CD25 Outboard help needed!

[damvolpe]

Hi all. I need a new outboard asap for my Lookfar. I was intending to install a new Tohatsu 6HP SailPro but the new design has handles on both the back and front of the engine and I think it won't fit in the engine well or if it does it won't turn at all. Are there any other engines you are using that have the same benefits as the Tohatsu? I'm thinking here mainly of the 20' longshaft and the high thrust at low speeds that engine is designed for.

The secondary question is how others have dealt with the fact that that laz cover doesn't close over the cowling of the engine. Seems like I could lift the hinges of the cover a few inches and maybe build some new teak rails to support the lid but maybe that's overthinking it.

Any help would be super appreciated! I'm trying to get her on the water before the whole summer sails away!

Damian

[mgphl52]

One option would be to lower the mounting board a bit. Just need to measure distance from the water to the top when loaded with typical motor weight & passengers. I didn't have this problem as my motor spent most of it's time on the cabin sole. One of the advantages of being able to sail in and out of the marina. Only put the motor in when needed to due to no wind or running out of time.

[damvolpe]

Thanks. I have taken out the old mounting board as the previous owner had made some poor modifications and it needed to be refastened. I was thinking I might try lowering it or notching it. I can always make a new hatch cover with a few extra inches of clearance, but I'm having a hell of a time finding a good outboard to fit the well. The Tohatsu looks perfect but the added handles on the latest version actually make the existing problem worse! I've read the older threads about this issue and it seems like a common problem. I was hoping some of you salts had come up with a solution or some bright new ideas!

[casampson]

The propane version of the 5 HP Sailpro fits nicely in the well. It even turns. Apparently it is significantly smaller than the gasoline version. You could also consider removing the handles from the outboard you are looking at. Here is a picture of my installation with two composite propane tanks. I've only used the motor once, but it pushed my CD 25 very nicely.

[mgphl52]

Damian, I just looked up the Tohatsu specs and see that extra handle. Is it not possible to just remove the rear handle?
The engine I was reviewing was the MFS4D. As a side note, many people really overpower their CD25. The 2 that I have bought both came with 9.5 outboards that were true PITA to pull out of the well (which is needed when kept in brackish water).

[damvolpe]

Tohatsu said neither handle was removable, but a local dealer who was looking at a model he had that wasn't the SailPro said the back one was. That propane version looks like it fits great! I'll look into that. I'm not worried about the tiller handle which can just fold back, and I think I can fix the laz cover issue by either notching the mounting board or raising the cover itself, but I want to be sure the engine will actually turn in the well before I drop the big bucks! Any drawbacks I should know about the propane? I don't mind the loss of power from 6HP to 5 too much, especially if I get better steerage at low speeds. I love this site! I've been away too long.

[casampson]

No drawbacks to propane as far as I can tell. It's offers 30% reduction in emissions, is a little (but not a lot) quieter, and costs about the same to operate as gasoline (I think). I filled up an 11 gallon tank for under $10, and that should get me 5 hours at WOT -- and who knows how long it will last at half-throttle. I believe it to be safer than gasoline -- who needs all that flammable liquid on board? The composite tanks that I bought are made of plastic and fiberglass and are guaranteed not to explode. The biggest advantage is that you do not have a carburetor, and you don't use ethanol-laced gas that ruins carburetors, so performance is improved and maintenance costs reduced. I like it on paper. We'll soon see how it performs in real life.

[mgphl52]

One potential problem with propane is that it is heavier than air. You MUST insure your tanks are properly insulated and vented for safety.

[wikakaru]

One potential problem with propane is that it is heavier than air. You MUST insure your tanks are properly insulated and vented for safety.

Gasoline fumes are also heavier than air, so you have the same problem with either fuel if you don't have proper ventilation...

--Jim

[damvolpe]

Hi all. Here's an update for anyone interested in the 6HP SailPro from Tohatsu. The redesign of this engine is not a good fit for the CD25. They added handles on both the front and rear for easier lifting, which increases the length of the cowling from front to back and decreases any steerage you might get from it. It's easy to remove the rear handle, but even still it's a super tight fit and I can only turn it about 10% in either direction. What's worse, they moved the fuel intake to the front of the engine, so the fuel line has to poke out through the hatch or be bent at an angle which I think could cause issues. I had an older model of the SailPro which worked like a dream, but the redesign is not a good choice IMO for anyone trying to install the outboard in the engine well. I would love to hear if anyone else has a suggestion for another make and model that fits this particular boat!

A final note, I made a rookie mistake and purchased the outboard from Defender Marine in Connecticut since none of the local dealers had any in stock. Defender doesn't commission their outboards, doesn't tell you that they don't commission their outboards, and refuses to take the engine back despite the fact that it has a major issue right out of the box. It starts easily, but won't stay running once in idle. I brought the engine to a local Tohatsu service center and they thought that it probably just needed to have the idle control adjusted but quickly realized there was a more serious problem of some kind, possibly the carburetor. I'm currently waiting to hear back from them.

Outcome so far. I'm out 2 grand, and have a semi-functional engine that doesn't give me the turning radius I need for steerage at low speeds. I'm sure the engine can be fixed, and the dealer says they sell hundreds of Tohatsus and rarely have a problem with them, but still, fair warning to all. Tohatsu's US customer service has been great. Defender's was atrocious.

[wikakaru]

Sorry you had trouble. I've contemplated buying outboards online but have always gone with local dealers. Your tale suggests I should continue with that trend. I'm glad lad that Tohatsu has been helpful even if Defender hasn't.

One option if you can't modify the outboard is to modify the well in some way. I think there have been others on the forum who have made engine well modifications. A search of the forum should reveal some old projects.

Smooth sailing,

Jim

[damvolpe]

Thanks for the tip. I actually had to cut out a small channel from the glass on either side of the port below the traveler just to get the little turning radius I have, but maybe a more extensive modification would help.

[dahult]

I have a CD25 with a 2005 Mercury 9.9 that I want to replace. The Mercury has a cabled throttle/gear shift into the console area so I can control the motor at the tiller. It also has electric start, which is quite convenient. The steering on the motor is fixed so that all steering is done with the tiller, which works ok: very good control in reverse (prop wash hits the rudder) but no direction control until some forward headway.

Every dealer I have talked to has told me that remote throttle/gear shift is not available on motors less than 9 HP and a 9+ HP motor is too big for a CD25 in the lazaret, barely fits and too heavy.

Do you or does anyone else have a solution that they like? If you don't have remote control on the motor, how do you control the motor, e.g., lift lazaret cover and use the tiller control on the motor (how well does that work)? Was your SailPro on a CD25 with the lazaret and if yes how did you control the motor?

Doug

[VaCD25]

https://youtu.be/GM_gRwhABgo

I'm enjoying my electric setup. Does what I need...may not work for you but is just right for daysailing.
Engine shaft weighs in at about 24lbs

[damvolpe]

Great video! Makes me weep thinking about Lookfar languishing in the marina. Another friend suggested just this engine, although he has his off a transom mount over. Can you take the tiller arm off while you're sailing, or does it just stay in the cockpit through the motor well hatch full time?