Sold my 50, buying the Etec90

[dlandersson]

Same place you get squirrel PFD's

See: https://www.google.com/search?q=squirre ... 00&bih=908

Where can you get hamster PFDs?

[DaveB]

No one would sell me or install a motor on my MacX greater than 50 HP. I had Bass Pro install a new 50HP bigfoot.
This is in SW Florida.
Victor at the time offered to help install the Suzuki 90 in NC. Just was to far travel for me.
Dave

I just called regarding installation of a ETEC90 and the guy said he won't install anything above the rated maximum for the boat which happens to be a 50hp. I mentioned macgregor26m so I think others have called also.

My question is how do you upgrade if nobody is willing to do it? And if I have an ETEC 50 already, is it just swapping the motors out? Are all my controls and wiring the same? And do I need to re-inforce my transom? I am in San Francisco and would love to know who I can call. I found a good deal on an ETEC 90 used and would love to have that installed.

[beene]

I just took a deposit on the 2002 Honda BF50A. Will be ordering the Etec 90 tomorrow, finally.

Can you smart and/or experienced motorsailors weigh in on the necessity, function and size of the "wedge" that several here have installed when upgrading to higher HP motors? Pretty sure it is to keep the nose down, and to distribute the force on the transom but I would like to hear your thoughts.

A second question too: Any danger in running full throttle with a 90HP and full ballast? Given the higher motor weight, and that we usually are 5 or 6 people on the boat, I would prefer to keep the ballast full at all times. I don't expect to be running at full throttle in anything other than flat conditions, but what happens in small waves / medium waves / large waves?

Thanks in advance for any input...

Go with the wedges for sure

As to your second question. Just use good Capt judgement.
You are in charge
Keep all passengers and yourself safe at all times

No blanket answer

Full trtl with full ballast, sure if you must, clam conditions only

Full trtl ballast in or out, do not try to go at a speed that makes steering unsafe

I only use ballast when sailing or in rough seas
And certainly not wot

I have been known to go fast with the ballast in though....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvBXHI8uQgw

But wot on glass water is more fun...
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u119 ... 010033.mp4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bn47Z6U9HE

G

[beene]

Thanks for that. I may just do something like that, but sell the BF50 first. Maybe in the fall. That adds pressure to source a new (or used) replacement for the spring.

I just need to do something about the paint on the plastic housing on the power unit, the bowl shaped piece under the removable cowl, as it's peeling and looks terrible. Doesn't change how it runs, which is very well, but doesn't look like it was cared for.

Tom
Bought my 75 for 3299 from iboats.com

Check in the fall

They have many avail at that time of year

Mine came from YVR Bass boat rentals

2 years old

Runs like a top

G

[Starscream]

Well, the boat is in the shop having the Etec 90 installed. Let the buyer's remorse commense...I could have had a new Mitsubishi Mirage for less money.

Won't be able to take it out next weekend which sucks. Can't wait to get it in the water.

It came with a 5 year "bumper-to-bumper" warranty as an added bonus. I went with the wedges, as suggested here.

[Starscream]

Well the new Etec 90 has been mounted and the boat is back in the driveway. Of course I have to work this weekend so no testing for at least a couple of weeks. Sure looks nice though. It seems not much bigger than the Honda50.

Next project is a trailer upgrade. I had a brake seize on the way back from dropping the boat off at the shop and it was just smoking hot after a short low speed run. It was so hot the bearing grease liquified and splattered around the wheel. It was still smoking and sizzling after a long dousing with the garden hose. After 12 years the original trailer, modified with a second axle and an additional reinforcing bar, may be nearing the end of its safe life.

Now, why don't we want to change the direction of the bunks on the trailer again? All the new ones have the bunks running parallel to the direction of travel. Any problem with that?

[Tomfoolery]

I had a brake seize on the way back from dropping the boat off at the shop and it was just smoking hot after a short low speed run. It was so hot the bearing grease liquified and splattered around the wheel.

