Powering the CD25

[moondance]

Repowering my CD25 (1974) turned out to be a trickier project than expected. I'll tell my experience and welcome hearing from others what outboards they have found fit (or not). I bought a 1974 CD25 with a 6hp Tohatsu 4cycle long shaft. The motor was in iffy condition and owner rarely used it in his very local daysailer type usage. I originally planned to sail the boat the considerable distance to my home. I thought a 6hp was a little light power wise. Researched the records provided by previous owner and noted prior owners had 9hp and 15hp outboards. I figured an 8hp Tohatsu 4 cycle long shaft would be just the thing. Since CD25 has a compartment I thought smaller than previous engines would be fine and I prepped lower shaft with antifouling paint but when I brought it to the boat, it did not fit in compartment. I had not considered the size difference between 2cycle and 4 cycle. I desperately searched for a 2 cycle engine with length and power I needed. I found in Rising Sun, Maryland a man who specializes in reconditioning 2cycle engines who had a rebuilt 1997 Mercury 9.8hp long shaft 2 cycle electric start. It fit. Other people must have such issues and could benefit from sharing on this so please do. BTW I realized that the motor mount had been trimmed from the top a bit probably to fit a particular engine under the compartment hatch. The Rising Sun guy (very knowledgeable on 2 cycle eng) told me it probably had Yachtwin 9hp and 15hp because they are very compact and are actually the same size. The 15 being bored out more. Interesting side point, after the summer I got hauled out for the winter in southern Delaware, got talking to guy in Pearson 27 next to me, told him my story, Turns out HE traded in that Mercury 9.8 that I bought! Small world.

[abutkus03]

Same boat, same year, same issue. I bought the boat with a 5 hp 4 stroke Honda. It fits in the well, just barely. Would prefer a bigger motor with and electric start. Problem is the newer 4 strokes are just too heavy. Too heavy to get up in the board and too heavy for the boat. They make the stern sag. Lover to find a 2 cycle with and electric start.

[moondance]

Check out the guy in Rising Sun. He has a website. You can see what he has. He is in northern Maryland.

[jbenagh]

I don't want to beat a dead horse to much, but...
I had a Tohatsu 6hp 4 stroke on my CD25 which I said fir 3 years. We got pretty far afield from Isles of Shoals to Provincetown. If the wind over powered the motor, we sailed. The motor was for dead calm or entering a harbor against the wind. We never motored longer than 2-3 hours and not into big seas. That was for sailing.
One great thing that taught me was watching the weather and avoiding conditions my boat (and me and crew) didn't want tho handle.
I accept that in New England we have pretty good harbors without crazy currents but still I think a modest outboard should work on a CD25
Jeff

[tartansailor]

6 hp is plenty for a CD25. What you do not want is a heavy motor that will
make your boat squat.
Why?
Because a squatting boat is SLOW!!.
On a CD 25 the cabin floor is parallel with the bottom of the keel.
Set your bubble accordingly.
Hope this helps.
Dick

[dahult]

I am a new CD25 owner and just getting started my first season in Lake Michigan/Chicago. The boat came with a Mercury 9.9 2-stroke. The Merc 9.9 does fit but just barely.

But... it seems to be a real problem with a motor that size in the lazarette and I am interested to hear if anyone else has had problems. This morning I pushed off from the dock and after about 1/4 mile I had to turn back. The motor was not running right, surging, losing power and even stopped once. I went back to the marina and the mechanics ran the motor at the dock for 5 minutes and it ran smooth. I tried to head out a second time and had to turn back again.

After the second time the mechanics took the ride with me and what it seems to be is that with the lazarette cover closed, the motor was not getting the fresh air it needs. With the lazarette cover propped up the motor ran like it should. The mechanic did notice that with the way the motor sits in the boat, some motor exhaust was coming up into the motor compartment.

There is an access opening to the motor compartment right behind the tiller and the/some previous owner installed a hinged door over this access openning.

Has anyone else had any problems like this? If yes, how did you resolve it.

Doug

[casampson]

Thinking of replacing my 6hp Tohatsu Sailpro with a nice four-stroke Yamaha 4HP motor. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I also have a CD 25, and the Tohatsu is a good overall outboard, but it revs too high in neutral, and I don't want to go through the money or hassle of getting it to run right. My only concern is whether or not the 4HP is powerful enough for the CD 25...

Thanks.

Chris

[Kilgore]

My CD25 came with rubber dorades on the laz cover. The PO had a 9.9 as well, so he may have added them.

Adjusting the idle speed on a Tohatsu 6 is pretty easy. One screw. Experiment to your liking.

[Carl Thunberg]

It's refreshing to hear someone ask if a smaller outboard will be sufficient. The answer depends on your unique sailing conditions. If your needs are to motor short distances in and out of a slip or mooring field to your sailing grounds, or motoring when the wind dies, a 4 HP outboard engine will be fine for a CD25. Just make sure the shaft is long enough.

For what it's worth, Jeff and I had the same CD25 (at different times). I echo his comments on the Tohatsu 6 HP. I never had the problems that other people have cited, and it was a reliable engine for me.

