So, remember that boat I talked about in my last post? Yes, that cute, tubby, slightly larger boat? Well, it has a motor. Me and motors, we just don’t get along that well. But I’m working on that.
The idea that someone would want a motor is one that I’m still coming to terms with. Where I’m at right now, is that the motor is a temporary thing. It will be in place until I become a proficient sculler. The motor can hang on the transom if my wife wants to go sailing and is worried. The motor will someday go to someone else’s boat. Someone who likes noise and smoke and other things that involve oil and gas should have it. (Sorry Anton!)
There’s a whole article about my feelings about motors, grudging feelings, across the jump at 48 North. (Dennis, you should read it for sure.) That’s where I’m spending most of my writing energy these days. I think it reaches a broad audience, it can be had for free on paper, and the editors are good people.
Now a word about Terrapin Tales. I still love this antiquated blog. Other social media is faster, younger, flashier and perhaps attracts more humans. That’s fine. Long-form stories, a narrative, a collection of things is what I like. I assume if you’re reading this, you feel the same way. Less is more.
I’ve been lacking the time to write on here as much as I want. Too many projects, adventures, and other distractions are going on, but stay tuned, there’s more to come…
Terrapin Tales 
Always more projects! Life is good when you have good projects!
Yes on sculling! I’m not comfortable with motors either.
All the best, Scott
I just read your motors article at 48 North and enjoyed it! You are more brave than me. When I was a kid my dad and a family friend brought my brothers and I over to Blake Island from West Seattle in a 12 foot aluminum boat. It was a tank. About a third of the way over the outboard died, so one man rowed while the other messed with the motor until they gave up on the motor. We made it there, had fun beach combing, and they took turns rowing back. Luckily this was back when crossing the shipping lanes wasn’t as much like a snail crossing the freeway as it is now and luckily the wind didn’t pick up. Since then I’ve also learned that some boats are better designed for human propulsion than others. What most people think of, when you say “rowing” is that aluminum boat designed for planing that they rented at a lake and got blisters trying to row 1/4 mile in, not a real boat designed for human propulsion.
If motors were made of wood I’d probably be way more enamored with them!
All the best, Scott
You got the rowing part right. Most people have never rowed a boat made for rowing. They’ve rowed a motor boat. Sad.
It seems to me that the key to the yuloh, as opposed to sculling with an oar, is the line tied to the boat that takes the “push” of the oar to the boat, and also magically taeks care of twisting the oar. All the person has to do is move the yuloh back and forth.
As seen here: http://triloboats.blogspot.com/2014/04/yuloh-20-and-beyond.html
And: https://smountainlaurel.smugmug.com/Sailing/Auklet-glasshouse-Chebacco-20/Yuloh/i-vmPWP4T/A
and: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjyE7dyR2X4
It seems to me that the cord does it all for you.
I think that angel in the middle of a yuloh is a big part of it’s efficiency. I always wonder though, if you could design a yuloh where that angle also contributed to it’s stowability on deck?
All the best, Scott
Et voila!
https://duckworks.com/scullmatix/
Haha! Yeah, modern engines are pretty sanitized and that takes away their soul. Some really old simple engines have a kind of soul. Older outboards can be simple enough that you could repair, re-make or even make from scratch with minimal tools. Some 110 year old motorcycles are chunks of iron with a bunch of brass plumbing, and some rudimentary electrical stuff that is almost as organic as a wood boat. Not light and efficient, and not without constant maintenance, but much like varnishing, if you know how to so it, understand it, and empathize with it, it can be fun and interesting, as well as providing you with a reliable propulsion. Though old motorcycles don’t drift into hard objects and sink when the engine stops running…
I’m seeing an amphibious moto-boat in my future. 🙂
It is true that even modern smaller 4-stroke engines are fairly loud and vibrate too much. Electric is great except in terms of cost and range, though in smaller applications, solar can make them almost range unlimited, at least where it’s sunny. I really like turning off the engine on the sailboat…
Have you looked at the difference between a sculling oar and a yuloh? I plan to set up a yuloh on my boat when I finally get it in the water. as seen here:
I think he gets useful travel speed at reasonable effort, and with two people working. pretty hard, they can go significantly fast. The owner set this up for a sailboat race in France with similar rules to the R2AK: no engine…
That’s serious sculling. I like it.
Hi Bruce – the Tolly is back in running shape. Not only was the starboard drive replaced but the port side gave up too (though not in as dramatic a fashion). You’re welcome to take another turn at the helm since you’ve come over to the dark side. I did enjoy the 48 North article but you grew the boat by 4’. It is a 1969 30’ Royal Double Cabin.
Oops. My memory clearly made it a BIGGER deal. 🙂
my experience is that small machines are alive like animals and plants. they got tempers moods and unique personalities just the same. some dont mind the abuse but most work better if you talk to them sweet and do that routine caressing with oil grease files and such. like an animal , if you have trepidation hesitation and fear towards them, they know and will react accordingly.