Long Shaft or Extra long shaft?

[Mundaysj]

Hi Everyone,
I'm ready to buy my motor... a friend is getting me a good price on a 9.9HP.  But I am wondering should I have a long shaft or xtra long shaft?  From the top of the engine bracket to the bottom of the transom is 20 inches, but I am pretty sure my old motor was a 25 inch (from the top of the mounting clamp bracket to the bottom of the first cavitation plate is 25 inches).  So .... do I need a long shaft or extra long shaft?  What type do you all have?
Thanks,
Sherie

[Bob23]

Hi Sherie:
   My Nissan 8 is a long shaft which works well most of the time. The only time I wished for an extra long shaft was last summer in Barnegat Bay, motoring in 30-35 knts and 3-4 foot waves. In those conditions, the prop consistently came out of the water, cavitating and making forward progress inpossible. I had to duck into a marina instead of reaching my destination.
   I think you have an adjustable bracket so if the long shaft isn't too much more expensive, why not have it? In calm weather, you can raise the bracket a bit. One thing to remember is when moored, can you completely raise the motor out of the water? Salt water ain't no friend of outboards.  I suppose a zinc would slow the corrosion but I prefer to have the motor (as well as the rudder) completely out of the water when moored.
Best, Bob23
(ps. In a previous post, I mentioned I might be interested in buying your old motor unless you are trading in. If interested, email me with the details.)

[Mundaysj]

Hi Bob,
You can definitely buy my old one... and cheap!  My old motor did not completely come out of the water.  A little bit of the prop still sat in the water.  Maybe I will go with the 20 inch instead of the 25!!
Thanks,
Sherie

[mike gartland]

Sherie,

This post may be too late to be of any help to you but I would strongly encourage the 25" extra long shaft.  If you sail at all in an area where you can have opposing tidal currents and winds or in areas of powerboat chop you will need the extra length to keep the prop in the water, even with an adjustable mount.  When serious cavitation begins, sometimes when the entire prop leaves the water in a serious short chop, the sound and vibration coming from the engine can be very disconcerting, and dangerous if you are in a busy channel as I often am at the end of the day.  I have had to abort sails because not only was the chop severe enough to bring the prop out of the water (with my 9.9 Tohatsu extra long shaft) but the rudder as well robbing me of both forward propulsion and directional control....very unnerving with larger boat traffic (with inboards) attempting to pass me in both directions.  I admit that this is the extreme case and it doesn't happen often due to the extra long shaft, but it has happened more than once.  I suppose that if you are sailing on a lake, without tidal currents and can sail away from the powerboaters you could get by with the 20" shaft, but given the conditions I have to deal with I would never go with less than the 25".  Hope this is of some help.

Mike

WindRush CP-23/3

[Bob23]

Mike:
   Iv'e experienced just what you describe and it under similair conditions, I was forced to layover in a marina. I have a Nissan 8 long shaft and in those situations, an extra long shaft would be nice. As a matter of fact, I bought Sheries old Evinrude extra long shaft...it's sitting in my back yard waiting for it's appointment with the outboard dr. (me.)
   Where do you sail, Mike?
Bob23, s/v Koinonia in Barnegat Bay, NJ

[mike gartland]

Bob23'

Sorry it's taken so long to reply...been busier than usual lately.  I'm afraid I'm a good distance away from Barnegat Bay....I sail on Galveston Bay along the Texas Gulf coast.  I could really trade some of our 100 degree weather for some of your NJ summer right now.  It turns out down here that summer is the least desirable time of year for sailing (for me)...can't wait for fall and winter.  Happy sailing!

Mike
WindRush

[Craig Weis]

My C-P 19 was fitted with a zero time 5 hp short shaft. To combat this I made a intermediate aluminum mounting plate that is screwed to the angles using 2" x 2" hard rubber. By doing this the factory engine mounting plate was able to move two inches back and two inches down and be vibration isolated with these new rubber blocks that I saw cut on a band saw and simply drilled clean through.

So that's how I dealt with the short shaft. I walk fwd I can hear a louder pop of the exhaust but she still pumps cooling water. And that's what you want. If I use the very lowest motor mount setting too much of the mount drags through the water so I pull the motor mount up one notch. That's pretty good. 
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