[Rhodes22-list] Motor shaft length

[Leland]

Jim,

Welcome aboard!

Stan gave me a used 2000 9.9 Mercury with the long shaft.

I think the 2000 weighs in around 135 pounds which is way too heavy.  The
power is much too much 99% of the time but heading into a big storm once I
could only do 3.5 knots.  Typically I can hit hull speed (6 knots) at
three-quarters throttle.  My next outboard may be electric or propane or gas
but it will probably be more in the 6 to 8 hp range.

I would go with the short shaft.  Yes the long shaft prop is more likely to
stay in the water in extreme weather and probably performs better in most
conditions, but the long shaft prop can still pop out of the water and the
short shaft performs adequately.  My long shaft drags in the water on a
starboard tack if I'm heeling.  In reality it probably doesn't make a huge
difference but mentally it slows me down, and I can't afford to slow down
any more mentally than I already have.

I'm a daysailor and normally only use my outboard to get in and out of the
marina.  This may sound like sailing heresy but my motor is still the most
important thing on my boat.

Good luck!

Lee
1986 Rhodes22  AT EASE
Kent Island, MD





--
View this message in context: http://rhodes-22.1065344.n5.nabble.com/Motor-shaft-length-tp47252p47257.html
Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.