Long shaft or regualr shaft??.....

[Fishnsledder]

I've been looking around for a 20 - 25hp tiller motor for my 16ft aluminum boat ( my ol' 7.5hp has it's work cut out for it). I found a 25 hp Merc but it's a long shaft,..... will it be fine?.... what are the advantages/dis-advantages of a long shaft as opposed to a regualr shaft?...

[Frazman]

Disadvantages
will bottom out sooner in shallow water.
will create more drag in the water- more gas used.
will be a little slower do to the drag.

If it has a section part way down remove it and do what I did on a duck
boat that I use to have..

There should be a approx. a 6 inch section on your lower unit that can be removed.

Years ago I removed this section and took out the long drive shaft and
had a piece cut out of it... then the shaft was welded up and turned down
at a local machine shop then we re-installed it back into the lower unit
then reconnected to the motor without that piece.

It worked great for years......


Good luck

Frazman

.

[Peppino]

I will add this, A long shaft has more bite. I use a 4.5 evinrude long shaft as a kicker on my 176 Springbok. On a calm day I can almost get 4 mph. I was also very impressed how it pushed my boat through the 4ft St-Lawrence swells.

Peppino