Ideal height setting for outboard pods?

[Norm van't Hoff]

Hi all, I found my 9.9hp outboards were getting a lot of water around them, and it was always finding its way inside the covers, which is obviously a worry. I've tightened the covers down, and tried lifting the pods, but the props come out of the water too easily, so I've lowered them back down, thinking about adding some ply fins to protect them. Anybody got any advise on this? 

Many thanks, Norm 

[Björn]

I typically lower the outboards that in flat water the water line is just below the top "deflector" (Yamaha 9.9), this works okish although the props can draw some air if it gets rough, I had not tried lower them any further. The spray around the engines had been there also but it did not do any harm (yet), I also did not see much getting into the engines.

During sailing in rougher seas I lift the engine up and pull the pod up as well, still giving them good showers.

What I found also quite annoying was that water was lifting up the front lid of the engine boxes and flooding the batteries and everything which has been slowed and mounted there. However, I think this can fairly easily be fixed by putting a deflector plate between beam and engine box.

Björn 

[Björn]

and some pictures of the engine pod

[Brett Parker]

Hi There

 In the second photo it looks like the pod is not fully raised but that is besides the point. I find the motors are very suseptable to water. I think it is advisable to make every effort to keep them as dry as possible. I intend to make little rain coats ie use strong green house plastic and gorilla tape and make covers for them.  It will be an experiement but because of all the cables, wires and hoses coming into the front, I thought the green house plastic might be a good start towards sewing up something more permanent later. Obviously its about keeping out spray as much as green water because the motor is sucking in air. Make sure there is a functioning air filter in line. Its easy to get salt in the jets just from the spray. Also from memory I think there is a small opening in the bottom of the motor tray that drains water from the motor area. If a little tube say 150mm could be put on here, this would help stop water ingress. Everything that   can be done to keep the water out is a good thing

Just my thoughts Brett

Brett

[Norm van't Hoff]

Many thanks Brett, these are great ideas. I agree about keeping the water out, my little 4stroke Yamaha's are amazingly reliable, but I've several times opened to covers to find salt encrusted around the back of the motors... not great. I've been thinking about adding some ply/epoxy fins to the bottom/sides of the pods, to redirect the green water away from the engines, but this is a tricky job to do while we're cruising... Perhaps a V-shaped something on the bottom of the pods too, to split the flows when they enter waves.. 

many thanks for your input, 

happy sailing, 

Norm 

[Norm van't Hoff]

Björn said:

I typically lower the outboards that in flat water the water line is just below the top "deflector" (Yamaha 9.9), this works okish although the props can draw some air if it gets rough, I had not tried lower them any further. The spray around the engines had been there also but it did not do any harm (yet), I also did not see much getting into the engines.

During sailing in rougher seas I lift the engine up and pull the pod up as well, still giving them good showers.

What I found also quite annoying was that water was lifting up the front lid of the engine boxes and flooding the batteries and everything which has been slowed and mounted there. However, I think this can fairly easily be fixed by putting a deflector plate between beam and engine box.

Björn 

[Norm van't Hoff]

Thanks Bjorn, wow, you must be dealing with some big waves for the water to flood your battery box, I guess I'm very fortunate to be sailing in less extreme conditions here in the tropics ;-) The pod height is tricky, in most conditions it's not a problem, but when the waves are coming in a certain direction, even small ones, the props get air and the engines rev madly, so when I get a chance, I think I'll slightly modify the pods with some ply/epoxy fins to see if I can keep them low, and mostly dry. 

Many thanks for your reply, 

Happy sailing, 
Norm