Repower on 22 cruiser.

[Tommy J]

We have had our 1991 22' cruiser for 12 years and are starting to consider repowering. Would probably go with the EFI Honda 90. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has repowered from the older lightweight Johnson 70 HP 2 stroke to the current heavyer 4 strokes (75 to 100hp range). Particularly what is the difference in how the Cdory handles ? Does it feel heavy and boggy? Whats the top end mph? Overall more, less or about the same power? Is the trim affected? Thank you in advance.

[jennykatz]

We bought our 99 cruiser witha 50 hp honda it was underpowered put on a 06 suzuki 90hp 2litre engine it's now rated at 100hp .It was a Great engine about 34-36 mph lightly loaded 4-5 mpg this is running at sea level in back waters usually calm seas in florida. The new Suzuki is a 1.6 litre producing 70-90 hp depending on which one you buy. The weight of most of these 4 strokes is going to be 380-420 lb.I would put a permatrim or one of Bobs machine shop tabs(tampa Fl)this helps the fore and aft trim .Also trim tabs might help I used Lenco's but bennett work also.I would check out the dealers who you can get a good repower deal and who you trust to give you good service good Luck in your quest.

BTW I now have a f115 Yamaha on a 23 venture (cape cruiser)

[Tommy J]

Thanks Jenny for your input. The new Honda 90's are 359# plus a 8 hp "classic " at 79# is about as light as I can find - this is still about 100# heavyer than my current Johnson 70/8 hp combination. What I'm really trying to find out is if the additional wt of the 4 strokes are going to negatively affect the handling of the Cdory and I guess the only way to know is if someone has actually experienced both set ups. By the way 34 mph is by far more than I can get out of our current Johnson 70. I will have to investigate the "permatrims" Thanks again for your response.

[20dauntless]

We have the Honda BF90D on a 2008 22 Cruiser. Without the SST hydrofoil I saw a top end around 34 mph, faster than the C-Dory hull should really go in my opinion. With the Hydrofoil we see a top end in the low 30's and can average up to 4.5 nmpg. With a heavy load this drops considerably, but even with 6 people, two golden retrievers, and all of our gear for the weekend the BF90D has no problem providing all the speed we need (18 knots cruising, 4400 RPM). As far as I'm concerned, the BF90D makes a perfect power plant for the 22 cruiser.

[Tommy J]

Thanks Dauntless. I agree 30 mph + is really more than our hull is designed for and the Cdory is really not for speed. We cruise from 14 to 16 kt which is fine. I would however, like to have more mid range torque which I would imagine the Honda has (longer stroke- should lug better?). Thats quite a load you carry. Glad to hear your satisfaction with the honda - Ive been waiting 12 years to wear the Johnson out so I can get one ( the Johnson's really been a good motor and still going strong but its time).

[cemiii]

I had a 70 Johnson on my Angler and a 15 Ev kicker.
I sold them both and repowered with an etec 90 and a Johnson 9.9 4stk a year ago. I added quite a few other things to the boat and quite a bit of weight (probably +/- 400#).

The result was a boat that did not have a lot more top end than the 70 but far better accelleration (running 13p prop). The EFI starts first time/everytime at any altitude or temp., and almost no noxious smoke. No boggy or heavy feel at all.
The little 4 stroke is quiet and sips gas and cruises the boat just fine with a tie bar to the etec that is controlled by the s1000 AP.

Glad I made the changes.

[Tommy J]

Thanks Cris M. Thats the type of info I'm looking for. Anyone else?

[ffheap]

Hi Folks,

This may not be of a great help, but I repowered my 1983 22' Angler Classic from a 70 HP Johnson 2 stroke to a Yamaha 75 HP 4 stroke.

Pluses, quieter, more reliable, easier to handle fuel. Minuses, Do to the additional weight, I had to raise the water line 3" in the stern. It also drags a bit in fresh water.

Fred

[Wefings]

1991 Johnson 70hp= 237Lbs
2009/10 Suzuki 70-80-90hp = 341Lbs
The lightest 4 stroke so far also 2.59 gears = great performance
But they all work pretty well . Buy the best service .
Marc

[westward]

Greetings. 1. Performance feedback: Our first C-Dory was a 1991 22' cruiser with a Johnson 70 and kicker. Second C-Dory was a 2007 22' angler with twin Honda 40's, whose total weight approximated that of a heavy 4 stroke single, or a lighter single/kicker combo. There was absolutely a difference in handling between the 2 setups: With the 70 the boat had a light, nimble feel and it was easy to get the bow down when conditions required, but I often wished I had more reserve power. With the 40's, the stern seemed firmly "planted" in the water and the bow rode higher. Ended up installing Permatrims on both 40's, which really helped handling at speed. With the 40's, my top speed was higher and overall the boat was more powerful, but had a heavier feel about it. It was suggested to me by the dealer that the best weight match for a modern single engine with the CD 22 hull was the E-Tec 90, which is apparently a fine engine, but I could not bring myself to choose a 2-stroke after years of using 2 cycle oil on previous boat engines. 2. Personal opinion/bias: If I were selecting a new single main engine for a CD 22 it would be a Honda EFI 90, Honda being my engine of personal preference. I personally cannot see needing any more than 90-100 total HP for this hull, or wanting the extra weight it would add, though some have gone higher and report satisfactory results. Good luck with your repower. Mike.

[Tommy J]

Thank you Fred, Marc and Mike. Good information and each of your comments are appreciated. I was wondering Mike/Steady Eddie - I assume you still have your twin 40s on your angler. If you were repowering would you go with the twins again or with a single/kicker combination?

[westward]

Sadly, I sold the Angler last Fall to help finance our new home. I look forward to the time when I'll be making these selections again. I would go with twins again in that boat, preferably the Honda EFI 40's or 50's. This is a longstanding debate issue on this site and honestly a matter of preference, but here are my reasons: 1. Twins together were lighter as a package than any 4-stroke main/kicker combo available. (Your instinct to minimize engine weight in your repower is correct.) 2. I seldom used my kicker, so its effectiveness as a backup motor was questionable. 3. Even at 15hp, the kicker wouldn't have done much more than provide steerage if the main crapped out in rough water. We mainly used the boat to cross Rosario Strait, so I liked the idea of my backup motor being a 40hp Honda that was already down and running. With the Permatrims, either of the 40's alone could plane the boat to 17mph. (not recommended for extended periods). 4. The total cost for annual service on 2 - 40's vs. 1-90 and 1-8 was the same per the dealer. 5. Twins with Permatrims gave enough lateral trim adjustment that I had no need for trim tabs. I wanted to minimize hull penetrations and have had trim tabs fail on a previous boat. 6. (most important) I liked the way twin motors looked on the boat. Other guys seemed to like them too because I got a lot of favorable comments specific to the motors. Our buyer cited the twin motors as a major reason for his interest in our boat. Others on this site can give you a list of equally valid reasons for selecting a main/kicker combo. Seems like you really can't go wrong with any of the major engines these days. Have fun with the selection process. Mike.