Henry. Received your Craigslist email. Motor does look like a short shaft. Hey short shaft outboard can be a challenge on an M 17 as it will cavitate in even a slight sea. :: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA :: Former M15 owner On Aug 1, 2014 4:58 PM, "Henry Rodriguez" <heinzir@gmail.com> wrote:
"4HP, in my opinion, is the perfect size. the 'old' Yamaha 4HP was perfect. Yamaha discontinued this motor and went the way of Suzuki (see below)."
By 'old' do you mean 2-stroke or 90s vintage 4-stroke? There is a 90s 4-stroke on my local Craigslist but I think it is a short shaft.
-----Original Message----- From: "Dave Scobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> Sent: 7/31/2014 10:42 AM To: "Judith Blumhorst, DC" <drjudyb@blumhorst.com>; "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: M_Boats: Advice or help needed from San Francisco Bay areaMontgomery Sailors
i use a 4HP Suzuki outboard on my M17. never had issue with having 'enough power' and i have sailed the boat mostly on Puget Sound, and the waters around the San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands. sailing in these areas requires planning when you pass through channels and other areas that have strong tide caused current.
the M17 is a displacement hull ... you are not going to get her going much faster than hull speed no matter how much HP you put on the boat. (Jerry Montgomery has some interesting stories on what some folks have done/attempted.)
4HP, in my opinion, is the perfect size. the 'old' Yamaha 4HP was perfect. Yamaha discontinued this motor and went the way of Suzuki (see below).
a 5HP is more than enough.
i know some that have a Suzuki 6HP, which is the same motor as the 4HP (the 4HP has a 'smaller' carb and doesn't have an external tank nor alternator option, these last two items are why folks have the 6HP).
more folks have started to use the Honda 2HP (now sold as the 2.3HP) on the M17. this motor will move the boat just fine to about 4.5kts in light seas and winds. the 31 pound 2HP is another reason. a lot less weight to carry around v. the 60+ pounds of a 4HP+ outboard.
i know a couple that uses a Yamaha 2.5 on the M17 and they cruise the same areas i do in the PNW. the only limitations with the Yamaha are the lack of an external tank and the motor is only available in a short shaft.
-- :: Dave Scobie :: former M15 owner - www.freewebs.com/m15-named-scred :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - www.m17-375.webs.com
From: Richard Conn <connmanr@hotmail.com>
Hi,
I'm selling my on-the-water town house in Pittsburg, and giving my 2001 Montgomery 17 to my son who lives in Alameda. It's about time, I turned 88 last month. I've sailed up to Martinez in her, and around the Delta, during those 14 years, but never further west. Because my dock was right behind the house I never had a trailer. When I offered the boat to my son I just assumed I would sail her up to whatever slip space he gets on the Island. Now I'm wondering. Is that a reasonable sail, or motor with my 5 horse kicker? Have any of you done it, and how long did it take. I'm anxious for your input. If you all think sailing Beatrice would be crazy, is there anybody out there who would consider renting me a trailer for a weekend. If so, it would be towed by my son who's 38 years my junior, Thanks for listening and kind regards, Richard Conn