Would like to hear from any Macgregor owner with a larger than 60hp outboard on a 26M - performance, fuel economy, specific model engine and prop, downsides etc. am considering installing Honda 75 Thanks - Capt Jim
Larger 75-90 hp outboatds on 26M
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Is that legal?
I thought any outboard-equpped boat carried a label from the manufacturer stating the largest HP engine allowed- or is that relevant on sail craft? I would guess at some point you will reach a point of diminishing returns on fuel economy vs. hull speed. I'm interested to hear if anyone else has put anything larger on than a 50.
I thought any outboard-equpped boat carried a label from the manufacturer stating the largest HP engine allowed- or is that relevant on sail craft? I would guess at some point you will reach a point of diminishing returns on fuel economy vs. hull speed. I'm interested to hear if anyone else has put anything larger on than a 50.
90HP
One of the couples in our club bought their 26M with a 90HP (Merc I think) outboard. I don't think they visit here. If you post your email address, I'll ask them if they want to share their experiences with it.
One of the couples in our club bought their 26M with a 90HP (Merc I think) outboard. I don't think they visit here. If you post your email address, I'll ask them if they want to share their experiences with it.
Larger Outboard
There isn't really all that much to be gained relative to cost going larger, although many folks have done it. I have found the 50HP Honda to be just fine. But if you really have to go bigger forget about the Honda 75, it is just too heavy for a 75 HP, there are other options with a much better power to weight ratio. There are a couple 90HP outboards available, I believe Tohatsu is one of them and they weigh in at around 315#, if bigger is better make sure it is also lighter. Those 70 & 75 HP engines are pretty much as heavy or in some cases heavier than the 90's As much as I like my Honda 50 in hindsight I may have bought a high thrust 60HP Yamaha for no other reason than it swings a 14 inch prop and a large diameter prop is what you need to push these big boats. I think the 60HP Yamaha weighs somewhere in the 240-260 # range. I tend lean towards the lighter engines and the Honda 50 is the lightest 4 stroke 50Hp out there, it is also a very reliable/dependable tried & true bullet proof engine so I am keeping it. But for someone with money to burn the 90 HP 2 stroke lightweigt engines are your next best bet. I have heard that they cruise faster at similar rpms to smaller engines but do not use much more gas since they are not working any harder. Those that have them (and I have heard from a few)swear by them, but I think they may be powerboaters at heart.
There isn't really all that much to be gained relative to cost going larger, although many folks have done it. I have found the 50HP Honda to be just fine. But if you really have to go bigger forget about the Honda 75, it is just too heavy for a 75 HP, there are other options with a much better power to weight ratio. There are a couple 90HP outboards available, I believe Tohatsu is one of them and they weigh in at around 315#, if bigger is better make sure it is also lighter. Those 70 & 75 HP engines are pretty much as heavy or in some cases heavier than the 90's As much as I like my Honda 50 in hindsight I may have bought a high thrust 60HP Yamaha for no other reason than it swings a 14 inch prop and a large diameter prop is what you need to push these big boats. I think the 60HP Yamaha weighs somewhere in the 240-260 # range. I tend lean towards the lighter engines and the Honda 50 is the lightest 4 stroke 50Hp out there, it is also a very reliable/dependable tried & true bullet proof engine so I am keeping it. But for someone with money to burn the 90 HP 2 stroke lightweigt engines are your next best bet. I have heard that they cruise faster at similar rpms to smaller engines but do not use much more gas since they are not working any harder. Those that have them (and I have heard from a few)swear by them, but I think they may be powerboaters at heart.
