Now that I have your attention, the question is related to outboards.
On my vintage sailboat, aux power is an outboard going out through a
well in the lazarette. Currently a steeenkin 2-stroke 15hp Johnson, I'd
like to replace it with one of those sweet Honda 9.9hp 4-strokes.
Currently the Johnson in place is a 15in shaft. Any comments positive
or negative with respect to putting in a 25in Honda?

prodigal1 wrote:
Now that I have your attention, the question is related to outboards. On
my vintage sailboat, aux power is an outboard going out through a well
in the lazarette. Currently a steeenkin 2-stroke 15hp Johnson, I'd like
to replace it with one of those sweet Honda 9.9hp 4-strokes. Currently
the Johnson in place is a 15in shaft. Any comments positive or negative
with respect to putting in a 25in Honda?

I would only buy a long shaft if required. I wonder how much of the
shaft in your current motor is underwater? Most sailboats do need a
long shaft when mounted on the transom...but yours may sit low enough
already.

On Wed, 06 Jul 2005 19:46:10 GMT, Don White
wrote:

prodigal1 wrote:
Now that I have your attention, the question is related to outboards. On
my vintage sailboat, aux power is an outboard going out through a well
in the lazarette. Currently a steeenkin 2-stroke 15hp Johnson, I'd like
to replace it with one of those sweet Honda 9.9hp 4-strokes. Currently
the Johnson in place is a 15in shaft. Any comments positive or negative
with respect to putting in a 25in Honda?

I would only buy a long shaft if required. I wonder how much of the
shaft in your current motor is underwater? Most sailboats do need a
long shaft when mounted on the transom...but yours may sit low enough
already.

That's true, but if you wish to transfer the motor to a tender, that
should be part of your choice. The tender's transom and its intended
use (and in what shoal waters) would contribute to your decision as to
shaft length.

I have a Honda 9.9 4 stroke on a 10 foot Zodiac RIB (i.e. fairly heavy
and solid). The shaft has a Doel fin and the shaft is 26 inches. The
thing is driven well enough by the Honda (which is 20 years old at
least) to get on the plane and make 18-20 knots with a large man (me)
in it.

Needless to say I like it and if you change the oil and keep the carb
clean and the sparks unfouled, I've found it very reliable. I also use
the magneto to charge a Harley AGM motorcycle battery, which I use to
power nav lights on the Zodiac.

R.

In article ,
prodigal1 wrote:

Now that I have your attention, the question is related to outboards.

Oh, could it have been about anything different on *this* list?

On my vintage sailboat, aux power is an outboard going out through a
well in the lazarette. Currently a steeenkin 2-stroke 15hp Johnson, I'd
like to replace it with one of those sweet Honda 9.9hp 4-strokes.
Currently the Johnson in place is a 15in shaft. Any comments positive
or negative with respect to putting in a 25in Honda?

If the Johnson was okay, then a short Honda will do you well.

If you were going to a similar 15 HP motor, I'd say to go for the
sailboat (high thrust) prop and gearing, which might require the longer
leg.

If you want absolutely maximum reserve power, go for the thrust even if
it requires the longer leg as the additional drag will be minimal with
your keel.

If, on the third hand, you can actually retract the Johnson into the
well when it's not in use, you may have to make a decision.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Jere Lull wrote:

If, on the third hand, you can actually retract the Johnson into the
well when it's not in use, you may have to make a decision.

Well this would be the ideal situation. The boat was originally spec'd
to have an 8hp short shaft that would retract into the lazarette with a
sleeve that would lower down to cover the well opening. I'd like to
recreate this rig, but the issue is not being able to get a remote
start/throttle/shift kit for the smaller Honda motors.

I have the 9.9 Yamaha 4-stroke long shaft on my 22 foot sailboat. The longer shaft
gives me more latitude in getting the prop deep enough in the water for rough seas.
I'm using it in conjunction with a Garelick spring loaded mount, which is large enough
for me to also raise the engine high enough to tilt it out of the water. I think this is a
better choice for most sailboats, unless you plan to move it around to other things, like a dinghy,
where weight becomes an issue.

Sherwin D.

prodigal1 wrote:

Now that I have your attention, the question is related to outboards.
On my vintage sailboat, aux power is an outboard going out through a
well in the lazarette. Currently a steeenkin 2-stroke 15hp Johnson, I'd
like to replace it with one of those sweet Honda 9.9hp 4-strokes.
Currently the Johnson in place is a 15in shaft. Any comments positive
or negative with respect to putting in a 25in Honda?

sherwindu wrote:
I have the 9.9 Yamaha 4-stroke long shaft on my 22 foot sailboat. The longer shaft
gives me more latitude in getting the prop deep enough in the water for rough seas.

