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.
A 4 cycle thumper needs a heavier flywheel than a 2 cycle since it only gets a power stroke every other revolution, and that will tend to smooth out the thumps.
I've used Johnsons/Evinrudes all my life.. with wonderful results. I'm thinkin I will continue with them, or at least look at them. Not just for the engine, but also for the support from the local dealer.
We have a Great Dealer/repair shop in Lynn Haven Florida... ( come to think of it I'll give them a call )
The Three I have are still running... it's just hard to feel secure going out with a 30 year old engine
Time to try a four stroke if they have worked out the bugs...
Anybody out there know anyone that has use the new Evinrude? ( 6hp )
Hello, I have a 2006 Mercury 6HP 4cycle long shaft on my Cat 25. I love it. It starts very easy (pull start) and has plenty of power for my sailing area. I sail on the Mississippi River near St Louis and we get much flooding and some crazy current at times. I have never felt underpowered, although many sailors have tried to convince me otherwise. So far this year I have sailed over 800 NM on the Mississippi and have used only 4 gallons of gas. Hopefully I'll still get a few more sails in before the end of the year, if the harbor doesn't freeze up again!!
I almost bought the 8 hp Nissan/Tohatsu, which I would have preferred, but we could not buy one with electric start AND 25" XL shaft. The electric start was for the admiral, but I very soon learned to absolutely love it. We ended up buying the Nissan version. Tohatsu would have been fine. On a C25, you will definitely want the 25" shaft. Briefly, I had our 5 hp 20" shaft Mercury on the boat. It was strong enough to get us in and out of the slip, but the shaft was so short that if someone went forward and I was in the cockpit, the prop would come partially out of the water. Also, it had a hard time once keeping us off the dock when the wind from astern wanted to blow us into the dock.
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
Good morning all, Just to continue the outboard talk. I have just (Jan.) bought a Cat 25 SR/FK. The boat has a 1984 8hp Nissan. It is pretty corroded and I am going to replace it. I got one of the diagrams showing how to measure shaft length. I just got back from the boat (cold and blowing hard up here) and measured the Nissan at 22-23". I was wondering if this is a L or XL shaft? I also want the controls in the cockpit. And elec start. I am leaning towards the Tohatsu 9.8 but am open on the brand. Merc only has a 20" with the remote controls. My sailing area is Narragansett Bay and think the 9.8 would be better. Looking for suggestions Jay
Jay South County RI Cat 25 SR/FK/Trad #5645 Wind Dancer
"L"ong shaft motors generally measure 22-23", and XLs measure 27-28". The 20" and 25" designations are for the maximum "transom height" on a motorboat so that when planing, the plate above the prop is in the water. (Obviously not the issue here.)
For the Narragansett (not to mention BuZzArD's BaY if you get over there), I believe you really want the XL. 8 hp is plenty if you have the right prop, but some makes don't offer everything you want below 9.8 or 9.9. (My Honda 8 was XL, high-thrust, electric start, with a long tiller and front-mounted shifter. Controlling it was easy--I would not have preferred remote controls in the C-25 cockpit. I never used full power on Long Island Sound.)
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
Hi Dave, thanks for getting back. My only thing with the remote controls was thinking about getting into the slip alone and having to reach back to control speed and reverse (if needed) while handling the tiller. I used to do it no problem in my younger days. Had a Ranger 22 with a 4 hp that had to be spun around for reverse. Not sure if I could do that these days. LOL Still boating out of Mystic? I had a mooring at NVBY, slip at Burrs and later on the Pawcatuck R. I should thing about an 8hp. Honda are nice, along with Zuke, Yammy and Merc, of course. Jay
Jay South County RI Cat 25 SR/FK/Trad #5645 Wind Dancer
Dave, just looked at the 8hp Honda online. They come with the 4 blade alum 10 X 6.5 'power thrust' or the 9.25 X 8 std. Is the 10" one that I would be looking for? Jay
Jay South County RI Cat 25 SR/FK/Trad #5645 Wind Dancer
Still in Mystic--the boat is at my condo above the bridges. (The operators know me well.)
The knock on Hondas and Yammies is weight... (and maybe price.) The Honda 8 is the same engine, except for the cam, as the 9.9, for a few boat units less. A Honda manufacturer's rep recommended the 8 to me over the 9.9 for a displacement hull--supposedly a little more torque. At that time, the high-thrust Yammie had a nice tiller-mounted shifter, but no manual start. That was a deal-breaker for me. Tohatsu/Nissan weren't around in 2002, Evinrude/Johnson were essentially out of business then, and Merc didn't offer an XL (and was way heavier). I'm not sure what I'd pick today... My current outboards are a 2 and a 225 (Hondas).
