The Boating Forum - Shimming Motors on a Cape Horn 24

Does anybody have any feedback on the relative perceived and/or measured performance enhancement w/ shimming the Motors (200HPDIs in my future case) on a 24' Cape Horn?

Your Help is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

TG_190

Click > HERE (http://www.thehulltruth.net/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=20037&posts=6#M239178) < and > HERE (http://www.thehulltruth.net/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=15332&posts=21#M243903) < and > HERE (http://www.thehulltruth.net/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=15332&posts=21#M247154) < for some comments from chorn24 that you should find helpful.

Thanks drifter. I did searches on Shims and cape horn, and did not get that thread, although I still would like more feedback especially since he has had more of a chance to use them in a variety of conditions.

I PM'd him.

Thanks again.

TG_190

The sales guy at my dealer used them to, he was also able to raise his engines a notch or two, the Yammaha will benefit more because they have less trim angle than the Merc's, the only negitive I have found, I can make the boat bow steer with two much trim in the engines along with alot of tab, this is easy to avoid though. I still use the tabs but the shims give me more control when running around on calm days, the boat only needs it when running under 30mph, anything more and the stern lift is great enough to balance the boat.

Chorn24,

From reading earlier posts I think you have 4 blade props(?).

Overall, given I'll have 200 HPDIs, and 3 blade props would you start out with the shims, or wait and see.

Since I store my boat in the water, I was wondering if the shims will prevent me from lifting the engines completely out of the water when I leave it in the slip.
Do your shimmed engines tilt up completely clear of the water?

Regards,

TG_190

The four blades actually give stern lift, so between running three blades ( they give more bow lift) and less ability to trim the Yams in, I would run the shims, the good thing about shims, trim the engines up a little and there not there anymore.

Where do you buy these shim's?

chorn24,

Do you get better fuel economy?

Can you still get the motors up and completely out of the water ( mine will live in the water, so I don't want even the skegs touching the water)?

Which has helped more: the shims or the Prop? What is the make and model of the props?

Team Binion, I think you can order them through boatUS. I hear they are cheap, but not sure exactly how much.

Regards,

TG_190

Team Binnion - 4/28/2004 3:31 PM

Where do you buy these shim's?

http://www.land-and-sea.com/images/marine/misc/transom_wedges_300.jpg

link: http://www.land-and-sea.com/marine/spacers/spacers.htm

I haven't used the wedges pictured- just thought I would share a link. Try a Google search and type in "transom wedges" for additional brands and sources.

Bob's machine shop makes them to, I payed 20-30 a set, I hope they increase milage in flat calm so I dont drag as much tab, It looks that way, but I will have to take a long trip to relly see if there is a noticable change. I can trim my engines up all the way, the Sea star ram barly rubs the inside of the transome if you put the starbord engine all the way up, it does not cause a problem though, another guy with a 24 moved his engine up one notch after the four blades and shims, he likes the setup, I want to do the same, that should completly eliminate any clearence issues.