at least 1 more time on the way south . The plan was to restore it .I don't believe it ever happened . I have seen the boat on Ebay .

Well, there you have it, good to know I’m not even close to being the craziest boater out there. Plenty of examples out there to prove that. In a few months I’ll post my trial run results ( no pictures or videos). Again this would not be my sole source of propulsion. I’d fire up the girls when needed. Only on calm days, with no current, no barge traffic, no bridges, no bends, And wide open waters. So probably use the tug for 20 minutes total on a 9 month trip. probably should have started out by saying I was asking for a friend....

Jimmy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 07, 2019 11:54 am Well, there you have it, good to know I’m not even close to being the craziest boater out there. Plenty of examples out there to prove that. In a few months I’ll post my trial run results ( no pictures or videos). Again this would not be my sole source of propulsion. I’d fire up the girls when needed. Only on calm days, with no current, no barge traffic, no bridges, no bends, And wide open waters. So probably use the tug for 20 minutes total on a 9 month trip. probably should have started out by saying I was asking for a friend....

Tell your "friend" pictures or Videos or it did not happen .

Hope you have enough time to RUN YOUR BLOWERS before you fire up those gas engines in the event you need to do an evasive maneuver quickly.

So, please tell us.....

When a boat comes out of nowhere, surprising you, and you need to move to hard port quickly....

OR

You need to throw her into reverse to stop forward motion to avoid hitting an object (floating cow)

How many minutes will you actually run those blowers to SAFEY and PROPERLY EVACUATE THE BILGE FUMES before cranking over those gasoline Crusaders?

RWS

All good points, however, been boating for 30 years on the great lakes, experienced pretty much everything from floating logs, 12 foot waves, pea fog, lots of idiots, and more idiots, but have yet to see the floating cow (while cruising). So very well aware of the “quickly needing horses” to stop, turn, etc. bear in mind, top speed will be about 5 MPH, so hitting something at top speed would be minor and I will make sure we are wearing helmets . Additionally, nearly all sail boats in this weight/length range have monster 9.9 -15hp ouboards that can stop on a dime (not)....(but can turn on a dime) And make no mistake, if my covert testing under the secret of darkness proves “yes it can” I will only actually use it as stated above, “about 20 minutes total in a 9 month trip”

And, once I perfect this and become a You Tube star, as Prowlerfish suggested, I expect I will see lots more dinghy’s pushing 40 foot boats around and up and down our river. I’ll sit back, put my feet up on the stern, crack open a beer, toast with “my friend” and smile, knowing I (we) actually did make a difference in this world