This is in response to the chat that has been going on about
replacement motors and transom cut-outs.
I re-powered my 1972 Catalina 27 over 4 years ago and revamped my
transom over 3 years ago. I have
a number of photos of this, and so as to not cause you downloading
problems, photos are at the following link:
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view.php?VEID=15802_iGtAwF1146160011fUZBOf&mesg=1
For those that have interest, the "saga" on this follows.
S/V STAARDANCER
Dave
Trace
RVicYC
250-472-2069
Motor:
The boat came with a 9.9 hp Honda electric start that was at the end of
its useful life. I replaced it
with an 8 hp Yamaha T8ELRB. This
is an electric start, remote control, no tiller on the motor and short
shaft. The reasons I
selected this motor were in order of preference the flush out system
(attach garden hose direct to motor when it is in the tilted position), the
high-thrust design including an open prop hub that in reverse puts lots
of water over the rudder, the electrical output (about 6 amps, same as the
Honda 9.9), and the good comments from owners at the marina. I did have some problems and after a
year exchanged it for a 2002 model which was the exact duplicate. That motor has been a
dream.
Initial problems:
There was a minor leak where the transom met the hull in the area of
the rudderpost. At the dock this
amounted to a few cups of water a week, more when using the motor. It seemed to me that the thrust of
modern motors was greater than the designers thought about in 1972. When motoring, the cowling of the
motor was almost in the water and under sail the prop would drag in the
water.
Modifications:
I discussed the problems with a local marine fibreglass person and
decided to haul the boat, raise the bottom of the cut out 3 to 4 inches, widen
the cut out 2 inches on each side and strengthen it all to meet the thrust of
the new motor. This would also
solve my slow leak. It resulted
in about 4 days on the hard and cost me $700 Cdn (back when the US Dollar
was worth something compared to the Canadian Dollar).
There would be modifications required on the transom locker cover. The previous owner had modified it for
the 9.9 Honda a cut out @ 10 x 10 with a 1 rise put over. This would not be sufficient for the
Yamaha after raising it 4. While
the fibreglass was done by a pro, I did the transom locker design mock-up
redesign re-mock-up redesign again and construction. I used the when handed lemons, make
lemonade, thought process
Results:
The motor not only installed 4 higher but also about an inch or two
back due to the slope of the transom.
This allowed me to adjust the vertical of the motor one click more to
the vertical than before without hitting the rudder and this resulted in
about a half-knot more speed at the same RPM. The cowling is no longer that close to
the water when motoring. The
propeller doesnt drag in the water.
The leak was fixed! Its
been 3+ years since the modification and I am 100% pleased with it.
The Yamaha high-thrust prop works very well when backing up. It is almost but not quite as
responsive as backing up a car. I
am amazed as the control I have in reverse. If you look at the photo's
you will see a home-made tiller that I thought would be good for emergency
turning. I have not had to use it in 4 years.
Transom Locker Modification:
The lemons to lemonade comment was made because of the usefulness of
the new transom locker. I made a
new seat about 14 wide and 10 deep, rising about 4 above the original. The top of the new seat is equal to
the transom gunwale. I had
to move the hinge from the transom locker to the top of the new seat in order
for it to work. The lemonade is
that when motoring I can sit on this new seat and see over the cabin
top. With my auto helm and remote
controls handy I have complete control while sitting back, quite comfortable
and reading a book.
Raising, Lowering and Flushing Yamaha:
Its
a long uncomfortable reach down into the motor locker to flip the lever to
lower the motor. Its really not
accessible when tilted in the up position unless you have an articulated
arm. It is accessible when in the normal operating position. I used a stainless steel hose clamp
around the lever to hold in a small cord. I pull this cord and the lever
releases so that I can lower the motor.
I took a webbing strap and fixed it to the rear of the motor
cowling. It is attached to the
boat and I use it to pull the motor to the tilt position. I have a buckle in the middle so that
I can detach the cowling from the boat when removing the motor.
