Outboard on an Old Town...

[The Canoe Kid]

I need a little advice.

How big an outboard motor would you suggest putting on an 18" OT square stern?

The canoe is from around 1950 and it's the model with several wide-plank seats and a single rowing station.

Do I have to worry about a motor damaging the transom or the rest of the boat? Are there precautions you suggest taking to prevent this from happening?

Thanks for your help.

TCK

 

[goldencub]

You will probably get a million opinions on this! I don't think you should need any more than 7 1/2 horsepower. I have a 14' w/c Sebago square stern from 1949 and have an era-correct 4 1/2 hp Martin 40 and a 7 1/2 hp Martin 60. Both motors work well with the boat, but I think the Martin 60 pushes it along about as fast as I am comfortable with. (Incidentally, the boat, both motors, and a trailer will soon be posted for sale.) Smaller motors will work fine on lakes, but if you're into river waters, don't get really small, 1 1/2 hp motors, as they might give you problems with the current. Good Luck!! Al D

 

[goldencub]

I forgot to add that you will get clamp scars on the transom from the motor mounts. I think those go with the territory and prove that you have used the boat! The square stern is meant to be used with an outboard, right?? Anyway, if the transom allows it, you can put thin plywood pads on both sides to take the scarring. I think there are commercially available metal pads specifically to use under the circular clamps on the inside of the transom. They probably look better than a plywood pad. Maybe Jamestown Distributors has them? Al D

 

[Benson Gray]

The 1950 catalog description of the 18 foot square end model said “Motors of 2 ½ H.P. to 6 H.P. give four to nine miles an hour." This was increased to 7 ½ H.P. by the 1959 catalog. You can always try some thin rubber padding under the motor's clamps and bracket if you are concerned about protecting the transom. Have fun,

Benson

 

[The Canoe Kid]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I appreciate it.

One more thing, are the horsepower recommendations based on weight, or on the force the engines exerts on the boat? I'm wondering if modern motors make a difference (or allow for more horsepower).

Thanks again.

Paddle on.

TCK

 

[Benson Gray]

are the horsepower recommendations based on weight, or on the force the engines exerts on the boat?

I asked this very question to a friend with a lot of experience with old boats and motors. The short version of his answer was "both" and he didn't recommend increasing the horsepower by more than about ten percent over the original factory specifications. The longer answer is that newer engines may be lighter and smoother but older wood may not be as strong as new wood and horsepower still puts a lot of force on a boat's transom. A good explanation of these physics can be found at http://books.google.com/books?id=5g...=onepage&q=royces motor boat ourboard&f=false in "Royce's Powerboating Illustrated" by Patrick M. Royce. Page 44 has a section that asks "How strong is your transom?" while mentioning how frequently these break during ocean racing. Your mileage may vary,

Benson