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
Dave, just looked at the 8hp Honda online. They come with the 4 blade alum 10 X 6.5 'power thrust' or the 9.25 X 8 std. Is the 10" one that I would be looking for?
Yup--that's what I had (and "Voyager" Bruce has now). The "standard" is for a planing boat like a small RIB. The power-thrust gives you great stopping power--often the Achilles heel of outboards.
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
I have a 1978 C-25 I purchased this winter in Oregon. It is a Seattle boat now. I am fairly new to the whole shebang so this Forum has been amazing! I purchased a new Motor mount from CD to hang my newish outboard on. 4 stroke-8 hs Honda Electric Start XL I think I have talked to enough people and measured enough times that I am ready to break out the drill and go for it. The boat is set up for a port side outboard. I am planning to use (6) 3/8 bolts. The mount didn't come with any thing much for specifications. Does it only need 4 bolts? Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.
Hi there 'new guy' Can't help with the bolting; but, Catalina is still up and running and may be worth a call. I haven't called them but have heard they still give good advise. Jay
Jay South County RI Cat 25 SR/FK/Trad #5645 Wind Dancer
Skeyknee - The CD mounts are made by Garhauer and many of our boats came with 2 spring Garhauer mount. You indicated that your boat is set up for a port mount and so I assume the reason you need to drill holes is because you want to install the mount on the starboard side ? Only reason I ask is because when I switched from the original 2 spring Garhauer and replaced it with a 4 spring Garhauer, the bolt holes were an identical match. I just slipped the new mount in place and bolt holes aligned perfectly.
Many put a piece of reinforcement starboard on the outside and some also on the inside of the transom to reinforce the transom against distorting. I installed starboard on the outside and had the CD SS reinforcement channels to reinforce the transom from the inside. However, I found that the channels with the holes pre-drilled in it, did not fit the holes/bolts that came thru to the inside. I wound up only using the starboard piece you see in the photo and did not use any reinforcement on the inside. My transom has not distorted and I have had the 4 spring mount with a Honda 9.9 4 stroke on there since ~ November 2005. I replaced the PO's older 4 stroke Honda with a new 4 stroke Honda around Jan 2006. In the photo, below, the line you see was a leftover from the PO - He used it to raise his 4 stroke wit the existing 2 spring mount. When I installed the 4 spring mount, I re-hooked up the line but it really is not needed. I guess my thought was that I did not need it to raise the outboard - The 4 springs were sufficient but I kept it on as a safety in case the motor fell off the mount. But that really is not needed since I have the locking levers captured in a channel lock and since they cannot move and the mounting plate has a SS edge that sticks out from the mounting plate sides, that lip/edge prevents the outboard from falling off. My website has a link that details the new mount installation.
Newguy, Yes 4 bolts hold it on. You didn't say as to what mount is on the boat now that you are replacing. If it is the Garhauer as in Larrys photo above then it is a direct replacement. The bolt holes are in the same place. As to the exact placement measurements, maybe someone on the forum can measure down from the rubrail and across from the centerline of their boat but you don't need them for a Garhauer/Garhauer swap. If your boat currently has a different make motormount more than likely your PO changed it from the original Garhauer mount that came from the factory. Look for the repaired holes and redrill them. Your new mount will fit them. The bolts go through the second hole in the mount from the top and bottom as in Larry's photo. A backing plate or large fender washers at the least is highly recommended.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
Welcome Stephen ("new guy")! Port side says you have about an '82 or earlier--the change was made some time around then or a little later. Two things about putting it on starboard: (1) The tiller handle is toward the center instead of the outside of the boat, which IMHO makes it easier to handle when maneuvering. (2) It's easier to install the mount from inside the quarterberth than inside the "dumpster"--I've been inside both places.
If you decide to move it, you can take the measurements from the original bracket (assuming an older Garhauer, as discussed above) and position the new one the same way on the other side. Then you just have the gas line and electric cable to re-route. (I can't advise on that--my boat always had the outboard on starboard.)
The primary stresses on the transom are outward on the top two bolts, and inward at the bottom of the mounting plates. I used a Starboard plate like that pictured, and a smaller piece with rounded corners and edges for the two upper bolts on the inside. The fiberglass liner is thinner than the hull, so some support there can't be a bad idea--maybe more important than the plate outside.
Stay in touch!
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
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.