NEED HELP . LOOKING TO UPGRADE OUTBOARD. WHAT IS THE BEST HORSEPOWER AND SHAFT LENGTH FOR AN ODAY 19.2 WE DO OUR SAILING IN THE DELAWARE RIVER --- VERY STRONG TIDES.
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Motor size for O'day 192
I read an article by a marine surveyor who said he looks for 2 horsepower for every 1000lbs of displacement. Using that rule, a 192 with a couple people aboard would need between 3 and 4 horsepower. You want a long shaft for convenience. A lot of people say that they want more power because of currents and it always leaves me scratching my head. Once you have enough power to push the boat to hull speed, you are going as fast through the water as you are going to get. If the water happens to be moving the opposite direction, it is going to take longer to get where you want to go - more power isn't going to help. Headwinds, however, are another matter. I am using a Honda 2hp on my 192 and it will push the boat at 5 knots in light air, but has a tough time reaching 4 knots into a 15 knot headwind. If I was going to buy a new motor for my 192, I think I'd look first at the new Tohatsu 3.5 hp. long shaft. It is about 20 lbs. lighter than the the 4hp, which shares mechanicals with the 6hp. If there isn't already, there should be Nissan and Mercury labeled variants of the 3.5 hp motor shortly.
I read an article by a marine surveyor who said he looks for 2 horsepower for every 1000lbs of displacement. Using that rule, a 192 with a couple people aboard would need between 3 and 4 horsepower. You want a long shaft for convenience. A lot of people say that they want more power because of currents and it always leaves me scratching my head. Once you have enough power to push the boat to hull speed, you are going as fast through the water as you are going to get. If the water happens to be moving the opposite direction, it is going to take longer to get where you want to go - more power isn't going to help. Headwinds, however, are another matter. I am using a Honda 2hp on my 192 and it will push the boat at 5 knots in light air, but has a tough time reaching 4 knots into a 15 knot headwind. If I was going to buy a new motor for my 192, I think I'd look first at the new Tohatsu 3.5 hp. long shaft. It is about 20 lbs. lighter than the the 4hp, which shares mechanicals with the 6hp. If there isn't already, there should be Nissan and Mercury labeled variants of the 3.5 hp motor shortly.
I wouldn't go any larger than a 6 hp with a longshaft for the 192. I've been using Johnson Sailmasters 8 Hps on my O'Day 222, and have had great luck them. The one I have now is a two stroke 1999 model with the shift in front of the engine and an alternator for charging the house battery. If you have drawbridges where you sail in the river, you want something that's going to be dependable, and it doesn't hurt to have those extra horses when you need them. So, I'd say a 6 hp longshaft will work fine on your boat for most cruising and power situations that are needed for your area. If you go to a four stroke, you may have to install a stronger transom bracket for the extra weight of the engine. Good luck Bob! Joe
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