[Rhodes22-list] Tips on removing motor lift?

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Hi Rosie,

I have the manual version of the GBI motor mount.  I switched from a parallelogram type linkage motor mount very similar to the Panther mount you are proposing.  The manual version of the GBI mount offers 6:1 mechanical advantage.  My 100 lb Honda outboard is easy to lift.  I’ve never missed the electric motor.  The GBI mount offers the advantage of being able to run the motor in any position from full up to full down.  ie, when motor sailing on port tack, you can run the mount fully down.  This will help prevent cavitation when a wave passes under the stern.  On starboard tack, you can raise the mount up to prevent passing waves from submerging the power head.

With the GBI motor mount, the fully lowered rudder blade and the motor lower unit do not interfere.  The same was true with the parallelogram linkage.  However, if the rudder blade is kicked up more than ~15 degrees, there is motor lower unit/rudder blade interference with both mounts.  If you are experiencing interference with your GBI mount with the rudder blade fully lowered; then, the motor mount is probably installed too far inboard.  Relocating it towards the port side will fix the problem.

If you have ever looked off the back of the boat when traveling at or near hull speed, there is a little depression in the water just behind transom.  This is caused by water rushing back to fill in the void left by the passage of the hull.  (2 objects can’t occupy the same space at the same time). The GBI motor mount places the outboard into the water just ahead of the deepest point of that little depression.  The Panther mount will put the outboard right into the bottom of the depression.  ie, There will be effectively less water above the prop with the Panther mount vs the GBI mount.  All else being equal, the outboard on the Panther mount will cavitate sooner vs an outboard on a GBI mount.

There is also the issue of the outboard on the Panther mount being located further away from the transom.  Fore/aft pitching will cause the Panther mounted motor to experience more vertical movement, thus making it more likely to cavitate.

If you really care about being able to motor sail in heavy weather; then, you would get an extra long shaft outboard (25”) and run it on a GBI motor mount.

Have you checked into whether your electric GBI motor mount can be retrofitted with the 6:1 block and tackle manual system?

Roger Pihlaja 
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium 
1978. Sanford, MI
Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 20, 2025, at 11:10 AM, Rosie Krueger <rosie.krueger at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> We're planning to remove the electric motor lift from our 2007 Rhodes and
> install a Panther manual adjustable bracket instead. Before we proceed with
> the project, I am wondering if anyone has any tips about removing the
> electric lift setup.  I read through the "Converting Electric Winch Motor
> Lift to a Manual System" thread, but that mostly seems to involve changing
> the method of power for the existing lift tracks, rather than removing them
> entirely.
> 
> We have a few reasons for switching.  Like others who made the manual
> conversion, we don't like the vulnerability of relying on the electrical
> system in a moment when we might really need the motor.  But worse, the top
> of the existing lift system significantly interferes with the tiller handle
> on our ePropulsion Spirit electric outboard.  The tiller handle folds up a
> bit, but not far enough to allow the outboard down as far as it could go,
> even with the tilt set as far back as possible.  We've also found that the
> current positioning allows potential for the outboard and rudder to
> collide. The Panther bracket should push the motor far enough off the back
> of the boat to resolve that issue.  We did consider getting the epropulsion
> throttle controller for the outboard, but that was about 2x the cost of the
> panther bracket and wouldn't have solved the motor/rudder issue.  (We
> already had the tiller controller from our prior boat - if you're
> considering buying this outboard for an R22, definitely just go with the
> throttle controller from the start).  With the light weight of the
> ePropulsion, we also don't particularly need any of the assistance from
> either the electric lift or a manual pulley conversion.
> 
> Anyway, all of these reasons have us feeling confident in making the
> switch.  However, I never feel confident messing with holes in the hull. It
> seems like it should be just a matter of unscrewing the screws on the
> tracks from inside the lazarette, but I'm not sure if there's any adhesive
> or other surprises awaiting us after that...So, if you've ever taken the
> lift tracks off and have any advice about the process, please send them my
> way!
> 
> Also, assuming the process goes successfully, we'll have a used electric
> motor lift to part with - feel free to reach out if that's of interest to
> you!
> 
> Happy Spring!
> Rosie