Flaquita Gets a Motor and Goes to the Caribbean

Flaquita Gets a Motor

Flaquita is very easily driven by the smallest of outboard motors. Here she is with a 2.2 Suzuki doing 8.5 MPH.

A long shaft motor is required to get the propeller deep enough. With a short shaft motor, the exhaust port comes out of the water momentarily on waves. The motor mount is easily installed and removed. The motor shown is a 3.5 Nissan.

Flaquita Goes to the Caribbean

Last summer I trailered Flaquita down to Mexico, Guatemala and Belize.  Here are a few things I learned from the trip.

Although I designed Flaquita to be car topped, I found trailering to be more convenient. All the gear could be stowed inside the boat. Things like paddles, fishing rods, tackle boxes, snorkel gear, spear guns, life preservers, anchor and lines, sail, sun shade etc. could be locked up inside the hatches.

To reduce wind resistance for the long trip, I took apart the two part mast and stowed it low. I rolled up both trampolines.

Ramps to launch the boat were available sometimes, but often not.. To launch without one, I would disassemble the boat, roll the main hull down to the water, carry everything else, and reassemble the boat at the shore.

Sailing inside the reefs was wonderful. The waves were small. The water was crystal clear. Most sailing was on a broad reach. In moderate winds she really flew. Even in light winds I could sail at trolling speeds. Coral heads just below the surface were abundant. I attached a bungee cord to the downhaul for the kick up rudder. I kept the dagger board higher up than the depth of the rudder. When I occasionally struck one, no damage was done.

I learned how easy it is to upright the boat in the event of a capsize. One day in 20 MPH winds, I accidentally turned the boat over. I had just motored out a narrow channel to open water and unfurled the sail. The boat was self steering on a broad reach with the ama to leeward. I had left the motor running in gear while I messed around with getting my fishing rod ready to troll. That was a big mistake. The motor was not locked in position tightly enough. It turned, causing the boat to turn up into the wind and come about to the other tack. I was sitting on the wrong side of the boat. Next thing I knew, I was in the water. Flaquita was on her side. The ama was straight up in the air. The motor was still running. The exhaust, now out of the water, was bellowing. The prop was spinning around well above my head. Fortunately, it quickly sputtered to a stop. The wind was blowing hard on the bottom of the trampoline. I expected that force to make her turn turtle, but she never did. It was a simple matter to right her. I pulled myself up on the dagger board. Then stood up on the side of the main hull. I reached up and grabbed the ama. I leaned over and she quickly righted. I climbed in and sailed off. The water in the cockpit quickly drained out the dagger board trunk.

In spite of that mishap, I loved having the motor. When there was no wind, I could still go exploring. And best of all, I could stay in the shade. In this photo, I was towing a couple in a john boat out to the reef.

The reef was spectacular. Put on a face mask, slip beneath the surface, and it was a whole other world. There were turtles, sting rays, all kinds of brightly colored fish, and a wide variety of coral.

The tropical sun was intense. After a few hours, I needed to get out of the sun. It was such a pleasure to have a shady place to take a break and hang out.

The southern Yucatan coast of Mexico is mostly undeveloped. You can find inexpensive places to camp.

Your boat can be right there close to camp.