EMERGENCY OUTBOARD BRACKET

■ Last year I had an unfortunate encounter with a discarded trawler net off France which disabled my prop, even though I have a rope cutter fitted. I just managed to limp into a marina, but it set me thinking how useful it would be if I could use my outboard as an emergency motor. So I built a bracket out of spare timber to latch onto the standard transom ladder fitted to my Hunter Pilot 27. In a flat calm, I achieved 3.5 knots with just a Honda 2.3hp: not suitable for rough conditions (although then you would surely be sailing), but enough to get moored up without needing a tow.

The bracket can also serve as pushpit bracket to store the outboard where it can be lowered into position on the ladder with the aid of a rope or two. You can still reach down to start the engine and even turn it for steering in the event of a jammed rudder.