The mount was a frequent response to the lack of room in the cutout for the shifter/throttle/tiller arm and some motors did not have enof room to rotate for 'reverse' operation - I installed a tiny fixed mount at the same height as the cut-out and use a 20" 4hp Evinrude Yachtwin (no reverse) - luckily solved all problems and adds minimum weight. GO In a message dated 9/13/2015 4:19:47 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, john@eco-living.net writes: Interesting to me because my M17 has the cutout but also a nice spring-loaded stainless mount. It came with a Tohatsu 6hp long shaft, which seems like overkill in both weight and HP - thoughts on that? But if I keep it for now, sounds like it would affect balance less if I remove the mount and put it in the cutout, yes? Assuming it tilts enough to clear the water and the cutout is wide enough for its head/throttle configuration. thanks, John S. On 09/06/2015 09:15 PM, Dave Scobie wrote:
for the old cutout transom M17s the Suzuki 4HP or 6HP (same motor, the 4HP is just a 'de powered' 6HP ... the 6HP has the external tank option) is great. the reason the Suzuki works great is the control/throttle arm is set closer the center of the powerhead than other motors. a control/throttle arm that 'sticks out to the side' is difficult to fit into the transom cutout - do some measuring before you purchase a motor.
DON'T, in my opinion, be tempted to put an outboard motor mount on the transom. the boat will sail better with a motor mounted in the cutout (a weight balance issue). when Jerry modified the hull mold, and make the new deck mold, in '82 he removed the cutout because of 'market forces', not because the transom mounted motor mounts are superior.
a 20" will work fine ... a longer shaft could be a challenge as it will drag in the water (maybe?).
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com