Lubrication when heeled- 50 hp 4 stroke outboard

[fastacker]

This is my first post of this forum although I have read and enjoyed the informative posts for a couple of years now. <br /><br />I have a Macgregor 26X sailboat which has a 50 hp ourboard motor on it. Owners of this boat have started using 4 stroke outboards from Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha and hence the question, since this may be the first time such outboards (in this size) have been used to power sailboats which can and do operate heeled at 30 - 40 degree angles routinely: <br /><br />Are these new 4 stroke outboards designed to operate when leaned or heeled to the side at a 40 degree angle? In other words, with the oil pump still get oil from the reservoir when heeled? <br /><br />I have heard this concern raised regarding inboard diesels, but had not heard one way or the other on the 4 stroke outboards . <br /><br />Personally, I have a 2 stroke 1997 Tohatsu 50 hp, so I should be OK, but many of the owners (thousands) have 4 strokes on their Magregor sailboats. <br /><br /><br />Thanks in advance and excellent forum!

 

[jim dozier]

Re: Lubrication when heeled- 50 hp 4 stroke outboard

Fastacker I gotta ask, why do you need a 50 hp motor on a 26 foot sailboat. Most of the inboard diesels I've used on sailboats 45 feet and up don't have engines that powerful. Also, you would not generally be using the engine with the boat heeled over would you? I mean if you have enough wind to heel it over you're sailing pretty good right? Anyway the oil pickup issue is a good question and I am curious about the answer. Its never been a problem with the inboard disels I've sailed with.

 

[fastacker]

Re: Lubrication when heeled- 50 hp 4 stroke outboard

It is a new type of hybrid boat that can drain the water ballast while underway using the motor to get enough speed to plow and then semi-plane at around 14 knots. <br /><br />The only time that the motor would typically be used when sailing at much of a heel angle would be to ensure making tacks in somewhat confined areas. <br /><br />The 50 hp motor is standard equipment for this boat. I bought mine used about 7 years ago and the motor was already on it. Otherwise I would have put a smaller motor on it as I use it mainly to sail. But the decision is different when the motor is already there and paid for. And ocassionally the extra power and speed are useful. (like when you are sailing in very light winds and sail into a swarm of biting greenhead flys). It takes about one second to decide to wind up the engine and get away from the flys. The extra speed is also useful for river sailors and when traversing inlets at the "wrong" times, and when you just want to get there already.