Kicker Bracket Mount Question for the X

[BayouBoatin]

The mount for the auxiliary motor arrived today. It's one of those that mount to the stern and then can retract up or detract down into the water. Typical small motor mount.
It will hold a 2.5HP Suzuki outboard. The motor isn't too heavy. I got the mount to carry the motor for the dinghy if ever needed and figured I would get this kind to use the small outboard as a back up motor too in case the 50HP goes caput for whatever reason while out on the water

My questions are:
1) should I mount it to the port or starboard side? The swim ladder is on the port side. But I heard people mount motors to the port side to balance the boat? I am not sure why or what they are referring to which would give the starboard side more weight

2) For those that have mounted one before, Will the mount need a backing plate on the inside of the boat?

3) should marine grade silicon be enough to fill the holes that the bolts will go through to prevent water seepage. However the mount will be well above the waterline

Thanks in advance!

[Dragos Filimon]

Mount it on the star-side. It is light, won't tilt the boat. And give it a backup plate, you never know what you gonna put in that mount layer.

[sailboatmike]

As most X boats have the battery bank mounted on the port side I would think a kicker on the starboard would just even out the boat, them batteries are real heavy

[Tomfoolery]

As most X boats have the battery bank mounted on the port side I would think a kicker on the starboard would just even out the boat, them batteries are real heavy

Mine lists to port slightly, due to the batteries, and the water tank, both on the port side. So a kicker on the starboard side would be logical, in my case at least.

The dirt in the little rain gutter on the port side at the aft end of the cockpit seats bears witness to the perpetual lean.

[DaveC426913]

Yep. Mine heels a half degree to port.

[dlandersson]

Is this true?

As most X boats have the battery bank mounted on the port side I would think a kicker on the starboard would just even out the boat, them batteries are real heavy

[BayouBoatin]

Makes sense but my batteries are up under the v berth towards the front. Previous owner put them their to put more weight in the front. However, starboard for the win because my water bladder is on the port side

[sailboatmike]

Up the front isnt a great place for batteries, as the boat narrows toward the bow the stability decreases as does the buoyancy simply because it is narrower and has less displacement.

The best place for the batteries is right in the middle of the boat on a normal boat but as the Macs have such a wide flat rear end you can get away with putting them further back and to one side.

[133bhp]

I use the same motor/mount and mount it "between" the engine and rudder, port side, works well. Moved ladder over to drain side. 13.5kg Weight has no effect.

Some x's have batts inside, my 2000x have in inside console.

[ris]

Put ours on starboard side. Used backing plate and large fender washers. Also placed shims under motor bracket So it would be parallel with back of boat. Back of X is slightly angled so without shims motor and bracket will stick out to the side and can hit docks and poles on docks. Hold bracket in place with a square on the bracket and you will see what I mean. We put over a one inch of shim on one side of the bracket to get close to parallel with the back of the boat.

[Herschel]

Up the front isn't a great place for batteries, as the boat narrows toward the bow the stability decreases as does the buoyancy simply because it is narrower and has less displacement.

I know this is off message regarding the motor mount, but, while I can appreciate the theory behind this thought, I do have 13 years experience (and my PO had 5 years experience) with dual batteries under the V-berth port side and two 9 gal fresh water tanks under the V berth starboard side. Neither of us have ever had a reason to question the placement of either. We have never had any performance or safety issues either sailing (ballast tank always filled) or motoring with and without the ballast tank full. With a minimum of gear in the space under the cockpit, a 13 gal head holding tank (rarely full ), and the usual gear amidships (supplies, PFD's, and cleaning gear), I even have a slight "down by the stern" slope to my waterline with the ballast tank empty! I think the V berth is an option for batteries that should not be ignored by those that might prefer it.

[sailboatmike]

You can somewhat get away with weight forward on a Mac because its wide hind quarters , but with other boats especially those with rounded hulls its not a flash option due to the stability factor

[Herschel]

sailboatmike replied

You can somewhat get away with weight forward on a Mac because its wide hind quarters , but with other boats especially those with rounded hulls its not a flash option due to the stability factor

Thanks for qualifying your position somewhat. I think this is a good discussion to have, though. I say that partly because, as smaller "yachts" we do try to add modifications and bring, and store, all kinds of gear aboard for journeys and quests that far exceed the design specs of an inland and coastal overnighter. Case in point is that we have three Mac 26's, two X's and one M, doing our Great Loop around the US right now very successfully. My admiral and I have done a 300 miler on the St. Johns River and a 75 miler on the ICW of Florida's west coast plus many other 4-5 night journeys on the St. Johns. So, it is good to talk about how to arrange the equipment and store the gear. My only issue here is that we not inadvertently cast doubt about a possible arrangement of batteries and other storage that, for many of us, works quite well and might want to be considered by others. I agree that too much weight forward on a single hull sailboat is problematic. I have a 10 ft. O'Day Sprite, and it is tricky doing if I want to get up to the bow seat! Been there and "have the T-shirt". It is a good concern to express. Upon reflecting further, the V berth storage access panels on the X are actually about 7-8 feet aft of the peak of the bow (6-7 feet aft of where the stem hits the water) and back where the deck actually starts to approach its 7 foot width almost under the forward "windows". I don't know the actual width of the boat that is in the water at that point. Trying to compute righting moments and other technical details is way beyond my paygrade at this point in my life, but my "testimony" so to speak, is that I am very pleased to have my batteries and fresh water tanks in the forward part of the boat. It leaves the other storage areas open and easily accessible for routine items, and I think my boat gets up and plains better because of more forward weight. Even still, I have to send at least one crew forward when I have four adults aboard and want to empty my ballast tanks efficiently underway with a 50 h.p. Yamaha. And you can see I am still slightly "down by the stern" in normal flotation. I have said my piece. you can have the last word.

[darrenj]

I think the consensus is that X's like weight up front and the M's like weight at the back.
I know that my X's sails and motors faster when I shift weight forward.

[sailboatmike]

Weight over the middle is best stops the bum dragging which is one of the quickest ways to slow a boat down, have a look at the racers in light winds they have people sitting on the cabin roof or on the rail level with the keel to keep the bum out of the water.

Roger designed a huge weigh carrying capacity into the rear of the X and M by having a wide transom and a flattish bottom, I love those picture of people racing and everyone is huddled up against the cabin bulkhead to get the weight out of the transom