Seawind 1000 ventilating with Honda Engines

[KiminAK]

Folks, I am looking at a Seawind 1000 to buy. The one I am interested in is powered by Honda engines, 25" shaft, prop unknown. The engines are cavitating in a mild sea, and coming very close to the surface. I suspect that there is some difference in the Honda engines vs. the Yamaha engines that they originally came with. Does anyone know if there is a difference between the Hondas with 25" shaft and the Yamahas with a 25" shaft and/or the way they mount in a Seawind 1000?

[44'cruisingcat]

The shafts should be the same length, or near enough to make very little difference.

What size motors?

They probably don't have Hondas version of high thrust props. While not as good as Yamaha s 3:1 gearbox and big props, they're far better than the standard prop when it comes to powering a sailing cat.

[mikereed100]

I was going to thank you for using the term "ventilating" instead of "cavitating" in your title, but then you went and burned me in your text. Dude!

FWIW, we used to ventilate horribly when we first launched and the boat was feather light. Now, several years and several tons of toys and tools later, the props are now deep below the surface where they belong. if you buy the Seawind you may have a similar result.

[smj]

Check the procedure for changing the oil filter on the Hondas, then look at the installation on the Seawind and decide if it can be done without pulling the engines.

[smj]

Originally Posted by smj

Check the procedure for changing the oil filter on the Hondas, then look at the installation on the Seawind and decide if it can be done without pulling the engines.

I love the Seawind 1000's and really like the Honda outboards but I'm not sure if they are a good match.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

I was going to thank you for using the term "ventilating" instead of "cavitating" in your title, but then you went and burned me in your text. Dude!

If they're the standard high speed props and not the high thrust ones, they probably are cavitating.

[catsketcher]

As other posters have stated, check the props, the Honda high thrust props are four bladed. Incorrect props will tend to make a hole in the water.

Also check to see that there is no electric tilt or long bottom bracket. My Yammie 25 is electric tilt and 25 inch which sounds fine but the bracket containing the hydraulics is huge, about 100mm deeper than the non hydraulic bracket of the Honda 25. What this means is that the motor has to be lifted up 100 to clear the bottom of the nacelle. (In my new installation I totally removed the whole bracket and made a short composite fitting for my new nacelles.) (A cat with twin 25 Hondas with vertical tracks to retrieve engines had a huge electric tilt bracket, even though the motors never tilt, to get electric start. Still, a composite bracket based on the pivot pin would have solved the water scooping problem it had)

So check the Honda does not have electric tilt. They may have come with the electric start. If the do have electric tilt the engines will be about 100mm higher than the Yammie and ventilate a lot. 100mm makes a huge difference. When I made my new nacelles I had them ventilate a few times too many. I pulled them back into the shed and dropped them 70mm. Now they almost never ventilate.

cheers

Phil

[VBsail]

They should work. The honda XL is actually longer than the yamaha even though they are both called 25". Check to see if they are mounted as low as possible. A bandaid is to add a hydrofoil tail if it will fit. It will allow the prop to raise almost to the surface before sucking air vs sucking air while still down several inches deep.

Also check to see that there is no electric tilt or long bottom bracket. My Yammie 25 is electric tilt and 25 inch which sounds fine but the bracket containing the hydraulics is huge, about 100mm deeper than the non hydraulic bracket of the Honda 25. What this means is that the motor has to be lifted up 100 to clear the bottom of the nacelle. (In my new installation I totally removed the whole bracket and made a short composite fitting for my new nacelles.) (A cat with twin 25 Hondas with vertical tracks to retrieve engines had a huge electric tilt bracket, even though the motors never tilt, to get electric start. Still, a composite bracket based on the pivot pin would have solved the water scooping problem it had)

I found the same thing and ordered a tiller model when it was time for another motor (only way to get the manual tilt with smaller bracket) then removed the tiller and added the OEM remote kit.