What size outboard do you have?

Mattw79 · Aug 20, 2013

This probably won't be much help to you, but I have a 15hp 2-stroke. It's obviously much bigger than you need, but I hit a top speed of a little over 7 mph with throttle turned 1/2 way (or slightly past). It came with the boat when I bought it, but if I had to go out and buy one now, I think I would get a 8-9 hp 4-stroke. The weight doesn't seem to be an issue for me, but someone with more experience than myself may notice an impact on sailing performance.

shnool · Aug 20, 2013

Take what I say with a grain of salt... because I don't have tides, and I don't deal with current...

I've used my 3.5 hp (29lbs) on my 25 Capri for a whole season now, and have found that even in the pounding of decent waves, and a 25 knot headwind I can still achieve 4 knots into the wind on my Johnson 3.5hp (which is also a tohatsu, and merc, and 3 other brands) outboard. Mine is a 2 stroke sailboat motor though, so is designed with a prop for displacement (the prior owner wasn't happy with it, as he put it, "it wasn't fast enough for his johnboat.")... Well DUH it's a sailboat motor! If he had tried he'd have likely found that he could have towed 3 other boats the same size as his at the same speed though!

I also had a 2.2 merc (same body style at the 3.5, but a couple years older)... I found several old mercs, and I think yamahas that were the exact same motor. It would stall completely at 20 knots headwind the boat, but with NO wind, could move the boat above 5 knots, it was designed to push a RIB or other inflatable.

I think a lot of what you are looking for is prop pitch, not HP... it's a given that the longer shaft motors will give you better bite into the water as well. If I were sailing moving water, or experienced consistent steady 15+ winds (doesn't happen by me) I'd want the long shaft purpose built sailboat motors, and on a Capri 22, a 4hp would be sufficient enough for me. Now if I sailed a river, going to a 6hp long shaft might be the way I'd go.

The 6hp short shaft Johnson I had on my Capri 22 was a super quiet and reliable 2 stroke, and would push the boat to hull speed at half-throttle on a calm day. It only weighed in at about 10 lbs heavier than the equivalent 4hp, so it wasn't a huge hit to the balance of the boat either. It also wasn't light though, at 57lbs. It DID however, have and alternator and an external fuel connector which are extremely nice to have if you are going to spend MORE than day-sails on the water.

So THERE is my advice... if you plan to cruise at all, hit any kind of chop, or sail on running water, go with a 6hp with an alternator.. get a 2 stroke (lighter weight than a 4 stroke), move some ballast forward, and get the long shaft model to bite in a chop. The added weight for the higher HP will be easy to off-set by moving your anchor in a far forward locker (or relocating your battery forward). You'll be able to put a remote tank in, and also charge your batteries. Anything over 8hp is overkill on a 22.

NewportNewsMike · Aug 20, 2013

Hi Patrick -

I currently have a 6 HP Nissan SailPro XXL (25-inch shaft) on my CP 22. It moves it along very nicely in 10 knots - can't remember ever motoring into a 20-knot head wind.

The Tohatsu / Nissan SailPro models come with a 8.375 X 6 inch prop as opposed to the standard (for 6 HP) 7.7 X 8.

Looking at http://www.onlineoutboards.com , I see that the model line up for Tohatsu now lists a 20-inch SailPro. When I purchased mine (about two years ago), the SailPro's were only listed as 25-inch models. Since I was starting from scratch on mounting the motor mount, I was able to mount it higher than "normal" to make up for that extra 5 inches. With a "normal" height motor mount, I believe the 25-inched would be too long - I would choose the 20-inch model.

One advantage of the higher motor mount / 25-inch shaft is that, in normal operating position, the front of the motor and its controls are at a very nice, above the transom, operating position, making everything easy to reach without having to bend over the transom.

I ended up using a different motor mount than the one pictured, but the one I used puts the motor in about the same position as shown below for operating.

dave_ren · Aug 20, 2013

I can't help you with the current and headwind issues (15 knots = howlin' on the lake I sail). That said, I have a 5HP Honda 4-stroke that moves it along nicely.

My one bit of advice is I'd strongly recommend a 4-stroke. Seems like there is a growing trend of banning 2-stroke motors on inland lakes in the western US to improve water quality. You won't catch a whiff of beautiful Tahoe with a 2-stroke.

HERSH · Aug 21, 2013

Here on the Hudson River currents can reach 1.1 kt at times. My 35 lb., 4 hp, 2 stroke, 2 cylinder, long shaft, old Evinrude Sailmaster seems to work OK for me as long as the prop stays in the water.

How much do those 4 hp. 4 strokes weigh?

Yes, many (all) outboard manufacturers have dropped the 2 strokes.

I read someplace that 1 hp for every 500 lbs is a rule of thumb. That would make 4-5 hp's the optimum.

Now with 8 hp and above, I believe many are available with electric start and alternators. Something to consider if you like to take extended cruises and have plenty of electrical power. But they are HEAVIER.

Life is about trade-offs ...

