Repowering

The motor mount was removed as it had rusted out. I installed a spring loaded mount, but it seemed to put the motor weight too far aft, so I took it off.

My situation is that I rarely have to use a motor. I sailed most of this season without one. There are occasions where it would be nice to have. Pleasant Lake is only 2 miles long and a mile wide, so I never have too far to go. I decided a trolling motor would suffice.

Here you see a view of the Lucite motor mount plate. It is two layers on the inside with holes in the outermost layer to keep the motor mount from slipping. There is another plate on the outside of the transom. I bonded a layer of closed cell foam (camping sleeping pad) to the motor where it contacts this plate in order to compensate for the slight difference in the transom's thickness from top to bottom. It is thinner at the top and tapers some.

Because of the angle of the transom, the motor will pull all the way up to the bracket once it has been turned 90 degrees. I have experienced no "tangle" problems or interference with the motor in stowed position.

Next we needed power. With the battery in the back of the cockpit, balance was affected. In the cabin, it was really in the way. I wanted it amidships and near the keel. My boat is open under the cockpit seats into the cabin. Other boats are sealed off. I found a place where the battery would just fit behind the starboard berth, next to the keel. There are two styrofoam blocks in here to provide flotation.

I created a level spot for the battery with a a piece of plexiglass from an old boat window and a wooden frame . The transparent material made it easier to measure the angles needed to build the wood frame. I found no curvature here. The bottom of the frame was straight. The frame was bonded to the hull with construction adhesive.

Here is the battery in place. Two six foot battery cables from Walmart provided connectors, wire, and a pigtail for a second outlet. The battery is in a case which just fits under the cockpit well. The aft styrofoam flotation block has been reinstalled.

The battery is a used auto battery and needed shimming with a bit of styrofoam. The cables are spliced to a Minkota outlet all the way aft in the cowling. It is visible in the first pictures.

The second block of styrofoam locks the battery in place.

The pigtails were wired to a cigarette lighter outlet just below the cockpit. The battery forms the back wall of this area. The outlet is just above the anchor in the pic below. I plug a solar panel into the outlet when the boat is moored. It can also be used to power accessories.

This is the best place I have found to stow the anchor. My friend's Glouchester 16- which has the same hull as the Newport- does not have this space available. There is a bulkhead separating the under cockpit area from the cabin. Probably a safer approach in the event of an accident.