Reducing Tiller Arm Vibration of a 2-Cylinder Outboard Motor by the Double-Focused Mount Method

Advances in motorized vehicle vibration control have increased consumer expectations to feel minimal vibration when operating vehicles in any environment; on and off road. Small outboard marine engines have a heightened need for vibration isolation, since the user often steers using a tiller arm connected to the outboard. Traditional engine mount systems allow the mount reaction loads to create a periodic torque about the steering axis and result in significant tiller arm shaking forces.

This paper presents a novel mount arrangement that minimizes the shaking couple about the steering axis and isolates the tiller from engine vibration. The concept was first modeled using rigid body dynamics software to predict vibration of the tiller arm. Testing confirmed the simulation, and demonstrated a significant reduction of vibration transmitted to the tiller arm and boat seat compared with a traditional focused mount system.