[casampson]

The problem with my Tohatsu is that it starts off at a nice idle, but, after five minutes or so, doubles the rpm to a speed that can't be right. I feel that adjusting the idle isn't the answer, but I may be wrong. I am going to speak to a Tohatsu mechanic tomorrow. Perhaps he will know what is going on.

[Terry]

6 hp is plenty for a CD25. What you do not want is a heavy motor that will
make your boat squat.
Why?
Because a squatting boat is SLOW!!.
On a CD 25 the cabin floor is parallel with the bottom of the keel.
Set your bubble accordingly.
Hope this helps.
Dick

Dick,
I agree with you on the 6HP, and have found my newish Tohatsu SailPro a lot more responsive and more powerful than previous 2-stroke, 5-horse motor.

You mentioned keel and cabin floor parallel, and "set your bubble. . ." THAT is great to know. I'd heard from someone that weight in bow helps on the CD-25. Now you've given me a way to judge just how much weight and at what angle will work best for my needs/desires/likes for weather-helm and trim.

Y'all take care.

Terry

[Terry]

The problem with my Tohatsu is that it starts off at a nice idle, but, after five minutes or so, doubles the rpm to a speed that can't be right. I feel that adjusting the idle isn't the answer, but I may be wrong. I am going to speak to a Tohatsu mechanic tomorrow. Perhaps he will know what is going on.

I read read something about various carbs. The newer carbs aren't a stabile as the older. I think the newer uses a version "C" in the model number, while the better is an older "B" version. Interchangeable, I am led to believe.

Additionally, there are some issues with the fuel pump screws, internally, loosening up and causing erratic rpm, speed, and power issues. Might have a look there.

Regards, Terry

[drysuit2]

I've posted this before. I'll add that when I traded my Johnson 9.9 Sailmaster for the 4 stroke 4HP and 6HP, that I cut a 1" in the Transom board to lower the outboard. This enabled me to close the Lazarette cover. [You can see the notch in the video]

I sail to and from a mooring. Not from a dock or out a tight channel against a current, there fore the Torqeedo travel 1003 motor is perfect for me. It is light, so I store it down below. And is easy to drop in, or take out the lazarette.

If you sail from a dock then you have access to shore power, and could use the Elco or the Torqeedo Cruise 2.0. They are more powerful, but need larger batteries.

But for my needs the Torqeedo 1003 Travel is perfect. Full write up and video here...
http://drysuit2.blogspot.com/search?upd ... -results=1

[John Stone]

There is no one answer to any of these kinds of challenges. But, I do think people tend to erroneously believe they need a bigger engine than is necessary. To illustrate—I use a pull start 9.9 HP Honda to power my 18,000 lb CD 36 Far Reach. Yes, I realize this is an extreme example. We don’t have an inboard engine though. We normally use it to move the last bit to/from the dock if there is too much wind/current to scull. But we have also powered along for 20nm in a narrow part of the ICW. On smooth water we can make 5.9 kts at WOT with the 9.9 Honda. At 2/3s throttle we make 5 knots. This past week we brought the boat up the ICW from Beaufort NC to the Neuse River (I have just returned from the West Indies). Maybe 20nm total. We had a favorable current for once. We were making 6.2-6.4 knots at half throttle. We used a little less than two gallons of fuel. When we broke out into the Neuse River shut down the outboard and sailed upwind in a very light breeze about 15 NM. At times we were only making 2.5 kts but it was delightful. Eventually, as it always does, the wind filled in and we tore along at over 6 kts.

Cape Dorys are outstanding sailing boats. And smaller boats like the 25 are very nimble. I imagine you can sail them just about anywhere there is enough water to float them. So, because it’s your boat put as big an engine as you want on her. But appreciate that your boat will love you more if you use as small an engine as you can. Your life will be easier because the engine will be lighter, smaller, use less fuel and have the least negative effect on the trim of your “sailing” machine. Were it me I’d be looking at a tohatsu sailpro or even a Yamaha 4 hp with a high thrust prop.

When it comes to sailing “less is more” is usually true but some how often gets lost in the shuffle.

[Capt. Fritter]

I've posted this before. I'll add that when I traded my Johnson 9.9 Sailmaster for the 4 stroke 4HP and 6HP, that I cut a 1" in the Transom board to lower the outboard. This enabled me to close the Lazarette cover. [You can see the notch in the video]

I sail to and from a mooring. Not from a dock or out a tight channel against a current, there fore the Torqeedo travel 1003 motor is perfect for me. It is light, so I store it down below. And is easy to drop in, or take out the lazarette.

If you sail from a dock then you have access to shore power, and could use the Elco or the Torqeedo Cruise 2.0. They are more powerful, but need larger batteries.

But for my needs the Torqeedo 1003 Travel is perfect. Full write up and video here...
http://drysuit2.blogspot.com/search?upd ... -results=1

I've been looking at the Torqeedo as well for getting my CD 25 in and out of the harbor. From what I see in your video it looks like a tight fit in the engine well. Any issues with fit or with the tiller?