has anyone ever hung a 9.9 off the stern?

[Poodle Head Mikey]

How do you manage the outboard engine controls from the cockpit as they are way out behind and across the lazarette? It just seems like a law and awkward reach. No?

The weight didn't scare me - even though this 9.9 of mine is more like 90-100 lbs rather than 50-60 - what really stopped me was the idea of the awkwardness of controlling the engine controls and the boat's tiller at the same time.

How do you find it?

PHM
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Have been hanging an outboard off the stern since 1994. Beefed it up with plywood backing and 2 layers of roving, leaving the backstay chainplate exposed to air. Have been in 30 knot conditions and (embarrassingly) hit the beach one time. Stern is still intact with no evidence of stress (cracks, distortion, etc.) 2 stroke Mercury 5 (48) lbs and 2 stroke Evinrude 6 (60 lbs.). Checked by boatbuilder (Wilderness, Moore) and engineer. Not recommending you do this, just saying. Wish I hadn't Sikaflexed the plug. Will take a special tool if I ever want to undo it.

[sinbin]

Actually, I've been hanging off the stern myself - the biggest stretch is to control the shifter. Need to kneel on the lazarette for that and for starting. Backstay makes a good handhold. Throttle can be controlled w/o leaving the cockpit. Whenever in doubt, I attach myself to the boat with a lanyard. Am set up for singlehanding, incl tiller pilot, which I mostly do. You could always have a crew member assist (hang on to lanyard, etc). I don't consider operating the motor off the stern any more sketchy than going forward to change a headsail or secure the main. Don't worry about having to start it in heavy airs - you won't need to. I beefed up my stern based on cautions about it in the manual.

[Poodle Head Mikey]

Do you have your outboard mount centered on the stern? Or offset to one side or the other?

And if to one side; which one and why? <g>

PHM
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Actually, I've been hanging off the stern myself - the biggest stretch is to control the shifter. Need to kneel on the lazarette for that and for starting. Backstay makes a good handhold. Throttle can be controlled w/o leaving the cockpit. Whenever in doubt, I attach myself to the boat with a lanyard. Am set up for singlehanding, incl tiller pilot, which I mostly do. You could always have a crew member assist (hang on to lanyard, etc). I don't consider operating the motor off the stern any more sketchy than going forward to change a headsail or secure the main. Don't worry about having to start it in heavy airs - you won't need to. I beefed up my stern based on cautions about it in the manual.

[sinbin]

My bracket is centered for no good reason except maybe for weight distribution. The main concern was getting the height right in order that the long shaft motor would bite at the correct depth and angle when running. Seems to have worked out so far. Between you and me, though, I wouldn't want more than 60 lbs hanging off the back of "Sinbin" the way I have set it up. Reinforcing the stern is a definite consideration. There is a story of an Ariel losing it's stern in the Berkeley chop due to having an outboard on a bracket.

[sinbin]

Hi.

Sorry to take so long to answer. I've never considered it difficult to operate the controls on the outboard. I've taken it out once or twice a month for 29 years now. First in the SF Bay and then in Monterey Bay. Conservatively, I figure I've put over 100NM per year on her. Do the math. In my old age, I turn the motor off, put her in reverse and let her hang in the water for the rest of the sail while I have a nice lunch. I'm mostly a single hander and my crew is a great Nautico tiller pilot.