50 hp Honda
I have a 50 hp Honda on my M26, and Iam not getting enough speed under power, I had a Tach installed, to check the rpm's and I'am only getting 4000, I should be getting 5500, I think. The place where I bought, and had the motor installed, said I could go to a smaller prop, an 8 or 9", I have a 10" 4 blade and Iam only getting 9.8 mph with empty balast, I can't belive 1 or 2 inches in a prop would produce 9 more mph, what am I doing wrong? any suggestions? Thanks
I have a 50 hp Honda on my M26, and Iam not getting enough speed under power, I had a Tach installed, to check the rpm's and I'am only getting 4000, I should be getting 5500, I think. The place where I bought, and had the motor installed, said I could go to a smaller prop, an 8 or 9", I have a 10" 4 blade and Iam only getting 9.8 mph with empty balast, I can't belive 1 or 2 inches in a prop would produce 9 more mph, what am I doing wrong? any suggestions? Thanks
Larger Outboards
What speeds are all of you getting with 50, 60, 70, etc. horse OBs? Also, what're the best pitch/dia.props to use? I know the literature says the boat should hit 20-25 mph, but most of the posts I've read say 15-18 is typical. I'm looking for a 2005 or 2006 26M for sailing and for pulling my daughters on tubes or skiis.
What speeds are all of you getting with 50, 60, 70, etc. horse OBs? Also, what're the best pitch/dia.props to use? I know the literature says the boat should hit 20-25 mph, but most of the posts I've read say 15-18 is typical. I'm looking for a 2005 or 2006 26M for sailing and for pulling my daughters on tubes or skiis.
Engine RPM
Doesn't sound like you could pull skiiers or tubers at 9.8 MPH, and that's less than half the advertised speed with a 50 horse than the factory claims. Your prop is a lot like the gears in the differential in your car or sprockets on a bicycle. One inch in prop diameter can make a noticeable difference on a small engine. Regardless of prop size, you should still be able to reach max RPM's unless you've got some severe drag problems like the trailer still being attached under water. (Anyone else see that episode of "Myth Busters"?) You might have your mechanic check and make sure that your ignition advance is working properly, that would keep RPM's down, though I don't think by 1500. Too much or too little fuel can also keep you from reaching peak RPM's though you should hear or feel signs of fuel starvation. Pull your spark plugs and see if it looks like it's running too rich.
Doesn't sound like you could pull skiiers or tubers at 9.8 MPH, and that's less than half the advertised speed with a 50 horse than the factory claims. Your prop is a lot like the gears in the differential in your car or sprockets on a bicycle. One inch in prop diameter can make a noticeable difference on a small engine. Regardless of prop size, you should still be able to reach max RPM's unless you've got some severe drag problems like the trailer still being attached under water. (Anyone else see that episode of "Myth Busters"?) You might have your mechanic check and make sure that your ignition advance is working properly, that would keep RPM's down, though I don't think by 1500. Too much or too little fuel can also keep you from reaching peak RPM's though you should hear or feel signs of fuel starvation. Pull your spark plugs and see if it looks like it's running too rich.
manufacturer's recommended HP rating
"I thought any outboard-equpped boat carried a label from the manufacturer stating the largest HP engine allowed- or is that relevant on sail craft?" The Mac 26 has a "manufacturer's recommendation" of outboard horsepower, not a rating. Ratings are for boats 20' and under. If the legally prescribed "rating formula" was applied to the dimensions of a Mac 26 hull (which is not subject to the HP rating rules), that horsepower limit would exceed Macgregor's recommendation (50 hp) by about 200 more hp. Note that many of the 18-footer hulls that ARE regulated, carry ratings of 200+ hp. USCG Overview wrote: The rating of maximum power capacity became a matter of U.S. Federal Regulations in the mid-1970's following the adoption of the U.S. Boating Safety Act of 1971. This dictated that all outboard boats of less than 20 feet in length must carry a capacity plate stating the maximum number of passengers, maximum number of pounds for passengers and gear, and the maximum horsepower of the outboard that should be installed. For boats 20' and under, the regulation did not make it illegal for the operator to exceed the rated values, only that they were required to be stated on the boat's capacity plate. Exceeding the numbers was a matter of personal liability in case of an accident, and in some states, for additional violations, in the event on an on-water arrest (for other violations) by marina patrol.
