1976 Hunter 25 outboard options

[Rayallyn]

I have a Hunter 25ft. which has a 4hp Johnson 2 stroke. I am planning on traveling the ICW in the fall and was thinking about the Nissan 6hp extra long shaft with a battery charger. The previous owner claims that the 4hp was plenty of horse power but I am concerned that the 6hp maybe insufficient for the trip.

Does anyone have a Hunter in this size with 6hp or less that has experience using the engine cruising in head winds and current? Using calculations of 2hp per 1000 lb. of displacement which this hunter has 4600/4400 lbs comes out to a 9hp but I don't like the weight factor of a 9hp engine on my stern.

 

[Clark]

The folks who boat our 1983 Cal 25-2 put a Tohatsu 8 hp EL (has alternator) on it when the old Honda crapped out. That is a very nice, quiet motor with plenty of umph. They got it with the standard prop and it works great in an inland lake. If I were concerned about power, I'd get it with a different prop or the 9.9 HP version.

 

[Rick Webb]

Six is Enough

I'd be tempted to go with an 8 hp motor as it runs smoother with two cylinders vs the one. It is going to be an extra 30# about a third more than the 6 though.

http://www.onlineoutboards.com/Tohatsu-6-hp-Outboards.html

 

[s sauer]

I had a 79 Hunter 25 shoal draft and a 9.9 with electric start for several years; 4 is definately too little; 6 is probably not much better; eight or 9.9 much better.

 

[jerseywaters]

We have a Hunter 26.5 with 9.9 Nissan

Hi - we are in the Raritan Bay, NJ. Lots of wind, currents and wake from barges and boats. We have a 4 stroke 9.9 outboard. We would not get by with less than this for our boat. Hope this helps.

 

[Lpenrose]

Just brought a 25.5 700 miles on outboard power

I just brought a Hunter 25.5 700 miles from Mobile to Chattanooga. It came with an 8 hp 2 stroke Tohatsu. I used that as a spare and bought a 9.9 Evinrude electric start (still 2 stroke). The electric start is waaay better than jerking on a rope + it charged the batteries. It also added an extra 0.75 knots at about the same fuel consumption. The 8 hp would be fine for getting out of the marina but not for moving me down the water ways. Anything smaller would be inconceivable for motoring. Right now I'd like to sell them both and get a quieter 4 stroke electric start.

 

[Barry14722]

I would recommend a Yamaha 8 HP high thrust, if you can afford it. I have a Nissan 9.8 on my Hunter 25 and I hate it. The 9.8 does not give enough thrust and the boat is under powered when the sea kicks up and you are battling wind and current. My Hunter 25 weighs in at about 4300 lbs with motor and gear.

 

[Rayallyn]

Hello,
I now have a Hunter Cherubini 27 with 8hp Yanmar diesel so the problem with the outboard is no longer an issue. I won the boat on ebay and went down today to give a once more go over. It needs a couple thousand in work to bring it up to bristol standards but winning this boat at less than two thousand was one of those I don't believe it type of things that happen once in a great while. The brokerage and owners were very disappointed that the boat didn't bring at least $5000.00 but the listing ended Sunday after the 4th of July and it seems people were not bidding that much during the holiday week end.