Which long shaft OB would you choose for the 26S or D? The 20" or 25"?

Nov 15, 2020
30
Macgregor 26s Bay City Michigabn
The 20" seems long enough and is not to deep to enjoy the shallow draft ability that these Macs are known for. But in severe steep waves the 25" would be less prone to "hobby horse" while it would be a disadvantage in shallow water with the extra 5 inches of draft. What's been your experience? Thanks.
 

kenr74

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May 3, 2019
46
Magregor 26S Oregon
I had a 20" that would occasionally come out of the water. That was on a 26S in a lake. I would think 25" would be the way to go if you were in any waves at all.
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I have the tohatsu sail pro 6 ho

More than enough motor
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I didn't have a long shaft on my 26S, but you're rudder is still deeper than that. You should do fine with the longer shaft. My $.02
 

AndyVS

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Sep 4, 2015
56
Corsair 31 UC 179 Port Sanilac
I have the 25" 9.9hp motor mounted on a Garelick adjustable motor mount. In smooth water I can run with it most of the way up to get on a beach. When I'm on one of the Great Lakes and it's choppy, I've needed every bit of the 25" with the mount all the way down. It's important to keep water flowing through the impeller. When I bought the boat it had a shorter shaft motor. 2nd time out, I was motoring out of a channel with some chop from other boats and I didn't realize the motor wasn't deep enough. The impeller ran dry & shredded, motor overheated and quit. Wind was pushing us toward rocks on the shore. We dropped anchor to keep the situation from getting worse. A kind soul gave us a tow back.
 
Nov 15, 2020
30
Macgregor 26s Bay City Michigabn
Andy, is the height of the mount "all the way down" about the same height as the permanent mount on the transom or is it higher or lower than that? Was it difficult to mount the Garelick motor mount on the transom with the cut away? I wonder how you mounted it? And where you mounted it? I think it would be an advantage to have it on the mount as one could steer the motor much better for backing than if the motor was constrained by the sides of the permanent motor well on the boat? Also can you reach the controls better from the Garelick than you could from the permanent transom mount?

Thank you all for your help, I need to buy a motor.....
 

AndyVS

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Sep 4, 2015
56
Corsair 31 UC 179 Port Sanilac
I've attached a couple of images so you can see the location of the motor mount. and the relative depth of the prop. On the inside of the transom, the mounting bolts are backed with 1/8" aluminum. Notice that when the mount is all the way up the water intake is just below the hull so it works fine for smooth water. When the mount is all the way down, the motor is a bit lower than transom mount. Be sure to buy a mount that is rated for a 4 cycle motor and for the weight of motor you are buying.
The turning of the motor is no problem with the setback on the mount. I have a friend with the same boat without a motor mount and turning is constrained by the walls of the motor well. The mount moves the motor farther back so I sit on the coaming between the cockpit and motor well when motoring in tight quarters. I have a Mercury so the throttle and shift F/R are on the same lever. When I'm in tight quarters with expensive boats around me, I raise the rudder and use only the motor to steer the boat. With the Merc, I only have to look at where I'm going and not looking behind to find a shift lever.
20200517_151212_resized_1.jpg20200517_151256_resized_1.jpg
 
Nov 15, 2020
30
Macgregor 26s Bay City Michigabn
I've attached a couple of images so you can see the location of the motor mount. and the relative depth of the prop. On the inside of the transom, the mounting bolts are backed with 1/8" aluminum. Notice that when the mount is all the way up the water intake is just below the hull so it works fine for smooth water. When the mount is all the way down, the motor is a bit lower than transom mount. Be sure to buy a mount that is rated for a 4 cycle motor and for the weight of motor you are buying.
The turning of the motor is no problem with the setback on the mount. I have a friend with the same boat without a motor mount and turning is constrained by the walls of the motor well. The mount moves the motor farther back so I sit on the coaming between the cockpit and motor well when motoring in tight quarters. I have a Mercury so the throttle and shift F/R are on the same lever. When I'm in tight quarters with expensive boats around me, I raise the rudder and use only the motor to steer the boat. With the Merc, I only have to look at where I'm going and not looking behind to find a shift lever.
View attachment 187405View attachment 187406
Andy I'm thinking of the Merc 9.9 command thrust 25" shaft... Is that the one you have? Which year? I'm asking because I have the push pit stainless railing around the cockpit and wonder if it fits under it when you tilt the motor all the way back for trailering? Thanks so much for your input, along with everyone elses!!!
 

