Hunter 26 Engine Recommendations

[BrianW]

Hi all, I'm a first-time sailboat owner and just bought a '94 Hunter 26. She's a great boat, but came without an engine. I would appreciate any recommendations about what I should buy. Brand preferences, new vs. used (limited funding), 2-stroke vs. 4-stroke,long shaft vs. extra long shaft, 8 HP vs. 9.9 HP, any other info. Thanks in advance!

 

[john]

I would definitely recomment a long shaft ob

Either an 8 or 9.9 would do. I also would look for one with an alternator for battery charging. As far as brand is concerned....to me they are all the same. What really matters is how well you take care of it. I have engines in my basement that date back to the 1950s that will start on the first pull...I take care of them. Two stroke vs. 4 stroke. Price wise you find the 2 strokes cheaper. They are less environmentally friendly, but work just fine. They also weigh less per hp.Good luck...btw...make sure you lock whatever you put on the boat and tighten the transom screws very tight....many an ob is at the bottom of the drink!

 

[Don s/v Tellico]

and remote controls...

are really nice. Reaching around to push/pull the old fashion gear shift on the back is NOT a good way to handle this boat. It's an option for many motors but, IMHO, a real necessity on this boat (my father has same model as you with a Tohatsu 8.)Or, many of the newer outboards have throtter/gear ship in the throttle handle itself. (I've seen the Mercury at West Marine.) That would work with an tiller extension.Consider carefully how you will shit and throttle the engine while handline the rudder and perhaps docking, etc. Easier is better and safer.

 

[Michael7968]

Second the remote control

Just put one on my 94 and it is very, very nice.

 

[abe]

Becareful with 2 strokes, the environmentalist

are making it more difficult to use them in freshwater lakes. Can't use them in many California lakes.abe

 

[alan]

Add electric trim/tilt/starting and well...

...we may have gone over your budget. I have a '91 Johnson 2stroke 8hp 20" shaft Sail Master with 4 amp charging (unregulated). The charging is absolutely needed especially if you navigate at night. When I killed the battery, was able to still sail as the motor was able to power the lights. Get the most powerful charging system you can. If the 25"/28" shaft is available I would get it as the offset motor can suck air in a chop. HOWEVER the 20" works well AND is not the first thing to hit bottom as the 25"/28" might be (new prop needed = wreaked day). The noise from older 2 stokes is annoying, newer ones are better but still have some smoke and guzzel fuel. They are cheap, light, simple and can run forever on minimal maintenace. Less complicated than model airplane motors, well maybe a slight exageration. Some inland lakes may have banned them? Four strokes are quiet gas sippers but overwieght. I would get one if I needed a new motor. Let me tell ya that bending over to lift that puppy out of the water wfhen sailing is the biggest pain of all. Horrible if you have a bad back. Electric trim/tilt is the ticket! To take maximal advantage, make sure your motor can be tilted all the way up, some don't fit. You may need remote controls as the tiller can get in the way depending on the motor. There is also a commercially available linkage between the motor and rudder. makes MOST but not all manuvers easier. Rudder + vectored thrust means you can "turn on a dime", just make sure it has a quick disconnect and allows close to full rudder movement. It's a pain but a small one to quickly bend down and adjust controlls and direction of the outboard. I think the difference here would be less noticeable with a tiller than a wheel. The 8hp will drive you under normal conditions (3ft waves 15 knot winds) as fast as you want to go and to hull speed. A 15 hp motor (some have used on a 26 w/o damage) will drive you a tad faster (really just a tad as hull speed is for all practical purposes a wall on these vessels) but with severe winds and chop will still get you to hull speed where an 8 might not. Different manufacturers may have their 15's as just tweaked 9.9's (lower weight).So, what would I buy in order of preference:0. no charging capability = no deal1. four stroke 2. electric trim/tilt3. 9.9/15 hp4. electric start5. linked to rudder6. remote controls7. the 25"/28" shaft.The first three are the most important in my mind. New vs. used, well new is not always dependable. My boat and therefore motor was used and it works well with few problems that I was able to fix "at sea". If the price is right or your best bud has a creampuff, go for the used one! alan

 

[Rick Webb]

If You Go New Compare to These Guys

I would definitly go with the 25" shaft and no higher than 9.9 hphttp://www.onlineoutboards.com/m_tech_info.html#

 

[BrianW]

25" Shaft-Bottom

I've been told by a friend that I'm "bottom awareness challenged". On a 25" shaft, will the motor hit bottom first on a H26?

