Typhoon outboard motors

[Matthew Barrick]

I just purchased a Typhoon weekender and it didn't come with an outboard. Any suggestions as to what I should get? Let me know!



mhb@nahc.org

[Yanek Martinson]

Hi,

I just added a Johnson 4hp to my new (new to me, built in 1974,
bought without an engine) Typhoon and it seems to push it along
quite nicely against the wind.

The built-in fuel tank is a convenience, as there are no hoses or external tanks to mess with. The motor's pretty light too, the
brochure claims 36lb. Easily handled, even in one hand.

Yanek.

I just purchased a Typhoon weekender and it didn't come with an outboard. Any suggestions as to what I should get? Let me know!

yanek@martinson.com

[Paul R. Mitchell]

I have an old 4.5 hp Evinrude on my Typhoon. It moves Jade along very well in smooth conditions, but seems to be a bit underpowered when bucking wind and wave. Wind isn't the big problem here -- if there's a wind, we sail, not motor -- except when entering the marina. Waves, on the other hand, can be a major problem in our sailing area, Haverstraw Bay on the lower Hudson River. There's a long fetch from Manhattan thru the Tappan Zee and on into the bay. The bay is also a major playground for large power boats, with even larger wakes. This combination can make for very confused seas. The 4.5 is borderline when it comes to punching thru the waves.

A drawback to a larger engine is the need for an external tank. The choices seem to be either in the cockpit beneath the tiller (and constantly in the way) or stored in a cockpit locker. Last season, following a fellow Typhooner's lead, we started placing the tank in the starboard locker with the hose passed thru the inspection hatch in the lazarette. Moving the tank has greatly improved the cockpit foot space but I don't like having the tank below deck (potential explosion hazard) and I definitly don't like sailing with the inspection hatch open -- If we getted pooped, it can let a lot of water into the hull! I'm looking for a better solution to the problem -- anyone have any suggestions.

Paul



paul.mitchell@lowbridge.com

[Bill Bloxham]

During my third week of sailing ever, my old 4hp Evenrude died. I replaced it with a 6hp Evenrude on the advice of a friend who had never sailed on my Typhoon, and I feel I made a mistake. The extra 38 pounds (with bigger mount and three gallon gas tank) unbalances the boat. I needed to reinforce the transom for the mount and build a hatch in the rear deck for the gas tank (there is a bulkhead in my boat at the rear of the cockpit that seals off the rest of the cabin).
I can get to hull speed at 2/3 throttle, and more power just makes a bigger wake. The extra power is somewhat helpful in a head sea, but it can be a wet experience keeping my speed up under those conditions.
The engine is also very hard to remove from the boat because of it’s weight. I often wonder when I’m going to drop it, and where.
Wish I had a 4 horse again.



mmmmbill@aol.com

[Serge Zimberoff]

I totally agree...the lighter, the better especially when you start adding fuel weight. (Pints a pound etc). My boat came with a 3hp. I wanted a shift to be able to idle and reverse since my slip is only rarely approachable under sail. Tohatsu manual shows 20 kilo (44 lbs). Had to put comparable ballast (sand bag) in the bow berth to bring the boat back to even keel. It seems fine now, but books describing boat trim suggest that extra weight fore and aft is to be avoided.
Serge



serge@srtrop.com

[Richard Stephens]

I agree with the concensus of the previous replies. I would just add that you need a "long shaft" motor. In any kind of chop, the pitching of the boat will lift the prop out of the water - the deeper you can mount it, the better.



rstephens@alexusa.com

[Mike Wainfeld]

Yamaha 3hp long shaft. Lightweight, integral fuel tank, starts easily and reliably. Enough power? Well you'll always have to balance power against weight. The 3hp will move the boat thru chop or against a current, though slowly.



ripcord1@erols.com

[Dick Sisson]

I just purchased a Typhoon weekender and it didn't come with an outboard. Any suggestions as to what I should get? Let me know!

My Ty came with a 4HP Evinrude, nice motor but heavy. Additional throttle past about the 1/2 setting would not result in increased motor speed, I assume the boat was at hull speed at that point.

When the Evinrude went south I got a 2.5 Nissen/Tohatsu. Nice lighter motor (although noisey) but the same situation, no motor speed increase past approximatly the 1/2 throttle position, and this is in a flat sea condition. Plus which, the time I got caught having to motor into big wind and waves, I would have liked to throttle back, say to 1/4 throttle, to lessen the pounding, but I was afraid of plug fouling at much less than continual almost full power output.

I feel I made a mistake in not at least looking at a 2HP Honda 4 stroke, they must be quieter, or something even smaller if such exists.

There is one flip side to the integral tank issue. The 2.5 Nissen will run for about 45 minutes or so per tank. In those rare scary conditions we encounter it would probaly be less stressful not to have to refuel.

But I just can't imagine finding a use for these 4 and 6HP monsters on a Typhoon.

If you are looking for a hull to bolt big horsepower on to, look at a McGregor, I guess.



dickee03@rivnet.net

[Michael Phillips]

OK, another 2-cents worth: My 1st Typhoon came with a Seagull, which I loved and hated. My 2nd Typhoon had an old 4.5 or 5 hp Johnson twin! Weighed well over 50 pounds! Sold it and bought a 4hp Suzuki - smallest I could find with both internal & external tank capabilities. It wasn't quite light enough though... at 45+lbs I got in the habit of leaving it on the mount and someone decided they wanted it more than me! Went without for 6 months (nice marina, sail in/sail out, almost always). I then bought another Seagull... Well, the wife doesn't trust the Seagull and I like for the family to sail with me (sometimes so my last purchase was a 3.5 Nissan long shaft, direct drive. Kind of nice having "reverse" since the Seagull couldn't rotate 360.

As for power, 3hp is plenty for a Typhoon - will get to hull speed easily. The biggest problem is keeping the foot wet when the water gets rough.

As far as internal vs external, it really is nice to be able motor thru the intercoastal with out refueling. (That's why I got that 4hp.)
Since "they" didn't steal my fuel tank (IT was in the cabin) I plan to buy a second fuel cap and attach a mate for my fuel line to allow "pumping" while "putting."

At only 28 lbs, the Nissan fits nicely under the cockpit. (I plan to KEEP this one!) Just wish it had that nifty quick disconnect that the Seagulls have!

-michael



michael@bbsc.com