Help, Thrust Generated By Outboard

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Guest, Nov 11, 2003.

  1. Guest

    Guest Guest

    IN ORDER TO DESIGN A MOTOR MOUNT I NEED TO KNOW THE MAXIMUM THRUST GENERATED BY AN OUTBOARD OF A GIVEN HORSEPOWER. THE APPROACH I HAVE BEEN USING TO COMPUTE THE THRUST APPEARS TO YIELD VERY LOW THRUST VALUES. MY METHOD IS AS FOLLOWS:
    GIVEN: 130 HP OUTBOARD WITH A PROP GOOD FOR A TOP SPEED OF 40MPH
    FIND: THRUST IN POUNDS

    1 HP = 550 FT LBS/SEC; AT 40MPH A DISTANCE OF 587 FT WILL BE TRAVERSED IN 1 SEC.

    WORK = POWER OVER A GIVEN TIME
    THRUST X DISTANCE COVERED IN A SEC = POWER GENERATED IN A SEC

    THRUST X 587FT = 130 X 550 FT LBS/SEC X 1 SEC YIELDS A THRUST OF 122 LBS
    THIS IS OBVIOUSLY INCORRECT, PLEASE HELP
     
  2. BrettM
    Joined: Apr 2002
    Posts: 204
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    Location: Australia

    BrettM Senior Member

    Not to comment on your method but 40 mph is not 587 ft/sec. More like 58 ft/s
     
  3. SailDesign
    Joined: Jan 2003
    Posts: 1,964
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    Location: Jamestown, RI, USA

    SailDesign Old Phart! Stay upwind..

    Most engines produce maximum thrust at low speeds. I know this doesn't make your job easier ;-P
    However, if you figure out the drag on the boat at, say, 5knots, and then guesstimate the acceleration, you should be able to figure out something close to the thrust.
     

  4. dougfrolich
    Joined: Nov 2002
    Posts: 661
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    Location: San Francisco

    dougfrolich Senior Member

    Try (326*Shp*e)/Va

    Shp=Hp at the Shaft
    e= Propeller efficiency
    Va=Speed of water at prop

    Given your problem; 130hp I assume is the net hp at the shaft.
    I assume the propeller is adequately sized
    I assume your boat is fair, and water fed to the prop is clean.

    (326 x 130 x .70) / 37 = 802 lbs. of Thrust
     
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