That's a lot of push for a small boat, but I'll bet it comes in handy!
Mine's a 28 and she doesn't hobby-horse much in a swell, I think I've
only ever gotten the prop out of the water once. One issue that I'm
thinking might be lessened is the backdrafting of exhaust. Currently
there's a lot of it that comes to the surface immediately behind the
prop and this gets back-drafted through the well into the lazarette.
I'm thinking that with a longer shaft and the through-prop exhaust that
things aren't going to stink as much.

I'm using it in conjunction with a Garelick spring loaded mount, which is large enough
for me to also raise the engine high enough to tilt it out of the water. I think this is a
better choice for most sailboats, unless you plan to move it around to other things, like a dinghy,
where weight becomes an issue.

No it's going to sit where it is. I've got a little electric trolling
motor for the dinghy.

prodigal1 wrote:
Now that I have your attention, the question is related to outboards.
On my vintage sailboat, aux power is an outboard going out through a
well in the lazarette. Currently a steeenkin 2-stroke 15hp Johnson, I'd
like to replace it with one of those sweet Honda 9.9hp 4-strokes.
Currently the Johnson in place is a 15in shaft. Any comments positive
or negative with respect to putting in a 25in Honda?

For starters, HP rating methods have changed & if it's an older Johnson
that is less-than-new condition and rated at the flywheel, there will
not be a great difference in prop HP from the new 9.9 that is rated at
the prop.

How much have you sailed the boat in a seaway for observation, and how
much motoring might you have to do? Small sailboats equipped with
o/b's in a well or on a lowering bracket often don't place the prop low
enough for reliable motoring in swells, though some do. Depending upon
your personal attitude or need toward motoring, if it were mine I'd
have the longest shaft and live with the drag unless I knew her to keep
a shorter shaft's prop deep enough for the conditions I run into. I
also wouldn't think of swapping a 9.9 4-stroke for tender use because
it's just too damned heavy & risky to move back/forth under most
practical conditions. YMMV & I feel it primarily depends on how deeply
your particular well & stern design carries the motor, how she pitches,
and whether you may need it in unfavorable conditions, such as when you
cannot claw off a lee shore with the sails alone, or have to get the
hell home in upwind with bad things starting to happen. The strength
of the well mount may also be a side factor as a longer shaft exerts
more torque.

But torque is cheap. :-)

Frank

Hi;
I would like to try to persuade you to look at the smallest engine that
will push your boat at hull speed. Everyone wants to buy a 15 when a 4
might do the job, as in a Catalina 22. I know all the arguments. No,
you don't need the extra power. You sacrifice a lot with a bigger
engine. And you will not be using an engine in "rough seas", you will
be sailing. Those who say differently have never been in rough seas.

Smaller engines have less weight, use less fuel. Easier to put away,
easier for everything. Cheaper.

I would also like to comment on your use of the well. I see many people
using a transom mounted bracket in boats that have wells. A couple of
comments:
The well allows better access to the controls. I see many boats around
here that I can't figure out how they plan to slow the thing down if
necessary. I see many people climbing out over the transom to get to
the throttle. Pretty dumb.
Often the transom isn't as strong in a boat such as a Catalina 27, as
is necessary to use a bracket. But it's done all the time.
No one has ever dropped an engine over the side using a well.

The Honda is a fine engine, stick with the shaft length that's needed.
More isn't better. A six horse is a lot of power. Try a four before
you buy.

My two cents worth.
Jim

prodigal1 wrote:

Now that I have your attention, the question is related to outboards. On
my vintage sailboat, aux power is an outboard going out through a well
in the lazarette. Currently a steeenkin 2-stroke 15hp Johnson, I'd like
to replace it with one of those sweet Honda 9.9hp 4-strokes. Currently
the Johnson in place is a 15in shaft. Any comments positive or negative
with respect to putting in a 25in Honda?

Jim wrote:

The Honda is a fine engine, stick with the shaft length that's needed.
More isn't better. A six horse is a lot of power. Try a four before
you buy.

Yes I agree about engine size. We don't need the 15hp that came with
the boat. Getting a motor smaller than a 9.9 is not possible because I
don't think I can get an external starter/throttle/shift kit with
anything smaller than a 9.9. Currently I have the pull starter rigged
into the cockpit from the well which suits me fine, but the Admiral, who
is shorter than me has great difficulty reaching into the lazarette from
the cockpit to get at the choke. In rough conditions, this is not only
inconvenient but unsafe as well.