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One of our brethren is offering for sale his 1981 Cape Dory 22. It comes with a Yamaha 8 hp 4 stroke outboard motor attached to the transom with an O/B motor bracket.
From the CD 22s I looked at 2-3 years ago if memory serves, all had about the same size O/B as this CD 22 - an 8 - 9.8 hp O/B (2 or 4 stroke depending on age).
My question is strictly educational and addressed to those who currently own or have owned a CD 22:
What is the smallest size O/B that can be used on a Cape Dory 22 assuming moderate to minimum tidal changes, moderate to minimum currents and minimum surface wave action
In a previous life I had a CD 22 which came with a 2 stroke 8hp. The weight of the motor upset the trim so much that a PO put a few lead bricks in the rope locker to offset. I think that it was overkill. The 8hp had more than enough power for Narragansett Bay so I think that a 5hp would be plenty.
I have a 5 HP, 2 cycle Mercury (Tohatsu) on my CD-22. It works very well for me. Pushes her along at hull speed at about half-throttle. I'm not sure of the exact weight of the motor, but I have no problems lifting it onto the motor mount when the boat is on the trailer.
I imagine a 4 HP would also suffice, given moderate currents, etc.
I hope that I am not stealing the thread but for the people who have responded to this, what prop were you running? Was it the stock prop or did you go to one specially made for this application?
When I bought my 25 back in 73 I used a Merc 4 HP. It was the smallest engine at the time with a gear shift. That engine lasted until about 85 and never failed to give me adequate speed and reserve power. It was capable of overpowering the boat into very heavy seas on the Neuse River (short period and very steep). It would drive the bow through the waves. I do not drive into that type sea unless absolutely necessary, it is hard on the boat and crew.
My wife is in the process of restoring a 25 and she will be using a Nissan 5.
Personal opinion. All the small Cape Dorys are a bit tender in the butt and don't want excessive weight back there. For an area like Biscayne Bay and a reasonable radius I doubt that you need more than 5 HP and a four would be fine.
I've got a 5HP long shaft that I am very well pleased with but I swear I'd change it to my old 2HP dink motor if the 2HP could use my external gas tank.
I think the 2HP would be fine for getting me out of the slip and back in and that is basically all I use it for unless the wind shuts off unexpectedly.
Any long trips and the 5HP goes back on!
That being said, it is Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles which does have currents but none to be concerned with.
I have been using a 4 HP long shaft for 5 years and feel no need to upgrade. I picked it because I already owned it and was low on money, but have been happy with the results.
Finding an external tank that will fit is tricky because of the small space. The prop is a custom one that my outboard guy said would work better, but I have no idea what it is.
I owned a Pearson Electra , another Alberg designed 23' full keel boat, I would guess about the same weight as the CD22. I used a Nissan 3 1/2 HP Long Shaft w/ the standard prop, it never gave me any problem. The 3 1/2 Nissan pushed my Pearson better than the Yanmar YSB8 pushed my CD27 ( that's not saying much).
I also own (2) Honda EU Generators, a EU1000i and an EU2000i, if I am not mistaken both of these Generators have fuel pumps, and don't rely on a gravity feed tank. I don't know if the outboard tank set-up would work on an outboard without a fuel pump???
If you hadn't told me I wouldn't have believed it would work!
Back in my Ty days, I had a seagull. On long trips I would use an external tank with a "jack rabbit" manual pump to transfer the gas from the external tank to the seagull. This worked well with no modifications.
The procedure was to motor for about an hour and a half then refill the tank with the pump.
It's possible that you will have to sit the tank on the transom above the OB for gravity feed. One nice thing about the quick disconnect on the engine end is I can squirt some fuel through with a squeeze bulb so there is no air in the hose.
I do try to keep the tank about the same height as the generators tank.
Thank you all for the informative responses and suggestions. It seems like the consensus among CD 22 owners (past and present) is that a 5 HP (or a 4 or 6) should work well in Biscayne Bay and that an 8 or 9.8 HP makes the CD 22 stern heavy.
I seem to recall looking at a few CD 22s where it seemed the stern was "riding low" with a 8 or 9.8 HP on the transom.
I know that on S/V Tadpole I notice a very slight "stern low" with the 65 lbs. 6 HP Suzuki. I really only notice this when I look at her boot stripe. However, the advantages to me of an internal gravity feed tank outway this.
The outboard with the least horsepower that is capable of pushing a displacement-hull sail boat at hull speed in calm conditions will push that boat through any conditions just as well as an outboard with greater horsepower.
For example, an 8 HP outboard will not punch a TY through rough seas any better than a 3.5 HP outboard (allowing for differences in prop diameter, pitch, so forth). The larger outboard will simply burn more fuel.
Better to spend your money on an extra-long shaft.
Raymond wrote:The outboard with the least horsepower that is capable of pushing a displacement-hull sail boat at hull speed in calm conditions will push that boat through any conditions just as well as an outboard with greater horsepower.
For example, an 8 HP outboard will not punch a TY through rough seas any better than a 3.5 HP outboard (allowing for differences in prop diameter, pitch, so forth). The larger outboard will simply burn more fuel.
