Motor Mount for Double-Ender

[sputnik16335]

Hi All-

I’ve been looking for a small ’20s or ’30s-vintage wooden boat to put one of my prewar outboards on. I’ve been told of one that’s available here locally. I haven’t looked at it yet, but it’s supposedly in great shape, just needs a little varnish and TLC. I live near a little resort lake, and someone offered it to their historical society museum and they don’t have room for it.

The problem is that it’s a double-ender. My question is what can be done to mount the motor? I really want to do it as clean and period correct as possible.

As always, any advice is appreciated.

-Rich R

[westwind]

Some double ender row boats have a small transom that can support a motor. A mount could easily be fabricated, if it’s like a canoe. Here’s a picture of one from Tomahawk a couple years ago. Another option is a side mount that is also common with canoe’s. Of course if it’s a larger row boat it might not be suitable for a motor if it has a lot of freeboard. Another consideration is the amount of displacement where the motor will be and whether you have a passenger to balance the boat, it can be easy to swamp a narrow boat if you and the motor are at the narrow end of the boat.

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[westwind]

Another thought, why not build a boat in the style you want? Atkin Boat’s still offers plans of displacement boats for a really reasonable price.

http://atkinboatplans.com/Oar/index.html

I think the Walter Piel model would make a great boat for low power, up to 8HP and 11MPH. It won’t plane but it will push easily and could be rowed. Emma is another option for up to 4HP.

Boat building can be a fun project and you end up with something that would be hard to find new.

[sputnik16335]

Thanks.

At least it looks do-able. I’m told it’s a 14′ long ‘rowboat’. Somebody also called it a ‘pulling boat’ so I think it might have a little width in the beam. It looks like I won’t be able to see it for a day or two yet. I’ll post a couple of pictures if I can.

I really don’t want to see it scrapped.

Thanks,
RR

[1946zephyr]

quote westwind:

Some double ender row boats have a small transom that can support a motor. A mount could easily be fabricated, if it’s like a canoe. Here’s a picture of one from Tomahawk a couple years ago. Another option is a side mount that is also common with canoe’s. Of course if it’s a larger row boat it might not be suitable for a motor if it has a lot of freeboard. Another consideration is the amount of displacement where the motor will be and whether you have a passenger to balance the boat, it can be easy to swamp a narrow boat if you and the motor are at the narrow end of the boat.

What a cool idea. 😀 😀

[stanley]

Assuming the boat is not a highly collectible model,I would cut a foot off of the stern and build a transom.Pretty easy to do and as long as you stick to small motors it will be fine.

[sputnik16335]

quote Stanley:

Assuming the boat is not a highly collectible model,I would cut a foot off of the stern and build a transom.Pretty easy to do and as long as you stick to small motors it will be fine.

Nice idea.

I actually have some oak a little over 1" thick and have done work on wood boats. Seems like it would have pretty nice lines when it was finished.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to check it out until after Jan 1st…

Thanks
Rich

[stanley]

From 1928 Popular Science

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