Help Needed With Caribe L9 & Honda 8hp Classic 4 Stroke

[ssullivan]

I got a Honda 8hp Classic 4 stroke short shaft engine about a month ago.

We got it for fuel economy since the dinghy is basically our car.

I have been running it and not thinking much of the water that comes flying up when I (carefully) come off plane, engulfing and partially submerging the powerhead of the outboard.

Recently, I had the cover off to see how the oil level was doing and noticed standing water in and around the engine block and exhaust manifold. NOT GOOD!

This standing water obviously comes from the motor being so low that it gets swamped when coming off plane. Also, when you stand at the stern, the plastic housing cover touches the water's surface. NOT GOOD AGAIN!

Does anyone have a Caribe L9 and a Honda 4 stroke 8hp or larger on it? If so, how the heck do you keep it from going submarine?

This is a problem I can't take lightly. It's a $2000 engine!

Thanks,

[slacker]

We have a 9L and a Yamaha 15 enduro. Yes you really do have to be carefull when coming of a plane. I guess we have had the dingy long enough that we dont think about it any longer. We just make sure to come off slowly or make a 90 deg turn when we chop the throtle. The engine cover of our Yanaha fits so snugly we have never had a problem with water pooling inside. Could you drill some drain holes some where? Possible you could look at replacing the gasket between the cover and the powerhead.

Mike

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by slacker

We have a 9L and a Yamaha 15 enduro. Yes you really do have to be carefull when coming of a plane. I guess we have had the dingy long enough that we dont think about it any longer. We just make sure to come off slowly or make a 90 deg turn when we chop the throtle. The engine cover of our Yanaha fits so snugly we have never had a problem with water pooling inside. Could you drill some drain holes some where? Possible you could look at replacing the gasket between the cover and the powerhead.

Mike

Thanks, Mike.

I was hoping somebody had a Caribe on this forum and a bigger (heavier) engine on it.

So does your Yamaha go underwater to the point where the cover and the main body come together when you step in the boat? I'm only 160lbs, so I'm not thinking my weight is a factor.

Also, how about coming off plane? No matter how carefully I do that, I get a wash that goes above the cover.

I was thinking of retro-fitting a new outboard mount onto the dinghy to get the outboard up out of the water some more.

Drilling holes was a thought, but in all honesty, I don't feel I should have to modify a brand new, $2000 engine when I bought it from a place that also sells Caribe dinghies. I'm a little bit disgruntled that I'm getting salt water into it based on their suggestion of what OB I should have bought.

[Therapy]

I am pretty sure there is a drain hole already, at the back.

It would seem odd to me if it didn't.

Can't speak to the swamping. Strange.

[Vasco]

Sean,

Too much weight aft for that little dink. Can be the engine or you or both. Is the gas tank back there too?

[ssullivan]

Thanks, Therapy.

It is strange, isn't it?

The oddest part is it sits quite a bit lower in the water than the Honda manual suggests it should, even when nobody is in the dinghy.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Sean,

Too much weight aft for that little dink. Can be the engine or you or both. Is the gas tank back there too?

The engine is 99lbs.

I'm 160lbs.

The 3 gallon gas tank is usually in the stern, but I did move it forward with no
noticeable change in the outboard's position in the water.

[Therapy]

Without seeing it I can't really say, but redoing (raising) the transom mount would be in order. But I don't know how much you can raise it without cavitaion. It depends on the depth of the hull.

PS, My honda 15 has a pretty loose fitting cover. A new gasket won't help. It is the design.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Without seeing it I can't really say, but redoing (raising) the transom mount would be in order. But I don't know how much you can raise it without cavitaion. It depends on the depth of the hull.

PS, My honda 15 has a pretty loose fitting cover. A new gasket won't help. It is the design.

Agreed about the loose fitting cover. It's just the way it's designed.

I think I probably will go with the transom modification. I have a lot of room to lift the motor (I think - will measure soon). It's almost like the motor was expecting a transom that sits higher off the water - and this *is* a short shaft model.

[Therapy]

The manual will show you with a picture but it is pretty standard.
A line extending out from the keel should hit the motor 1" above the cavitation plate.
Up the motor to that point.
What is that line hitting on the motor now?

PS. On my setup (16' Jon with said 15HP) I had to cut it down because 1" was not enough. I had to go to 2" because with only me it just rides high and fast.

[Sandero]

Can you ease off of plane without the swamping? Your motor sounds like it's too low in the water. Move as miuch weight forward even get a 6 gallon tank and put it in the bow. and sit forward. Your boat is not trimmed properly.

I am getting a new motor, the honda was nicked in RI, I decided to stay with the 4 stroke but get a lighter motor. Yamaha is 15 pounds light. I still need the block and tackle to lift it onto the rail, but I expect better trim and performance - same HP.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Therapy

The manual will show you with a picture but it is pretty standard.
A line extending out from the keel should hit the motor 1" above the cavitation plate.
Up the motor to that point.
What is that line hitting on the motor now?

PS. On my setup (16' Jon with said 15HP) I had to cut it down because 1" was not enough. I had to go to 2" because with only me it just rides high and fast.

The water is 9.5" to 10" above the cavitation plate, when I am in the boat, near the stern, measuring it. The manual with the generic picture suggests 2" max above the cavitation plate.

How can it be so off??

Is there not some kind of standard followed?

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by defjef

Can you ease off of plane without the swamping? Your motor sounds like it's too low in the water. Move as miuch weight forward even get a 6 gallon tank and put it in the bow. and sit forward. Your boat is not trimmed properly.

I am getting a new motor, the honda was nicked in RI, I decided to stay with the 4 stroke but get a lighter motor. Yamaha is 15 pounds light. I still need the block and tackle to lift it onto the rail, but I expect better trim and performance - same HP.

I can ease off plane without swamping, but I use a trick... easy off slowly and then blast a little full throttle to knock the wake back as it hits the outboard. This keeps me from swamping and keeps the wake from *breaking* over the outboard.

I really don't have any other way to trim the boat at all. I've moved the tank forward and it does nothing noticeable. I sit about amidships, twisting the throttle with my fingertips and arm extended as far as I can without losing my grip on the outboard.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

I can ease off plane without swamping, but I use a trick... easy off slowly and then blast a little full throttle to knock the wake back as it hits the outboard. This keeps me from swamping and keeps the wake from *breaking* over the outboard.

I really don't have any other way to trim the boat at all. I've moved the tank forward and it does nothing noticeable. I sit about amidships, twisting the throttle with my fingertips and arm extended as far as I can without losing my grip on the outboard.

I have done that before.

I use two different length PVC extensions.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

The water is 9.5" to 10" above the cavitation plate, when I am in the boat, near the stern, measuring it. The manual with the generic picture suggests 2" max above the cavitation plate.

How can it be so off??

Is there not some kind of standard followed?

That is not the measurement.
The one you need is a line off the hull bottom..
Hold a yardstick (or whatever) against the hull bottom sticking out the back of the boat. Where does the stick hit the drive housing?