Hi there!
I'm considering installing a new Mercury F50 ELPT (50Hp Electric Long Shaft Power Tilt). Should I be installing the Command Thrust option or does this make a big enough difference?
I know Yammy are favoured but is much more expensive. Mercury has local support with 7 yrs waranty. Any advice would be very much welcome. Trying to have completed before the UK visit to Ireland in Lough Derg 👍
Thanks
Dave
Hi there!
Could someone please help me with trying to understand why the previous owner placed a block of wood to raise this long shaft 21" up? See attached images
I'm trying to replace with a new engine.
Thanking you,
Dave
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I would say it's probably because the previous owner found that the shaft was actually too long for his preferences. I'm not even sure that all engines described as "long shaft" are exactly the same length, measured from the top of the transom bracket to the centre of the prop.
There are, I believe, slightly varying opinions of exactly what depth the prop should be in relation to the bottom of the transom; he may also have wanted to minimise the depth to avoid grounding even if the prop depth was sub-optimal. People do non-standard personal mods for all kinds of reasons!
I suggest measuring your new engine to see if it's actually the same shaft length. One of your photos indicates the anti-cavitation plate is about level with the bottom of the transom, which I think is a conventional position to mount the engine. See how your new engine is going to line up and take it from there.
A bit vague, but I hope this helps!
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Thank you Rick this does help. I'd say it was to level the cavitation plate of the outboard to the bottom of the boat and it was a long long-shaft
Hi Deithi, I have the same mercury on ANDIAMO 26X what I would say is that the hood on the outboard is a lot larger than other outboards. This has the problem that when you fully tilt the outboard the hood comes in contact with the back of the captain seat to over come this problem I made a recess into the back of the seat. This isn't hard to do but it does take time & best done with the seat off.
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Thanks Andrew. I hadn't thought of that. I've already purchased a F60 Command Thrust. Will have to adapt I guess.
Do you have a 50hp or 60hp Mercury Command Thrust? Did you need to strengthen the transom? Is your cavitation plate at the same level as the bottom of the boat or is it offset up or down? Did you use anything like the block of wood in my picture?
Thanks for your help 👍
Regards,
Dave
Hi Faithi, I fitted a 50 to my X.. if you have to drill new holes for the mount I usually mark the spot then use double the size of the bolt & drill the holes. After drilling the holes you then fill them with epoxy. When epoxy is set then drill the right size hole. This way you can be sure that the transom core remains watertight. The size of spacer I used at the top of the transom for the outboard mount is 7mm.
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Captain seat modification.
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Thank you so very much indeed Andrew. What a project that was. My installer is advising not to put a spacer on which seems rather odd to me. Potential to apply force in the wrong direction?
What type of propeller did you use, max revs and could you confirm if you installed the Command Thrust version with bigger gear box?
Thank you again 🙏
Very best wishes
Dave
Hi Daithi, sorry about the delay. My prop size is 10.5 8x12 & a Blackmax. As for the revs I very rarely go above 3000. As I only use my boat on the sea I always have a full ballast tank for stability.i hope that the refitting is going well & that you are somewhere near getting the boat into the water.
Hi Andrew!
Thank you for that. 👍
After installing the new Mercury 60HP outboard I'm only getting 4,000 RPM. Should be capable of 5,500 to 6,000. I'm running the engine in now so not going over 3,500 and the Mercury technician says he will need to try several props once I've completed the run in time 15 to 20hrs.
Could you please confirm if you have the Command Thrust version (bigger gearbox to help larger boats) and if you could reach 5,500 or above in RPM? Is it possible to plane? This would be extremely useful in perhaps closer to the right prop size.
Thanks again,
Dave
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