boom hoist

Boom Hoist (jol wardle June 2014) Having just acquired a longboat Cruiser to fix up and sail, we set about readying her for launch.
Unfortunately the lovely new outboard with her was a big 8hp beast (37kg), chosen for the strong tides from where the boat came.
I had transported the engine in the boot of the car and we had successfully got it to the shed, but how were we going to get it on the boat?
I searched and read the Drascombe Forum, and noted that Niall had suggested keeping the outboard on the boat at all times, even trailing*, and more so, even if she had to go for service, when he recommended taking the boat along!
Fine but how were we going to get it on the boat?
Folks suggested fitting it once it was in the water; walking it off the pier etc and hence —down into the boat.
Finally i decided to attempt a hoist setup, as my wrists are not very strong: years on from too many motorcycle accidents

We set up the main halyard as the principle way to hold the boom (or any suitable length piece of wood) in place and to be able to raise and lower it.
I had taken off the boom anyway as I intend sailing her loose footed for now.
I then used an old 3 to1 Dabber Mainsheet pulley system attached to the boom end for actually raising the engine. This had the added advantage of a cleat.
Then to attach the engine i could use the shackle, but had to make up an engine hoist which i put together from rope..( you can also buy harnesses from ebay)
The harness was between 3 and 4 meters of a suitable low stretch 10mm 3 strand or braided nylon rope. First you need to create a 'Figure of 8' loop in the middle of the length or rope, and then two bowlines, each one close to and either side of the 'figure of 8'


(more instructions and pics can be found here)

Now for testing; we put axle stands under the rear of the trailer and wood blocks under the end of the boats keel plank, to stop her tilting back, then attached a large bucket of water to the hoist to test its steadiness. We were a little concerned that the whole boat and trailer would tilt**, but it didn’t too much, and allowed us to more easily lift the engine up from its engine stand, placed by the side of the boat, and over the gunwales and then be swung across midships. I then had to manhandle the engine down into the engine bay onto the mounting block from inside the cockpit as usual, but at least it was a lot easier

We covered the gunwales to protect them from the prop as she was swung up and over, and had a line mid-boom to stop it swinging outwards. We also attached another simple pulley to the end of the boom and onto the horse to control the swinging inwards! It was then a case of loosening the mid boom line to allow us to swing the engine into the boat.

detail below -- click thumbnails for bigger pics


** if you keep the boat strapped to the trailer you could strain the mast overly. (we chose to allow boat and trailer to slightly tilt)

* if trailing with the engine in place on the boat, be sure to tie it up to the transom so as not to rely on the engine pin to keep it slanted. Also be sure to re-check the trailer nose weight, as mine became way too light and then had to be adjusted by moving the winch post very slightly forwards.



















Also when trailing with the engine in place remember to keep the prop covered. Mine came with this novel use of those plastic buckets which had had cut outs made for drainage..