Hersh

MrSkeet · Aug 21, 2013

4 hp mercury 2 stroke, 2002 model year. I use this infrequently, some years only twice, at start of season six miles down river to the sea and again up river at season's end. Usually this outboard is sufficient; however, when the wind is strong (12 - 15 knots - some white caps), on the nose with some sea swells, once past the salem/beverly bridge, prop cavitation and big pitching (short shaft) makes me wish for more, e.g., sailboat specific outboard with appropriate prop size/pitch and shaft length. If I had to do it again, I'd buy the tohatsu sailpro model cited earlier in this thread.
Wooster who, if he had life to live over, would live over a bar; it'd be more convenient that way.

Kunzig · Aug 21, 2013

Grace drives well with the Honda 5 extended shaft four stroke.

They has been a time where the inlet has stopped her in her tracks (at full throttle) with the outgoing tide and direct incoming wind and a chop as high as the gunwales but she made it out after the three big waves stopped her.

Rob
Grace Alone
Lewes, DE
2003 #1013

Sail@BYC · Aug 21, 2013

Last week my 4hp Yamaha was enough (but not by much) for 3 to 4 ft waves and winds blowing around 20+. I did not have to go far but I was surprised how well it did.

jepomer · Aug 22, 2013

My Capri 22 came with a two-cycle 5 HP Nissan.
For the past three seasons use an electric outboard - Torqeedo Cruise 2.0

Both work well at driving the boat up to hull speed.
The Nissan may do a bit better on the high end but we don't like the noise.
The Torqeedo is MUCH easier to use for maneuvering - speed and direction control.

Power comes from four GC2 Golf Cart Batteries placed under the step where the cooler would go.
Since the boat is on a mooring, the batteries are charged with a single 100 watt (12 vdc nominal) solar panel using a Genasun MPPT Solar Boost Controller to charge the 24 vdc nominal bank.
The batteries have always been charged up and we have never run them down below 50% even when motoring around the Boston Harbor Outer Islands or going almost full throttle to get to the other end of the harbor for the start of a race.

Kunzig · Aug 26, 2013

Has anyone put an extension on the FNR shifter? If so, anyone have a photo of it?
I have the Honda5.

I have fought, for the last time, with my shifter. You have to lean back and rotate the wrist so that in a hurry, you can almost hurt yourself trying to shift if you don't have your hand/wrist just right. It is not bad enough that you also have to turn and look the other way while judging the current /sideslip etc.

An extension is in my future...

Kunzig · Aug 27, 2013

Just a followup on the shifter -

Last night I replaced my fuel filter and looked at the shifter closely.

It already has two holes in it like there should already be a extension kit out there... I searched the internet and only found home made Mods.
But it isn't too hard to do - my common sense logic tells me NOT to make it too big for fear the extra leverage will make it easy to brake!
Should have taken a picture...

Rob

HERSH · Aug 27, 2013

I think with Mercury that when you ordered an extended shaft you automatically got a lower pitch prop, as they knew it was going to be used on a sailboat. But again, the Mercury I had on my San Juan 21 was purchased around 1986?
The Merc was heavy as I think from the powerhead down, it was the same for 4 HP to their 9 HP motors

My present Evinrude Sailmaster 1988 2 stroke I suspect has a lower pitch prop also. This one weighs only 35 lbs. But again, it s a 2 stroke and has no reverse -- only F-N. Everything is a trade off in life ....

I was surprised the weight of the mounting block ( which I have for sale on this site) was 6 lbs. I am sure the plywood one I made is probably 3 lbs. or less. The commercial one is rated for 25 HP ! I do not think anybody will be putting a 25 H.P. on the back of their Capri 22.

Hershey

dave_ren · Aug 28, 2013

Kunzig said:
Has anyone put an extension on the FNR shifter? If so, anyone have a photo of it?
I have the Honda5.

I have fought, for the last time, with my shifter. You have to lean back and rotate the wrist so that in a hurry, you can almost hurt yourself trying to shift if you don't have your hand/wrist just right. It is not bad enough that you also have to turn and look the other way while judging the current /sideslip etc.

An extension is in my future...

I "love" my Honda 5, too, for the exact same reason. I found this home-made linkage on the C-22 forum a few years ago. Seems like it could easily be adapted to the Honda, if I wasn't so lazy.

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=154047&styleid=1

HERSH · Aug 28, 2013

Nice job with that shifter -- should mark "HURST" on the side. That way you can say your boat is a freshwater Corvette

Hershey

shnool · Aug 28, 2013

slick mod to the shifter, I like it!

Kunzig · Aug 28, 2013

Yes, well done! Now to go study mine and see it that can work on a Honda!

thanks for the Photos

dave_ren · Aug 28, 2013

Just to be clear, I am only responsible for posting the pictures copied from a Catalina 22 forum. One of these days I will get around to fabricating something like this for myself. Some day... :?

In the meantime, hope they inspire someone else. Kunzig, if you come up with something that works for your Honda, can you make a second one for me?

What size outboard do you have?

What size outboard on your Capri22?

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