Almost-A-SCAMP Progress Report #2-3A . . . . .

[Charles Brennan]

Playing with the motor mount, that really had a lot of travel for my size of boat, compared to boats in the 18 - 23 foot range.
Raised is really high . . . . .
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And lowered, almost drags in the water.
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I needed an optimum solution for deploying a trolling motor and in case my battery math doesn't work out, possibly an ICE outboard, like a Honda 2.3hp
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Check how I'm using the center mounting holes of the motor mount, so I can move the mount up or down an inch; always hedging my bets wherever I can. 

A 35 year old trolling motor that I used on Urchin for about three years, when I was in between outboard motors.
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It used a 100A/Hr deep cycle discharge, heavy-duty marine battery that would get you in and out of the ramp launch area easily, but would not buck a tide, or take you out an inlet and back in again.
I had an 11 watt solar array panel, which would charge the battery back up during the week, but took the whole week to do so. 
When I realized I really needed more reliable range, I finally broke down and got another gas outboard.
So, WHY would I try all this again?    Masochism, perhaps? 
Well . . . .  This boat is < 1/3rd of Urchins' weight, so I should be able to go much further.
LiFePO4 batteries have about 1/3rd more current usability before complete discharge, compared to lead-acid batteries, so I should be able to go further.
I'm sporting 200A/Hr, instead of 100A/Hr, so I should be able to go at least 2X further.
I will have a 100 watt solar array panel instead of an 11 watt panel, so I should have less waiting between charges.
I'm hoping all this will give me a comparable range to my 2-stroke motor.
All the numbers are pretty close, but I'm still not completely sure, so I'm hedging my bets and planning for both types of motors.   

Motor mount in down position and prop close to proper water depth (although it might not look like it, from this pic angle).
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But it hits the transom when I tilt it up. 
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And is unsightly and a major main sheet traveler snag, when the mount is in the full-up position. 
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But! 
By moving the mount to a median position, I could lower the trolling motor height and still retain my below water position.
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AND!!    I could tilt the motor without hitting the transom and not have anything sticking up high enough, to interfere with the traveler.
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I was able to borrow a 2.3hp Honda 4-stroke from my son, to use as a model for my calculations and ruminations.
(Rumination: Thinking, by way of using Rum!) 
Next, I tried the Honda in the full up position and that was definitely a non-starter.
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Worse, the lower unit would still drag in the water.

So it required lifting AND tilting.
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Was not happy with this arrangement.     Sure hope my battery math is right. 
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Then I tried the motor in the same mount height position as the trolling motor; prop depth was good.
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AND!!  It tilts up clear of the transom.
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Just like the trolling motor.
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And the lower unit also tilts clear of the water, in this position.
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I'm strongly tempted to just honk down on the nut and bolt that is used as the notch stop and tighten up the other four pivoting arm nuts and call it Good. 
Pretty sure I'm just going to leave it in that position, and not even fool with all that raising and lowering.
Just tilt the motor when I'm not using it. Much simpler! 
Probably would have never got into that "set it and leave it" mind set, (I am an inveterate tinkerer) without seeing Doug SC's SCAMP motor mount pics.
Thanks, Doug.

I like how Honda allows you to lock your motor mounting screws together, on the mount.
Wouldn't stop a Pro of course, they'd just take their battery powered Sawzall to the plastic motor mount and cut through it, in about 90 seconds. 
But in most cases, all you have to do is slow a thief down for 30 seconds and they'll just move on to the next easiest target.
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Now, no matter which motor I end up using, I'm already set for any adjustments (other than to my wallet!) in case Reality Rears Its Ugly Head on my plans.   
Again. 

I hadn't really intended to varnish the tiller and the rails at this stage, but you take your temp and humidity varnishing weather windows, when and where you can get them, and be grateful for it.
1st coat. Wow! The grain really came up, after varnishing! 
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Ya know . . . . .  this doesn't LOOK like it took a whole day . . . . .
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 . . . . . . . but it did. 
During the recent rains, I had  been playing with my gear, stuffing them in future lockers, in various combinations and no matter how I arranged things, the anchors and rodes were like a red-headed step-child and didn't really fit in anywhere.
I finally realized that part of the problem was me; I had been taking anchors out of a lazarette locker for nearly 50 years and then anchoring from the cockpit.
I was just used to always doing it that way, when I suddenly realized: (don't laugh!) I don't have a lazarette! 
I needed one.
For a boat that's basically been a crowd-sourced build for 15 years, anything you can think of to do to them, somebody's probably already done it.
A quick search of the SCAMP forums turned up over a half-dozen different lazarette implementations and one thoughtful SCAMPer, Dale Simonson, had even supplied drawings with dimensions.
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Even had a sloped front, to use as a comfortable back rest, when sitting on the floor! 
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Color me impressed! 

Started off with a 2X2 cross piece with a 9mm dado to keep the lazarette flush with the bench seats.
The plans also showed a 18½º bevel in one plane and a 71½º bevel in the other plane.   
Ya know . . . .  sometimes . . .  I think these guys just like to MESS with the rest of us! 
I settled on 18º and 72º, respectively, then cleated in around and behind it, finishing with the beveled seat-back supports on the sides.
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That hatch cut-out was originally part of the deck, but was too shallow to store anchors and rodes; so it was quickly re-purposed and cut down, as required.
Next, I cut (and beveled!) a front piece, from spare plywood.
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That's the 10 dollar-hatch I got at a flea market.
Exactly enough room for a small Danforth, a small Lewmar Claw, each with 10-feet of chain, a Beach Anchor stake and 3) 100-foot rodes.
Easy to quickly grab and deploy.
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Notice the front panel sticking up 9mm higher than the sides on each side; adding the bench seats will make everything flush.

Yup; an honest-to-goodness 18º angle.
I sat down and leaned back and sat there for a good while.
My back was unable to detect the ½º discrepancy. 
18½º?!?    Seriously!?!?! 
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Better view of the hatch.
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Tomorrow, all the parts will be dis-assembled, labeled, and then I will epoxy the bejesus out of everything and glue it all in place! 

Charles Brennan

[Captain Kidd]

Impressive and exciting at the same time.