That's what happened to mine when I first picked it up, on both axles. I ripped all the brakes out and installed disc brakes on one axle, plus a new coupler and brake lines. Very reliable now, with good braking. About $350 for the whole kit from etrailer, if I recall correctly.

[vkmaynard]

Starscream keep us posted.

Soon you will have a new name, Starscreaming

Victor

[mastreb]

There's no problem with running WOT fully ballasted--in fact, with more than four people you should definitely run ballasted. Obviously all boards all the way up.

Have fun trying to figure out where you're going to be putting more fuel tanks

[RobertB]

I have the stock 6 gallon tank in front of the pedestal and have a cover for what passes as a foot well. Never enough room for more than one person and having it covered makes getting around less hazardous.
End result is two primary 12 gallon tanks I can run dry with a 6 gallon reserve.

[darrenj]

There was a previous question about bunk positions on the trailer.

For the 26x one of the bunks supports the swing keel so that it can't fall down while trailering I think. If I recall correctly the boat documentation even mentions that you should loosen the swing keel rope while trailering to allow the bunk to support the weight rather than the rope?

I sometimes remember to loosen the rope a bit and always keep the rope in the cam cleats.

[RobertB]

Have you chosen a propeller yet? What size? How heavy do you load your boat? What are your WOT RPMs?

[Starscream]

Haven't had a chance to test it yet. The shop put on a prop that they say has worked with other Macs that have installed this motor on...don't know what it is, but it has three blades. They want me to take it for a spin and will change the prop based on the motor RPMs.

Usually I run fairly heavy: We are six people: my daughter is more or less adult plus my wife and our three young boys. Add in the beach toys, water, beer, flushwater, gas, tools, ice and food for our usual three or four day trips, and we float rear-heavy just above the bootstripe.

5500 RPM on the Honda50 with no ballast netted about 15mph by GPS. I can't remember exactly but with ballast in I think we were at about 8mph. We certainly were plowing through the water even without ballast...nothing that even remotely resembled a plane. We were a reasonable imitation of a wake-boat...no not really but our wake waves were quite significant.

One other comment that maybe should go on another thread that was posted a few weeks ago: we decided against the Etec Pontoon series after reading the owner's manual of the Etec, which includes a very specific warning about NOT installing the motor on anything other than a pontoon. Plus, I don't care in the least about "hole shot", and would never do a max-throttle start: I like my boat and want to keep it, and stay alive at the same time.

[Catigale]

There was a previous question about bunk positions on the trailer.

For the 26x one of the bunks supports the swing keel so that it can't fall down while trailering I think. If I recall correctly the boat documentation even mentions that you should loosen the swing keel rope while trailering to allow the bunk to support the weight rather than the rope?

I sometimes remember to loosen the rope a bit and always keep the rope in the cam cleats.

Only for the venture boats with the 500 pound metal keel. A Powersailor centreboard can be held up by the line while trailering, no problem. I do have a piece of line under the boat to catch it in case the line comes loose.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

I'll have to look sometime, but I"m pretty sure my axles would catch the board before it hit the road if the line separated while trailering. The longitudanal bunks have a lot more support for your mac, not to mention that it is inline with the stringers in the hull. I think the stock mac trailers had those sideways bunks just to save weight and cost if you ask me..the boat is MUCH better supported on my new trailer (probably triple):





I also have wrestled with the idea of replacing my BF50 with a 90 for many many years now, but that damned 50 just keeps running really well and there hasn't been enough impetus to change it out. The case is kind of scratched up and sun damaged so I wonder if I could still get 2500 for it..plus, it is a 1999/2000 year so a couple years older than yours. I suppose on one side, I can "try" to run it into the ground (but so far, that is not working)...or, try to sell it before it loses all its value. Anyway, its just hard to justify when I have so many other projects, but I would like to have the extra power too..but in the end, I usually prefer sailing or slow motoring so its just not that high a priority I guess.