 

[Rick Webb]

Measure It

From the top of the motor mount down to the bottom of the rudder I am sure the rudder is longer but it is easy to check.

 

[alan]

Clarification , do we really need it? (come on guys!)

The rudder and swing keel of course go much deeper than the motor. BUT, many of us need to kick up the rudder (3.5 ft) and lift the keel (6 ft) in order to get to marinas and anchorages. When manuvering in reverse (or foward where there are rocks), it's not good to find the bottom with the motor (expensive). alan

 

[crazy dave condon]

let the master speak

I guess in over all the years of the 26 and 260, I have placed nearly 250 motors. Long shaft which is 20 inches is standard and 25 is nice but concern is for dragging or hitting something when on trailer and traveling. The maximum motor rated is for 10 hp. When I hear 15 hp, I say you are nuts as I have seen the results of damage using that engine. Good tie rod to engine is by E-Z steer for steering motor while steering and that rod has a quick release.. Anything else,

 

[Rick Webb]

I Could Use the Additional 5"

I mean my shaft.No, I mean the outboard length on the boat.Down here most all the marinas I know of are deep enough and the bottom is soft. You can always tilt it up to get more room underneath.

 

[Rick Webb]

Another Consideration for Brand

I do not think there is a significant difference between brands. Especially since so many are relabled Tohatsu motors. Look around at what dealers are there to make getting parts and service easier. I have a 2 stroke Mercury on my boat and a feature that I would not want to do without is the grip shift. The new line of Mercury 4 strokes have the same setup. The throttle shifts the motor from forward to reverse by twisting the the throttle. I can manuver the boat in real tight spots with one hand on the motor and one on the tiller and shift gears without reaching for the shift rod. If you are going to go with seperate controls this is not an issue.

 

[George H260]

H26 Outboard

Great comments from everyone; especially Alan from NY; I'd put electric start ahead of electric tilt in priority. I guess it depends on how strong your back is. The only other thing I'd add is that some motors don't have a tiller handle. Dealers will tell you it does not need one. I had a rudder snap clean in half during a jibe. It was no problem getting home because I still had the rudder post tied to the motor; however, it occured to me during that long ride that if my steering cables had come undone, and I did not have a motor tiller, how would I steer the boat? As noted, you have to remember to raise the motor on a 25" shaft when pulling the boat out, but if you forget, all you get is a little scraped paint on the skeg.

 

[BrianW]

Thanks and one last question...

Thanks for y'alls help. One last question and am set (for now). Do engines with remote control for gear shift, throttle and electric start come with tiller steering or do they have also remote steering? I definitely need tiller type engine steering but it would be nice to have the other remote controls. Thanks again!

 

[George H260]

H26 Outboard

My Evinrude has a tiller and remote controls. I assume that is pretty standard. If the remote controls fail, I can still use the controls on the motor handle.

 

[Don s/v Tellico]

Generally don't steer the motor...

Yes, most outboards can be rigged with remote throttle/shift, and also with remote start/kill if you want it. Remote steering is a separate issue completely, which does not apply to your boat as you don't have a wheel.There is a separate parts kit that you order from the motor manuf (e.g., Honda, Tohatsu, etc.), and a remote gear box. Entire kit gets connected, just note where you want to mount your shifter and measure for cables, generally the shortest. So, you can actually start with the outboard, use it for a while, and add remote shift/throttle later. That's what we just did to my dad's boat. But, I think that the new motors with the throttle/shifter in the tiller handle itself are really a good compromise and save you a little $. Go to West Marine and look at their outboards in stock. You will see what we're talking about.Do some research here and/or post another question about mounting a remote shifter for an outboard on a H26. Think long and hard about where you want to mount the shifter, lots of places.Crazy Dave (the godfather of these boats) would also have good advice on location, mounting, etc. If you don't know him, you should. You can reach him here, either by posting or as a dealer, American Marine in NC.