AndyVS

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Sep 4, 2015
56
Corsair 31 UC 179 Port Sanilac
I bought my Merc 9.9 new in 2015 new and it has the command thrust with the 25" shaft. The command thrust is great for slow speed maneuvering. I did not get the tilt and trim on the motor and sometimes I wish I had it. I do have a manual motor lifter that makes it easier to tilt the motor so the prop is out of the water when sailing. I do not have a stern rail on my boat but LMK if you need any additional pictures or measurements of my setup.
 

AndyVS

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Sep 4, 2015
56
Corsair 31 UC 179 Port Sanilac
I also have electric start and wouldn't be without it. Keeps the batteries charged when we are on a trip.
 
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Nov 15, 2020
30
Macgregor 26s Bay City Michigabn
Electric charging is big and important. I guess one must keep the alternator connected to the battery or one loses the alternator...not good... Any way I'd love to hook up a long shaft Merc onto a raise-able motor mount but doubt if i'd have the room to swing it up for road clearance as the stern rail would probably get in the way...drats. Anyone have a motor mounted this way with the stern railing on the boat? Thanks again Adrian.
 
Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
Bert go with the extra long shaft.
When we spoke I didn't tell you about the outboard bracket I had on my Siren 17... It worked great at getting the motor lower into the water! But when I went to tip it up.... It wouldn't tip up all the way! I had to raise the bracket with the motor on it all the way up and then tip the motor so it would lock in place.
It was a huge task. And it was only a 4hp Johnson 2 stroke! I had to lean over the transom and lift with my back...
I did come up with a solution. A stick that fit in the gap when I tipped it ahead... The bigger the stick the higher the motor.
I gave the stick away with the boat.
Here is a link to a video I did today about my OB motor length and the foil I use to protect the prop. (Also covers the pop-top bug screen.)
Marty
 
Jan 19, 2021
7
Macgregor 26D Puerto Penasco
From personal experience... just replaced 1990 6hp Evinrude short shaft with a new 9.8 Tohatsu XL (25") shaft. Both, for the time being, mounted on a generic (probably 2cycle but soon to be upgraded) motor mount. Not counting the, better than sliced bread electric start; the prop (even with significant swells) never came out of the water. I scoured this site for advice on shaft length and I'm very happy with the result. Of course I can't tilt the dang thing out of the water but that's another issue.
 
Nov 15, 2020
30
Macgregor 26s Bay City Michigabn
I wonder if your problem with tilting the motor out of the water with your existing motor mount is the mount itself not lifting the motor high enough or perhaps could it be a stainless "push pit" railing mounted around the stern that keeps the new motor from tipping up? I have a well built stern railing that won't work with the nicer newer 4 cycle adjustable motor mounts....perhaps I can have the stainless railing re worked, re welded to enable tipping up the motor with an adjustable motor mount. Regards, Bert
 
Jan 19, 2021
7
Macgregor 26D Puerto Penasco
I am getting ready to change out the mount so I suppose that possibility will be answered soon enough. Honestly I suspect with the motor at a bit over 100lbs... I just don't have enough umphff.
 
Nov 15, 2020
30
Macgregor 26s Bay City Michigabn
The newer 4 cycle motor mounts have bigger springs to help with that. My previous boat, a Catalina 25, had a heavy Tohatsu 9.9 and a new motor mount made it manageable....