The Winklebrig Forum

Roger Parish
Username: Roger_parish

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Sunday, April 13, 2008 - 01:38 pm:      
I have sealed my port locker as Martin has done. The reason for sealing is to prevent any fuel or other liquids leaking into the bilges. NO liquids are permitted in the other locker. Trying to clean out the bilges on a Winkle Brig doesn't bare thinking about! You would have to line with steel to comply with BSS fire safety requirements.
I carry two 5lt fuel cans and it is awkward refuelling on the move. I have noticed that you can buy a nozzle pump which could be used for transfer but I think is only available mail order. It is called "flo'n go" Has anyone used one?

David Hackett
Username: David_hackett

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Saturday, April 12, 2008 - 07:31 pm:      
Thanks for the info Martin, There is just enough space in the starboard locker for a shelf to take the fuel tank utilising the space adjacent to the diaphragm bilge pump, thus leaving the port locker for fenders etc. it seems like the best option, easier to fit shelf than seal floor around the suction hose unless there is legislation that requires the locker to be a sealed, vented compartment for fuel storage?? If that is the case I may look at the cost of having a custom made stainless tank to fit under and either side of the transom. Have seen plastic ones in the boat mags but they are too long and too wide.

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Friday, April 11, 2008 - 06:25 pm:      
Hi David. I have an external tank for my 6hp Tohatsu, which I keep in my aft port locker (It just fits through the top if I drop it in end-on diagonally).I have created a floor to the locker and sealed it off completely from the rest of the boat with fibreglass, and then drilled a hole top and bottom into the engine well area. These two holes provide ventilation to the locker and I feed the fuel pipe through the top one.(Will post a photo if it helps).

David Hackett
Username: David_hackett

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Friday, April 11, 2008 - 03:53 pm:      
Advice please !!
I've just bought a new 5HP Honda 4 stroke. Any suggestions as to where I can install the 11ltr external fuel tank that came with it ? Can I place in the port or starboard locker or do i have to buy a smaller tank that will sit unobtrusively in the cockpit?

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 07:43 pm:      
The april edition of Sailing Today has a useful article on "How to service your 2- stroke outboard" It just so happens that the example used is a Mariner 4 exactly the same as mine. So I spoilt myself and bought a copy! The April edition of PBO has an article on trailer sailers. Nothing much of interest here but the article is to be continued next month and will cover small trailerable gaffers. May cover the WB and then I shall have to buy another copy!

Geoffrey Osborn
   
Posted on Saturday, November 24, 2007 - 05:39 pm:      
WB 36 Calidris uses a Mariner 4HP 4-stroke, with a 'saildrive' propeller.
I have found this more than adequate rarely use more than half throttle. In calm conditions about one-third throttle will give around 5 to 5.5kts.
I have also used a British Seagull Featherlight; even towed with it a broken down 22foot motor cruiser (no wind though).
The Mariner is reasonably quiet especially on quarter, or less, throttle.
Hope this is some help.

Martin Cartwright
   
Posted on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 05:10 pm:      
I am using a Tohatsu 6HP 4 Stroke, which I think is probably the biggest engine you can fit in the well without any modifications.I have the 'sail' prop.version and find it is excellent for E.coast (UK) tides. I have had it 3 years and find it very reliable, quiet, and economical.At 25 Kgs it is a bit heavy, but like Simon I push my fat friends forward. It also charges a battery for nav lights.

Simon Hill
   
Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 02:07 pm:      
Last year I replaced the Mariner 5 HP 2 stroke that came with the boat with a 10 HP Honda 4 stroke. This involved substantial reconfiguration of the forard bulkead of the engine well (where the motor mounts) to get the larger motor in. I also built usable lockers on either side. When I figure out how to post pictures - any advice welcome here) I will.
The reasons for the upgrade were: old engine was a bit long in the tooth and unreliable, noisy, smelly and had very little grunt in reverse. The 10 HP Honda was the smallest one I could fit that had electric start and a coil for battery charging. The Honda is soooo much quieter and the exhaust bypass system for reverse means the boat really has some breaks now! The electric start and gear shift on the front of the motor make for much easier controll. I may have gained a bit more top speed but this was not the major consideration and the hull speed is the limiting factor anyway. For sailing purists the extra weight (she does sit a bit heavier in the stern now - though I could experiment with some forward ballast - get my fat friends to sit up there!!) could be a bit of a problem but in the waters that I use her in, many of which are strongly tidal, the extra power and ease of manouverability - not to mention the quiet and ability to run nav lights and echo sounder etc more than make up for the extra drag. The new timber engine cover, hatches and tiller look pretty spiffy too - if I do say so myself! The 10HP may not be for everyone but I can strongly recomend its smaller syblings in the Honda 4 stroke range. Happy motor/sailing!

