Boat Trim with a 4 stroke motor

[Al]

I don't motor that much, but I sail mostly on rivers and I would like a little more umph than provided by the 5hp Tohatsu I am replacing. Looking at the 4 stroke motors above 6 horsepower, their weight seems to run about fifty to sixty pounds more than the 5hp Tohatsu. Hanging an extra sixty pounds off the motor mount has got screw up the boat trim unless it is compensated for. How are folks dealing with this?Al BeattieElseWhere

 

[Alan Long]

Move the battery(ies)

HiI too have a 23.5 with a 9.9 HP Honda.It does effect trim. I moved my two group 27 batteries to the opposite side of the boat. I installed a double battery box just aft of the sink in the storage area along the port side of the boat. It nicely offsets the weight of the motor. You'll definitly feel the additional weight when sailing, but the 4 stroke motor makes motoring so much more enjoyable. My boat sort of drags its tail now with all the weight in the rear due to the motor, batteries and all the stuff we store back there. I'm thinking of installing a water tank up in the bow storage area to offset the weight at the stern.