I am interested in purchasing a used MacGregor 26. The one I am looking at apparently needs a new motor, which is fine because the old one is a two stroke. I know all the litrature (and most likely the insurance) says the maximum size is a 50 HP motor. Yamaha makes a 4-stroke 60 HP that is only 10 LBS heavier. Has anyone ever tried using a motor larger than a 50? What were the results? Can you actually pull a wakeboard or tube with the 50? Thank You, SamSD
Maximum Outboard Motor HP
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This topic has been discussed many times. Check the archive for for lots of info. For what it is worth, I have seen a 26X with a 140HP on it. Obviously the warranty is void, but I don't think it is an issue for him. He might even comment on it here.
This topic has been discussed many times. Check the archive for for lots of info. For what it is worth, I have seen a 26X with a 140HP on it. Obviously the warranty is void, but I don't think it is an issue for him. He might even comment on it here.
Giddy-up
I know a guy that has two 150HP Mercurys on his Mac26. He had to build-out the transom area some more and install permanent fuel tanks where the rear bunks are below the cockpit. He leaves the mast at the dock sometimes and goes deep-sea fishing offshore. He made a run to Cuba and back once under power from West Palm and it only took him about 12 hours. For that trip he had to tow a fuel bladder. He can pull 8 water skiers on a good day. The Mac can do it all - nearly. No really - just joking; but I am a big fan of oversizing the motor but don't get carried away. I've been told by a knowlegable source that the boat is not designed to go over 25 miles per hour under any circumstances. The stress on the hull squares as a function of the speed. The hull design just won't take the stress. There is a lot of stuff as the other writer recommends in the archive. Just about everything has been written about this subject before.
I know a guy that has two 150HP Mercurys on his Mac26. He had to build-out the transom area some more and install permanent fuel tanks where the rear bunks are below the cockpit. He leaves the mast at the dock sometimes and goes deep-sea fishing offshore. He made a run to Cuba and back once under power from West Palm and it only took him about 12 hours. For that trip he had to tow a fuel bladder. He can pull 8 water skiers on a good day. The Mac can do it all - nearly. No really - just joking; but I am a big fan of oversizing the motor but don't get carried away. I've been told by a knowlegable source that the boat is not designed to go over 25 miles per hour under any circumstances. The stress on the hull squares as a function of the speed. The hull design just won't take the stress. There is a lot of stuff as the other writer recommends in the archive. Just about everything has been written about this subject before.
M
mrbill
60 hp
If the hull rating is 50 and you put a 60 on that should void any warrantys, and will be harder to get insurance. that being said, Im pretty sure some have installed 70's on 26X's. I think you can get away with putting a 60 on the back of an X, but careful of highspeeds in a chop. stress will have an effect over time.
If the hull rating is 50 and you put a 60 on that should void any warrantys, and will be harder to get insurance. that being said, Im pretty sure some have installed 70's on 26X's. I think you can get away with putting a 60 on the back of an X, but careful of highspeeds in a chop. stress will have an effect over time.
warranty
it's only good for the original owner for the first two years. That is, my '02 is already out of warranty. so if i want to upgrade to a larger motor, any damage sustained is my problem anyway. the 140 suzuki is the lightest weight for the H.P. (410#'s). a suzuki 50 weighs 250#, while a 70 weighs 335#.
it's only good for the original owner for the first two years. That is, my '02 is already out of warranty. so if i want to upgrade to a larger motor, any damage sustained is my problem anyway. the 140 suzuki is the lightest weight for the H.P. (410#'s). a suzuki 50 weighs 250#, while a 70 weighs 335#.
Open Minded!
Hey pardner, You may benefit by looking into the Tohatsu 90HP TLDI for that Mac. If your going to bump up in HP don't mess around with 10HP that will net you 1MPH if you're lucky. The 90 HP Tohatsu TLDI weighs only about 310# or so which is less than most of the 70HP 4-strokes of other mnfgs. This new 2 stroke technology runs as quiet as a 4-stroke, gets as good a gas mileage (at some RPM's slightly better at some RPM's slightly worse). It requires less maintenance and cost less than a 4-stroke 70HP. Have you ever seen a race between a 2-stroke and a 4-stroke motorcycle? The 2-stroke wins hands down every time. Well the principle is the same in outboard motors. Look at the RPM/HP curves. If you look at the rainbows (engine performance curves) the 4-stroke flatens out early and the two stroke continues smother through the acceleration. Going with the 90 with that much HP in reserve you have the extra muscle to pull any skier you want or do anything you want (within reason) whenever you want to do it, including cruising with a full ballast tank at only 3500RPM up over the wake going 17-19MPH easy. The thing about gas mileage is the slower the RPM the lower the gas consumption. So while its true the 90HP consumes more gas overall, at the lower RPM it takes for it to go 17-19MPH (about 3500) vs. going the same speed with a 50HP (which would be cranking 5500-6000 RPM's to maintain that same speed) the gas consumption is about the same for both motors pushing the same boat weight at the same constant speed. Rule of thumb is that at half the RPM you will use half the gas. The key is going to be at what speed you can run and have the boat on plane. If you have more HP you can run on plane at lower RPM's (which also dramatically reduces fuel consumption on a TLDI). The lower HP will have to run at higher RPM's but as long as you are not at wide open throttle all the time, the gas savings will be significant. 3500 rpm to 3800 is the optimum cruising range for power and overall gas consumption. Most "normal" 2-stroke TLDI users realize 40 to 50 percent less gas usage over 2-stroke carburetor engines. The TLDI system injects air and fuel directly into the cylinder. The oil is a multi port oil injection at different points of the engine (there is no mixing of oil and gas anymore). The TLDI does this at low pressure which is an advantage Tohatsu has over doing it at the high pressure that all of the other 2-stroke injection mnfgs. I highly recommend the Tohatsu TLDI 90HP. It weighs exactly the same as the Tohatsu TLDI 70HP (it is the same engine block). So why go with the de-tuned lower HP model? Always go with the higher HP in the same engine block no matter what you buy. It is wasted weight and wasted motor performance if you don't. As far as longevity it all comes down to maintenance. Most boaters put very few hours on their engines per year, so unless you are commercial or a very avid fisherman life expectancy is really not an issue on 2-stroke vs. 4-stroke. I hope this helps. Kind Regards, BillyBob (part time cattle rustler full time dual purpose Mac sailor) well it's really JonBill but I have more fun signing these as "BillyBob".