David Cawston
   
Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 08:16 pm:      
I have a Mercury 4hp 2 stroke (with integral fuel tank) and have found that at full throttle the stern just digs in and no extra speed is gained. I have the sailpower prop as I found the standard prop had too coarse a pitch and the engine would try to 4 stroke at low power. In the early days of Winkle Brig ownership on a couple of occasions before I bought my Mercury I hired/borrowed a 2hp 2 stroke, not sure of the makes but they were very light and very small. They proved more than adequate for getting around at a fair speed even against some headwind/current. And of course there was less drag because the stern rides higher. But I like having a little power in reserve. It is useful for that quick blip of power for manouvering or for when going astern.

jan wismeijer
   
Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 08:05 pm:      
I am using a Yamaha 5hp 2 stroke, last year I have some experiences with a 2.2hp 2 stroke Mercury, the speed is the same but it takes some time to get the maximum speed with the 2.2, but with strong winds and strong streaming river Rhine you have a problem, speed is 50% with full power so I,m using the 5hp, I think more hp is no option because you have your hull-speed and that is about 8 km/hr for a WB.

Julian Swindell

Posted on Thursday, March 15, 2007 - 11:25 pm:      
I've got a Yamaha 4hp 4 stroke. A bit heavy and can be a bit tempermental but OK. Would having more power make any difference? Could you use a less powerful and lighter engine without loss of speed? Any experiences in this area?

Nick Baker
   
Posted on Monday, March 26, 2007 - 09:57 pm:      
Having jumped off my boat on a hot day last summer and then spending 45 minutes trying to get back on I thought some sort of ladder would be useful. I made this from some sort of hardwood but I don't know the name- my local friendly boatyard sold it to me but of course in French- they use it for just about everything!
It will either swing up and I can tie it to the sternrail or it can be taken off and kept in the locker.
I haven't tried it yet but on the basis that anything is better than nothing it will probably work! 

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 09:41 am:      

I've got a very simple battery powered depth sounder. My transducer works through the solid hull. You don't need to drill any holes. I think most, or at least many, can work that way. It is in a tube epoxied to the inside of the hull, and the tube is filled with castor oil to give a continuous route from the transducer to the water below. It is fitted in the bottom of one of the rear lockers, which is not ideal. It works fine under sail but can get very confused under power. Presumably the prop wash affects it. I know someone else who cut a small opening under one of the quarter berths and fitted his transducer just next to one of the bilge plates, and said that worked very well. I do find the sounder very useful in shallow Poole harbour and it seems very accurate when I check it with a sounding pole. What I have also noted many times is that my WB draws more water than the specification says. In theory the draft is 1'2", boards up. I am on the bottom in 2ft of water in practice. Am I overloaded? Has anyone else checked this? I do find it quite a deep draft boat after my old Drascombe Dabber, which sailed in 8" and I once got out and pushed through 4"!

Andy Dalby
Username: Andy_dalby

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 06:07 am:      
I'm fitting a fishfinder as we're back at sea. Where has anyone got their transducer fitted? I'm going to try the transom temporarily but I feel the prop wash will mess it up. I was thinking of the back of the keel or maybe just epoxying it next to the keel and bringing the cable up the outboard well. I don't want to be drilling any holes through the bottom of the hull. Any help is most appreciated.

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Friday, April 18, 2008 - 10:07 pm:      
The Powertank has a separate charger, like a mobile phone charger which recharges it in a few hours. It also has a car lighter adapter to charge it, but I don't know how long that takes to recharge. I find it really useful. I run the GPS from it, use the small torch to read by and the large one to illuminate half the planet if that seems necessary. It last for months for the first two uses, but goes flat after about half an hour of the big torch being used.