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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

outboard motor bracket

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archimedes
Deckhand

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8 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/05/2018 : 13:17:25

Hello,
I've got a C25 with a 9.9hp outboard.

The motor bracket I have makes it almost impossible to lift the motor up out of the water. I don't know why but it doesn't seems to provide any lifting assistance.

I'm shopping for a new motor bracket and there are a lot of choices. They all seem to be geared toward motor boats. Any particular model or feature that I should look for? There's a huge price difference from the cheapest to the most expensive, but they all seem to do the same thing.

Thanks

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2018 : 14:13:29

12 years ago we got a new bracket from Catalina Direct, for our Merc 8hp...all I ever need to do is spray it w/ some WD40 a few times a year. It still takes some strength and an understanding of the best technique, but we've been happy w/ it.

Jerry

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2018 : 16:02:30

Outboard motors are built in a variety of weights and shaft lengths. A mount designed for a heavier motor will have more lifting power, such as double springs. Mounts also are built with varying amounts of travel. A mount with more travel immerses the prop deeper.

If you tell our members the make, model, weight and shaft length of your motor, someone with the same motor might be able to recommend a suitable mount based on his own experience.

Otherwise, Catalina Direct might be able to give you guidance. Or, a manufacturer might be able to point you to a good choice for your motor.

My friend bought one mount and found it didn't have enough travel, so he bought one with more travel, but found that the springs were too weak to lift his heavy motor. He gave up and is making do with the second one. Get reliable advice from someone and get the right one the first time, even if you have to pay more for it.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4018 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2018 : 16:43:58

Get the right one that was made for the boat.https://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/707_84/outboard-motor-mount-four-spring.cfm

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

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3440 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2018 : 03:20:51

There were many C25s that originally had outboard brackets designed to lift 2 stroke outboards and many 2 stroke outboards were way lighter than 4 stroke outboards. As time passed, many owners went to 4 stroke outboards. While there are some lighter weight 4 strokes, the Hondas, Yamahas, etc weighed approximately 20 lbs heavier than the 2 strokes and so owners of those outboards, many replaced their outboard brackets with brackets that were designed to lift heavier outboards. Garhauer was a major producer of the brackets for C25s and had a 2 spring, 3 spring and 4 spring bracket to accommodate the varied weight of the outboards commercially available. However, not all C25s had Garhauer brackets.

Catalina Direct sells Garhauer brackets. At the time I replaced my 2 spring bracket with same configuration Garhauer bracket but with 4 springs for my Honda 4 stroke, the decision point for me was that since it was basically the same bracket as my original Garhauer bracket, the holes in the transom should and did match up. That simplified installation. Catalina Direct use to have (and may still have) a table on their outboard bracket page that indicates which spring model to buy based on the weight of the outboard. The Hondas and Yamahas were over 100 lbs and so the 4 spring model was recommended. For a 80-85 lb outboard, that 2 spring version was more suitable. The concern is that if not sized correctly, your outboard will either be extremely hard to lift up or you may not be able to lower the outboard sufficiently by hand to lock it in position.

If your only issue is lifting power to get the outboard out of the water and you do have a Garhauer bracket, then the easiest solution is to purchase another Garhauer bracket with the appropriate number of springs from Catalina Direct. If you do not have a Garhauer bracket, presently, well then you may want to check out what bracket you do have and if the mfr is still in business, if they have a similar bracket with addl springs. If the holes in your transom will not be able to be used regardless of what bracket you wind up installing, due to your bracket mfr no longer in business or changed the design, well then you might as well go with Catalina Direct's Garhauer bracket since many C25s have this bracket and if purchased with the appropriate springs and located on the transom, appropriately, it should serve you well.

Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

Edited by - OLarryR on 09/07/2018 03:25:02

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2018 : 09:02:45

Conversely, be aware a few people here have complained that their brackets had too much lifting power, meaning to get the motor all the way down and latched, they literally had to step on it, and it was hard to unlatch from the down position without again stepping on the motor. Catalina Direct's Garhauer bracket is available with 2, 3 or 4 springs--they can tell you the best choice for your motor. That bracket also has just about the longest vertical travel on the market, and is therefore very good for the extra-long (25") shaft motors that are recommended for the C-25.

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

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 09/07/2018 09:03:34

archimedes
Deckhand

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8 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2018 : 11:39:09

Thanks for the replies, and helpful info.

I am not sure who manufactured my mount, but I do know it only has one spring for my 9.9 Honda 4 stroke 20" shaft outboard, making it very difficult to lift. I would imagine it is original like everything else on the boat.

I may at some point buy a 25" extra long shaft (6hp?) outboard so it's good to know that there is a mount with 17" of travel - I didn't know they existed. All the ones I have looked at online have had a travel of about 9 - 11 inches. Doesn't seem like very much for a sailboat.

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1773 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2018 : 18:40:56

FWIW -- the first season with Limerick I went from a 2 stroke Johnson to a four stroke Tohatsu and changed the bracket from a two spring to three spring (the recommended one for engine weight) I bought the bracket - Garhauer -- through Catalina Direct and all mounting holes were the same so it was a very simple swap. And yes, their are two adjustments, one -- the top -- is @9 inches and the lower is @17 inches.

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.