Hey pardner, You may benefit by looking into the Tohatsu 90HP TLDI for that Mac. If your going to bump up in HP don't mess around with 10HP that will net you 1MPH if you're lucky. The 90 HP Tohatsu TLDI weighs only about 310# or so which is less than most of the 70HP 4-strokes of other mnfgs. This new 2 stroke technology runs as quiet as a 4-stroke, gets as good a gas mileage (at some RPM's slightly better at some RPM's slightly worse). It requires less maintenance and cost less than a 4-stroke 70HP. Have you ever seen a race between a 2-stroke and a 4-stroke motorcycle? The 2-stroke wins hands down every time. Well the principle is the same in outboard motors. Look at the RPM/HP curves. If you look at the rainbows (engine performance curves) the 4-stroke flatens out early and the two stroke continues smother through the acceleration. Going with the 90 with that much HP in reserve you have the extra muscle to pull any skier you want or do anything you want (within reason) whenever you want to do it, including cruising with a full ballast tank at only 3500RPM up over the wake going 17-19MPH easy. The thing about gas mileage is the slower the RPM the lower the gas consumption. So while its true the 90HP consumes more gas overall, at the lower RPM it takes for it to go 17-19MPH (about 3500) vs. going the same speed with a 50HP (which would be cranking 5500-6000 RPM's to maintain that same speed) the gas consumption is about the same for both motors pushing the same boat weight at the same constant speed. Rule of thumb is that at half the RPM you will use half the gas. The key is going to be at what speed you can run and have the boat on plane. If you have more HP you can run on plane at lower RPM's (which also dramatically reduces fuel consumption on a TLDI). The lower HP will have to run at higher RPM's but as long as you are not at wide open throttle all the time, the gas savings will be significant. 3500 rpm to 3800 is the optimum cruising range for power and overall gas consumption. Most "normal" 2-stroke TLDI users realize 40 to 50 percent less gas usage over 2-stroke carburetor engines. The TLDI system injects air and fuel directly into the cylinder. The oil is a multi port oil injection at different points of the engine (there is no mixing of oil and gas anymore). The TLDI does this at low pressure which is an advantage Tohatsu has over doing it at the high pressure that all of the other 2-stroke injection mnfgs. I highly recommend the Tohatsu TLDI 90HP. It weighs exactly the same as the Tohatsu TLDI 70HP (it is the same engine block). So why go with the de-tuned lower HP model? Always go with the higher HP in the same engine block no matter what you buy. It is wasted weight and wasted motor performance if you don't. As far as longevity it all comes down to maintenance. Most boaters put very few hours on their engines per year, so unless you are commercial or a very avid fisherman life expectancy is really not an issue on 2-stroke vs. 4-stroke. I hope this helps. Kind Regards, BillyBob (part time cattle rustler full time dual purpose Mac sailor) well it's really JonBill but I have more fun signing these as "BillyBob".
3- guesses and 2-clues
Hey Bobby T., How you-all doing way out west? Is that fruit, nut or flake theory true? Just joking! Actually I've lived in CA twice. So what does that say about me? I used to surf in those days. You were either a surfer or a low-rider or a hippie or there were a couple of more categories but we won't say what they were. A guy gets around in the oil business. Houston is down hill in this industry so sooner or later all of us old "oil-field-trash" eventually ends up here. Well we all need a Savior! I'll give you three guesses and two clues as to the motor I'm running on my 26M. Here's the first clue. "You got to put your money where your mouth is." I'm very glad I did it too. It makes it a true dual purpose boat. But you got to control the throttle and remember, "Safety First". It puts a real smile on my face everytime I need the motor or feel like motoring. Don't get me wrong I'm a traditional sailor first. This just adds a whole new dimension to the boating experience. A lot of dealers (and not just the smaller dealers) are putting 70HP 4-strokes on brand new 26M's and some were putting them on the 26X's, back then. And the 70HP 4-stroke weighs more, costs more and under performs my engine (that was the second clue). Kind Regards and God Bless All! JonBill
Hey Bobby T., How you-all doing way out west? Is that fruit, nut or flake theory true? Just joking! Actually I've lived in CA twice. So what does that say about me? I used to surf in those days. You were either a surfer or a low-rider or a hippie or there were a couple of more categories but we won't say what they were. A guy gets around in the oil business. Houston is down hill in this industry so sooner or later all of us old "oil-field-trash" eventually ends up here. Well we all need a Savior! I'll give you three guesses and two clues as to the motor I'm running on my 26M. Here's the first clue. "You got to put your money where your mouth is." I'm very glad I did it too. It makes it a true dual purpose boat. But you got to control the throttle and remember, "Safety First". It puts a real smile on my face everytime I need the motor or feel like motoring. Don't get me wrong I'm a traditional sailor first. This just adds a whole new dimension to the boating experience. A lot of dealers (and not just the smaller dealers) are putting 70HP 4-strokes on brand new 26M's and some were putting them on the 26X's, back then. And the 70HP 4-stroke weighs more, costs more and under performs my engine (that was the second clue). Kind Regards and God Bless All! JonBill
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