Association Forum - what shaft length on a new outboard?

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

what shaft length on a new outboard?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

karentc
1st Mate

Member Avatar

USA
68 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/25/2002 : 10:27:28

Hi!

I have a 1986 Catalina 26 with an adjustable OMC motor mount.
I am in the process of buying a new Honda 9.9 4 stroke and am wondering which is the correct shaft length to buy, 20" or 25".
Also, would like to get the onboard engine controls but the Honda dealer doesn't know think that the motor will come with a handle to steer with (as the throttle controls will be on the boat...)
Does anyone have any experience with this???
I absolutely need to steer with the motor to get in and out of the slip... Also, anyone with pro or con opinions on the shaft length please contribute!!! Thanks!
Karen Christensen
Moondance
Traverse City Michigan

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2002 : 11:09:27

Karen - definitely go with the 25" shaft. A short shaft is pretty useless in anything but flat water - the prop is not deep enough and cavitates very easily.
My 8 h.p. Nissan came with electric start and no tiller on the motor. I took a foot long length of 1" aluminum tubing, drilled 3 mounting holes in it at the appropriate place and bolted it to the bracket on the front of the O/B (it is parallel to the transom but still makes motor turning easy). For neatness sake I put a rubber bicycle handlebar grip on each end.
Welcome to the Forum!
Derek on "This Side Up" '81 C25 #2262

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1595 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2002 : 13:08:06

More info on that. There is an EXTRA long shaft. Thats the one you want. If you go over a 4' wave in a blow or someones wake anything other than EXTRA long will turn into a fan. ASK FOR EXTRA LONG. Even the 25 can be to short.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

karentc
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
68 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2002 : 14:15:50

The question I have about the extended shaft (28") motor is this:
My old Johnson used to drag in the water an inch or two when I had the motor mount in the up position- I believe that it was a 20" shaft.
We had to tilt the motor up to get it out of the water, and I am concerned that a 28" shaft will be a real pain to tilt up and am wondering if it will tilt up enough to get it out of the water when we are sailing or at the slip...
What do you think????

Thanks!

Karen :)

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2002 : 21:31:07

Karen: That depends on the bracket. My setup with a Fulton 1810 bracket requires that the XL shaft Honda is tilted one notch to clear the water at rest. On port tack, it may catch the water just a little. I took measurements of the motor, down and tilted, before I mounted the new bracket. Make sure you have clearance to tilt motor if that's required. And if you expect to be in any significant chop, you want the anticavitation plate to be at least 5" under at rest.

But we don't even always lift the bracket under sail--depends on what we're doing. In neutral, it just doesn't drag that much. (Many sailboats have the outboard permanently hanging from a lazarette or an inboard prop dragging.) But then we don't race--at least we don't admit it to the other boat we're racing... <img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>

BTW, the Honda 8 and 9.9 come in Long (22.2") and Extra Long (27.7") the Long is marginal at best--I had one and sold it to buy the XL.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - dave bristle on 11/25/2002 21:36:54

Edited by - on

Tom Coleman
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
19 Posts

Response Posted - 11/26/2002 : 22:19:03

Karen, go for the XL shaft. In serious weather I've even had my Yamaha 9.9 XL shaft come out of the water at times. I rigged mine up so that the controls are on the wheel pedestal. I had to remove the handle from the outboard, but still can steer in tight quarters by simply centering the rudder and turning the motor from side to side with my hand (after unlocking the small pin that keeps the motor centered). The handle is not necessary, as it takes very little effort to swing the motor to one side or the other. Needless to say, this allows for some very tight turns, which can be mighty helpful in many marinas. Best of luch.

Tom Coleman
C250wb, #568
"Kalya"
Salt Lake City

Edited by - on

JOHN SAINDON
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
24 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2002 : 11:08:39

Hi Karen: I would recommend you get an extra long shaft engine.
I had a long shaft Mercury....last year and in the choppy bay ,it would frequently come out of the water. I bought a honda 8.0 hp with
extra long shaft 27.7 inches and the propellor stays under water in very choppy water conditions.

Best winds to you.

John saindon Cat 25 "Stuart Little" Norfolk Va.

GERARD A. SAINDON

Edited by - on

arlingva
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
116 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2002 : 01:10:15

XL is way to go. I have a 2003 xls, electric start. It does not have the inboard controls and does have a handle/tiller. I think the dealer is correct. If you get the inboard controls, no handle/tiller.

Bill C250wk, #614, still unnamed

Bill Swanson
C250WK #614

Edited by - on

osmepneo
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2002 : 07:00:35

I have nothing to add, but will confirm what others have said. XL is better, even if you have to tilt the motor while sailing to keep it out of the water and dragging.

When I get a new motor I will get an XL even though I sailin on "inland" lake and have yet to see significant chop of waves on it. I might go some where, like to one of the Great Lakes where the significant stuff would be expected.

Welcome to the forum, and we look forward to getting to know you through you sharing.

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.