"I thought any outboard-equpped boat carried a label from the manufacturer stating the largest HP engine allowed- or is that relevant on sail craft?" The Mac 26 has a "manufacturer's recommendation" of outboard horsepower, not a rating. Ratings are for boats 20' and under. If the legally prescribed "rating formula" was applied to the dimensions of a Mac 26 hull (which is not subject to the HP rating rules), that horsepower limit would exceed Macgregor's recommendation (50 hp) by about 200 more hp. Note that many of the 18-footer hulls that ARE regulated, carry ratings of 200+ hp. USCG Overview wrote: The rating of maximum power capacity became a matter of U.S. Federal Regulations in the mid-1970's following the adoption of the U.S. Boating Safety Act of 1971. This dictated that all outboard boats of less than 20 feet in length must carry a capacity plate stating the maximum number of passengers, maximum number of pounds for passengers and gear, and the maximum horsepower of the outboard that should be installed. For boats 20' and under, the regulation did not make it illegal for the operator to exceed the rated values, only that they were required to be stated on the boat's capacity plate. Exceeding the numbers was a matter of personal liability in case of an accident, and in some states, for additional violations, in the event on an on-water arrest (for other violations) by marina patrol.
Prop size & RPM
bill e, Look at your prop to see if the size is stamped on it, the first number is the diameter and the second one is pitch. The Honda can swing as much as a 12 inch prop but keep in mind that as diameter goes up pitch must come down. The 26Ms with Honda 50s around here are using a 3 X 12 X 10 - three blades, 12 inch diameter, 10 inch pitch. You can measure the diameter by measuring the radius from the center of the prop to the outer edge then multiply by 2. I am using a Solas Alcup 4 X 11.5 X 9.75 and I get about 18mph lightly loaded and much less with full ballast and loaded for a trip. Your Honda reaches it's full 50Hp @ 5750 RPM so you should strive for 5900 rpm without ballast, lightly loaded, so that when you are loaded and filled with ballast it will drop by about 300 rpm to 5600rpm. The last thing you want to do is go to a smaller diameter prop, 11.5 - 12 inches is as small as you want to go, perhaps the dealer meant a smaller pitch which is very advisable given your low RPMs, perhaps a 9 pitch would do it. These heavy boats require a large diameter prop with big dog ear blades to get them moving, the more surface area the blade has the more water it pushes and the more efficient the prop is. If you are going to sacrifice in size make the sacrifice in pitch not diameter. The main advantage of bigger outboards is the ability to swing a larger 14 inch diameter prop which helps move these heavy ballasted boats more efficiently.
bill e, Look at your prop to see if the size is stamped on it, the first number is the diameter and the second one is pitch. The Honda can swing as much as a 12 inch prop but keep in mind that as diameter goes up pitch must come down. The 26Ms with Honda 50s around here are using a 3 X 12 X 10 - three blades, 12 inch diameter, 10 inch pitch. You can measure the diameter by measuring the radius from the center of the prop to the outer edge then multiply by 2. I am using a Solas Alcup 4 X 11.5 X 9.75 and I get about 18mph lightly loaded and much less with full ballast and loaded for a trip. Your Honda reaches it's full 50Hp @ 5750 RPM so you should strive for 5900 rpm without ballast, lightly loaded, so that when you are loaded and filled with ballast it will drop by about 300 rpm to 5600rpm. The last thing you want to do is go to a smaller diameter prop, 11.5 - 12 inches is as small as you want to go, perhaps the dealer meant a smaller pitch which is very advisable given your low RPMs, perhaps a 9 pitch would do it. These heavy boats require a large diameter prop with big dog ear blades to get them moving, the more surface area the blade has the more water it pushes and the more efficient the prop is. If you are going to sacrifice in size make the sacrifice in pitch not diameter. The main advantage of bigger outboards is the ability to swing a larger 14 inch diameter prop which helps move these heavy ballasted boats more efficiently.
90 hp Merc?
Thanks - a1sailboats@comcast.net - I have been hearing more about the e-tec engins - Capt jim
Thanks - a1sailboats@comcast.net - I have been hearing more about the e-tec engins - Capt jim
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