Control Freak!

[Jocool]

I have finally picked up my new toy! Damn that thing is HHHHUUUUGGGEEE!!!! I didnt realise how big a 4.65 boat would be! Otherwise I would have got it as a 4.4 Then again I guess the fact that it has a 2.2 beam doesnt help!

Below is a pic of the control box which houses the key and T/T for the new Tohatsu! The way it is mounted is actually on the base of the tiller arm near the knuckle where the arm bends as supplied from the factory. The box itself is approximately 12cm X 8cm X 8cm deep.

I have found on the first run that its not really convenient. You have to sort of half turn as you steer to actually use the T/T. Has anyone got controls like this? And if so, where are they mounted in your boat?

I was thinking of relocating the box to the bulkhead or the front of the rear casting platform. This would place them basically at my knee!

Any suggestions?

My tiller steer 50 Merc has a similar type tilt n trim rocker switch.

I steer with left hand, and mounted the tilt down on a sheoke block between the gunnel and rod pocket, just where my right hand would naturaly land to hold on....

That way I can trim on the run without thinking about it.

Hope that helps.

Might not be everyone elses choice but it works for me..

Theres a lot to be said for sitting in the boat (inside the shed with the door down so no one can see) and messing around with "best locations" for positioning things...

I find it helps if you make loud engine noises with your mouth as well, but getting caught can be embarrassing.

Cheers!

[Jocool]

Thanks Trouty...thats another option!

Speakin of sittin in the garage.....Damn boat is too long!!!! Trailer draw bar pokes out the door by about 300mm!!!

[corey]

Originally posted by Jocool
Thanks Trouty...thats another option!

Speakin of sittin in the garage.....Damn boat is too long!!!! Trailer draw bar pokes out the door by about 300mm!!!

stick it in diagonaly!!!!

[Jocool]

That was one optoin Corey. But I dont want to take up to much room in the garage as I have a car in there that Im rebuilding.

My other thought was to get a set of smaller double roller doors (bout 1200 mm each) made up with the removable centre post and have that come down either side of the draw bar and have it fitted in the same opening as the original door!

Its either that, or EXTEND my 3 car garage! HAHAHA

You could get your trailer modified to fit.

In the same way that "breakback" trailers were popular a few years ago for launching retrieving heavey glass boats, it's possible to have the draw bar at the front of your trailer made to "fold" either right or left - with basically the exact same mechanism.

The ones I've seen, you pull a spring loaded locking pin and the draw bar folds around paralell to itself under the bow of the boat, shortening it by say 2 or 3 feet.

That way your roller door will close without modification.

When you want to tow - you open the door, swind the draw bar out straight again and lock it in place with it's pin, hitch the car up and away you go.

Hope that migfht help you out - they are getting to be quite common in the USa these folding drawbar designs, for just the same reason as you stated - getting more boat into a smaller garage.

Cheers!

[Jocool]

Thanks for that Trouty! I was thinking round the same lines...then thought STUFF IT...its not a normal thing to do!!!

But I may look into it now. Can any trailer place do it? Does it weaken the drawbar? Are there ANY disadvantages?

[Brett W]

Cupla other options. If your boat hangs off the back of the tralier, u can slide the winch post forward and pull the boat on - do the opposite when u take it out - i do this as i have the same issue - only take a couple of mins. Or perhaps have the trailer modified to incorporate the below or similar.

[Jocool]

Brett...Is that piccie from a website? If so which one? Was it an Oz site?

[Brett W]

Sorry, should have also pointed u to:

www.dunbier.com.au