Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Monday 16 March 2020

Building an outboard engine servicing stand

The stand is finished. It didn't take as long as I was expecting - which means all the plans I have listed for occupying myself during the forthcoming period of extended lock down and self isolation - well these will need a rethink!!

Back to the outboard engine stand - Castors were added. These came from Screwfix - I think it was a tenner for 4 and each has its own little brake lever.   I also added an extra plywood pad across the top cross pieces just to strengthen the engine mounting area.

I won't paint it - not needed.  Next steps - dig out the engine manual and read the servicing bits and then get the various oils and greases before we go into national lock down.

The plans I will re-post in the next few days with more accurate measurements added in.

Carrying on from my first post on this subject - here is where I left off yesterday
This is the upright that will support the outboard engine. Note that it will lean about 8 degrees off the vertical. 

The base has 75mm diametre castor wheels - each with its own little brake.
They can support a weight of around 46 kgs 

The base frame being constructed. 
The castors are on and the one end cross piece is being screwed in place


The first of the rear diagonal supports being added

The finished trolley - since the photographs - I have added a plywood pad across the top cross pieces to strengthen the engine mounting area 



With the outboard added - I still have to get a trug or a large bucket of some form to immerse the shaft and prop in. I'm thinking that I may have put it a little too high. 




As I said, I will update the plans with more accurate measurements over the next few days. 

2 comments:

Elin said...

good job

steve said...

Thanks - I will post on the blog later in the month when I have used it for the first time. Take care now and stay safe and well