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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Connecting Motor Battery Cable

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DSherwood
Deckhand

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USA
8 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/22/2017 : 09:49:27

I bought a new Honda 8 HP motor for my Catalina 25. Is there an elegant way to connect the battery cable through the transom such that it is not difficult to remove the motor next winter? Thanks.

DES

ParaDocks
Deckhand

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USA
7 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2017 : 11:47:48

They are called SB connectors. There are many types but one company is Anderson. You will need a male and female housing and four contacts to crimp on. Be sure and get two waterproof boots and two dust covers. You can order them to the size of wire you are using.
I had to resize my wire to a bigger amperage when I got a new Honda outboard. I attached mine on the outside about six inches from the stern. I take my motor off every winter to store it in my garage.
They are a quick disconnect and waterproof.

Jim D
"ParaDocks"
1990 C25 TR/WK
#6004

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2017 : 11:56:30

I use a trolling motor plug/receptacle. 30 amps is adequate of capacity for starting loads. Check my Pearl's Bits and Pieces album.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3994 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2017 : 12:30:51

First off, Is this for an electric start or just a pull start with an alt. Battery charger?

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

DSherwood
Deckhand

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USA
8 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2017 : 11:23:54

Electric start.

DES

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2017 : 14:31:24

How often do you plan to disconnect and reconnect? If weekly or monthly, then a trolling motor outlet might make sense. If annually, then I'd avoid the external connection. It was annual for me, so I ran the Honda cable through a rubber boot over a hole in the transom, in to a pair of studs mounted toward the rear of the quarterberth. (I put a little hole in the bottom of the boot for drainage.) Another cable with ring terminals went from there to a battery switch on the sink cabinet by the companionway, and from there to the battery. To remove the motor, I had to crawl into the quarterberth and unscrew two wing nuts, but it was about as simple as it could get and avoided the elements. (I think Bruce Ross, current owner, changed it up...)

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5239 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2017 : 20:29:16

Nope, no way Dave. I kept that connection intact. I use it every Spring and Fall.
I did change up the rotary switch following the accidental blowup of my Honda engine voltage regulator. And added heavier motor wiring plus a 60A fuse.

In addition to the motor cables, I still use the boot for the stern navigation light and the spare VHF radio antenna lead.

The boot is really the best way to keep rain and surf out of the quarterberth.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

DSherwood
Deckhand

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USA
8 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2017 : 09:29:42

Dave, I'm not able to visualize the boot and how it's installed.

quote:
Originally posted by Stinkpotter

How often do you plan to disconnect and reconnect? If weekly or monthly, then a trolling motor outlet might make sense. If annually, then I'd avoid the external connection. It was annual for me, so I ran the Honda cable through a rubber boot over a hole in the transom, in to a pair of studs mounted toward the rear of the quarterberth. (I put a little hole in the bottom of the boot for drainage.) Another cable with ring terminals went from there to a battery switch on the sink cabinet by the companionway, and from there to the battery. To remove the motor, I had to crawl into the quarterberth and unscrew two wing nuts, but it was about as simple as it could get and avoided the elements. (I think Bruce Ross, current owner, changed it up...)

DES

Edited by - DSherwood on 05/26/2017 09:30:13

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5239 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2017 : 12:42:11

You can see a picture of the boot on the outside of the transom in this photo...
https://flic.kr/p/8tMxQt
On the left you'll see the SS boarding ladder, and on the right above the engine mount and starboard mounting plate you'll see a black circle with some wires leading up to the stern pulpit. That black thing is a rubber boot that covers a hole drilled through the transom. The boot keeps green water out of the quarterberth in a following sea or if I get pooped.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

DSherwood
Deckhand

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USA
8 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2017 : 06:00:05

Thanks Bruce. I see the motor is not mounted, so it must be you can disconnect the cable at the motor, right? That's part of my problem. The cable into the motor is permanently connected, so I have to disconnect on the end going toward the battery. Honda recommends Battery Distribution Cluster - Single Outboard Motor, 33200-ZY3-000AH (http://marine.honda.com/parts/accessories/categories/battery-management), but these must be mounted internally. The battery cables come with terminal connectors, and Honda recommends not cutting the cables (I hope to follow their recommendation). So the problem is to have a hole in the transom that can be well sealed but big enough to let the large battery cable with terminal connectors through in spring and fall. I'm now leaning toward a combination of rubber grommets through each wall of the transom covered by the boot that was recommended.

DES

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2017 : 08:32:06

My C25 had a small hole in the transom under a small metal vent hood about where the removable wood inspection cover inside is located, done by a PO. I did not remove the motor unless absolutely necessary, so the wires from the motor were caulked at the hole.
They connected to two extension wires that ran under the quarterberth to the battery compartment. I was going to add the trolling motor receptacle to the stern and plug the hole but sold the boat before doing it.

DavidP
1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52
PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess"
Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2017 : 12:09:48

quote:
Originally posted by DSherwood

Thanks Bruce. I see the motor is not mounted, so it must be you can disconnect the cable at the motor, right? That's part of my problem. The cable into the motor is permanently connected...

I think you're seeing the two other wires he mentions above. His Honda 8 has non-removable cables, too. A clam-shell cover would make feeding and removing the heavy motor cable difficult without removing the cover. The boot makes it easy--just push or pull one connector at a time. The tiny amount of rain or sea water that can enter the boot around the cable seemed to drain out of the small hole I put on the bottom.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5239 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2017 : 22:27:20

So yes I fish the Honda 8 cables through the boot and it's a pretty snug fit. Once the terminals are inside the quarterberth, I connect them to the connector block. The cables from the battery terminate there with ring terminals, so I just slip the Honda cable ring terminals over the two posts (red for positive, black for negative), twist on the wingnuts and viola, the engine is hooked up once again. The terminal blocks look sorta something like this, but mine's a duplex with two studs. This illustration is a single.
Terminal Block.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1739 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2017 : 19:11:20

As I have a 1980 version with the motor mount on the port side . . . . . I run the electrical cable through the vent into the dumpster and have a hook-up there for the engine to battery. As I only connect/disconnect annually that does the trick.

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

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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.