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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Soft Link with Mercury 9.9

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tomara
1st Mate

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USA
46 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/27/2006 : 10:02:51

OK.......I am so slow to understand.
I have a C250 WK with wheel steering and Mercury 9.9 lift up tiller.

There is only a horizontal aft cowling lever on the Motor but this lever will not accept the bungee hook. I assume that I have 2 choices.
1. Drill one or two holes in the cowling lever to accept the bungee and line.
2. Drill a hole on each side of the Mercury Motor 9.9 just below and aft of the cover to accept the S shaped bungee hook.

I assume that when I install the bungee on the starbord aft quarter there should be just enough force to pull the motor fully to starboard.
When I install the line to port aft quarter and onto the rudder then the starboard bungee will stretch so the motor and rudder will be straight amidships.
So when I then turn the rudder to port the starboard bungee will stretch even more as the rudder and motor turns to port.

Should I use a bungee for the port side also instead of the line loop?

Wow....Did I confuse anyone

Tommy

'Reverie'
2002 C250WK #613

Edited by - on

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 10:40:48

Check out Arlyn Stewarts website for the specifics on how to rig the soft link; very clear instructions which should work for your motor.

Edited by - on

River Harley
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 19:34:37

I too have a Merc 9.9 and use the softlink. At first I was stumped as to how to configure and connect the lines for lack of a good solid, yet non-functional area to drill on the motor to connect the lines, and that would create enough pulling leverage. I was able to solve the problem. I bought some plastic covered cable and cut it the size to make two loops approx. 6 inches in diameter. You can find the necessary screw clamps to join the ends of the cable at Home Depot or the like. Locate the area where the motor housing below the actual motor joins and reinforces the motor, shaft and motor mount bracket. Just inside this intersection area on each side, are spaces. Through these two spaces, run your cut pieces of cable - one on each side - and join the ends with the screw clamps. You should now have a loop of cable on each side of the motor. In order to obtain the necessary leverage for the softlink to work in this configuration, attach the lines to the cable loops to their respective opposite side of the motor i.e. the line from the tiller will attach to the loop on the starboard side of the motor, while the soft starboard bungee will attach to the cable loop on the port side of the motor. This "wrap around" configuration will provide good leverage by overcoming the close center-of-axis where the lines are connected to the motor. I did this to avoid drilling into the motor cowling to create attachment points. I didn't feel that the cowling would stand-up well to the stress of the softlink lines, and I could find no other suitable places on this model of outboard to drill and attach. My arrangement has worked great with the Mercury 9.9. I'll try to get some photos of this posted if I can.

River Harley

Edited by - on

tomara
1st Mate

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USA
46 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 08:29:28

River Harley:
Thanks for your solution. I look forward to your pics.
I'll check out the Merc 9.9 motor housing et al this weekend. I agree with you as I also don't want to drill into the cowling.

What size diameter plastic covered cable did you use...something like plastic coated lifelines?

Edited by - on

River Harley
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 18:27:14

No problem....give me a little time on the photos. I've not posted any before and am still trying to figure it out.

River

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tomara
 River Harley:
Thanks for your solution. I look forward to your pics.
I'll check out the Merc 9.9 motor housing et al this weekend. I agree with you as I also don't want to drill into the cowling.

What size diameter plastic covered cable did you use...something like plastic coated lifelines?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

River Harley
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 18:32:32

....oops, almost forgot on your question about the cable size. Yes, the lifeline comparison is about right. The fact that it is cable makes it plenty strong. It just needs to be flexible enough to form the loops.

River

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tomara
 River Harley:
Thanks for your solution. I look forward to your pics.
I'll check out the Merc 9.9 motor housing et al this weekend. I agree with you as I also don't want to drill into the cowling.

What size diameter plastic covered cable did you use...something like plastic coated lifelines?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

River Harley
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 18:39:55

Be aware that once the lines are connected - both bungee and hard line - you will always have positive tension/pull by the bungee soft line. There will be no neutral position if you let go of the tiller. If you were moving and let go of the tiller, the boat would circle to starboard. Sounds strange it first but you really do get used to it. I've never had a problem.

River

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tomara
 OK.......I am so slow to understand.
I have a C250 WK with wheel steering and Mercury 9.9 lift up tiller.

There is only a horizontal aft cowling lever on the Motor but this lever will not accept the bungee hook. I assume that I have 2 choices.
1. Drill one or two holes in the cowling lever to accept the bungee and line.
2. Drill a hole on each side of the Mercury Motor 9.9 just below and aft of the cover to accept the S shaped bungee hook.

I assume that when I install the bungee on the starbord aft quarter there should be just enough force to pull the motor fully to starboard.
When I install the line to port aft quarter and onto the rudder then the starboard bungee will stretch so the motor and rudder will be straight amidships.
So when I then turn the rudder to port the starboard bungee will stretch even more as the rudder and motor turns to port.

Should I use a bungee for the port side also instead of the line loop?

Wow....Did I confuse anyone

Edited by - on

tomara
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
46 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2006 : 14:13:29

River:
Good advice on positive tension/pull by the bungee soft line
and cable size.
I too have not posted any pics before and am also trying to figure it out. I'll solve this pic thing next week when I give myself some time.

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.