PDX Newbie User

[Richard Perry]

Hi folks,

Sorry for lurking around for a few days.

My name is Richard, and my wife and I live in Portland, Oregon. We are currently boat less, and since I my job requires me to drive around the city all day I'm often tantalized by views of our rivers, which of course gets me thinking about boats.

We are hoping to find a decent small OB cuddy/cabin cruiser (Glassply Seafair maybe), and want to use 4-stroke power. We don't have a lot of expendable income, so it looks like a Bearcat 55 would be our best bet financially.

Any how, I'm ready to soak up any information on this matter that you folks care to bestow upon me; I've already have learned a bunch from perusing this forum - thank you!

[Bflaherty]

Welcome to the public!

[Kelly]

Welcome! Keep watching Craigslist, I've seen quite a few Seafairs over the past year between Portland and Seattle. As far as getting a Bearcat, they're out there but don't come up on CL all that often, at least not locally. When you get a boat and can't find your Bearcat, let me know as a friend of mine has plenty and is always willing to sell.

[Helmar]

Hi folks,

Sorry for lurking around for a few days.

My name is Richard, and my wife and I live in Portland, Oregon. We are currently boat less, and since I my job requires me to drive around the city all day I'm often tantalized by views of our rivers, which of course gets me thinking about boats.

We are hoping to find a decent small OB cuddy/cabin cruiser (Glassply Seafair maybe), and want to use 4-stroke power. We don't have a lot of expendable income, so it looks like a Bearcat 55 would be our best bet financially.

Any how, I'm ready to soak up any information on this matter that you folks care to bestow upon me; I've already have learned a bunch from perusing this forum - thank you!

Hi Richard. I lived in Sandy Oregon for 35 years, moved up to Washington and now down to Eugene. So, Welcome to the Club.
As far as a Bearcat pushing a Seafair Sedan, Steve Keisel had one on his and I think it was underpowered for him.

Personally, I am more than sold on the Bearcat engine and I will only change to a boat that I know it will push up on plane with no issues. I have had mine on the 16 Skagit Skimaster, and then on my Uniflite and I know they have worked on the Dorsett Catalina.
The Bearcats, several people have them and for the money, best bang for the buck in my book. I can tinker on my own. I can go to NAPA and get my parts from them that I need, Plugs, Wires, Rotor, Points (I don't care for the electronic ignition) and Cap. I put a different automotive coil on mine for that little extra snap too.

So, getting into the 17 foot boats, your almost out of the Bearcats range as they are not a hot rod motor by any means. Fishing, trolling, you can't beat them.
Mine will never be for sale..If it is, I am done boating.

[Steve_Kiesel]

I don't remember exactly what I got out of the Bearcat on the Seafair, but it was in the neighborhood of 23 to 25 mph. That was a great motor. I'm NOT into tinkering on motors like Helmar. I couldn't find anyone that would service the Bearcat, so I moved on.

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

What does a Bearcat 55 weigh? Twin Bearcats would sound nice together....

[Kelly]

What does a Bearcat 55 weigh?

Tim the long shaft Bearcat weighs 239lbs and the short shaft weighs 234. I've seen twins on a 20' Skagit, it looked cool but I never heard it run personally. Here's some other boat, can't quite tell what it is but it's running twins...

twin 55s.PNG

[Richard Perry]

Hey guys, just got home from work, thanks for all the replies.

I was kind of wondering if a Seafair sedan might be too much boat for a Bearcat; we don't really need to go fast, but I wouldn't want it to be a struggle to get on plane.

As far as the tinkering, I generally enjoy it, and sort of miss points and condensers.

Recently replied to an ad on seattle craigslist posted by a Homelite/Bearcat guy selling parts and complete motors, but no word back yet.

[Kelly]

One of the ads in the Seattle CL is Bill Roberts, the other guy is the guy I was referring to earlier...Ron. Both extremely knowledgeable with regards to Bearcats and outboards in general.

[Steve_Kiesel]

In regards to the Bearcat on the Seafair, performance will depend on how much of a load you have. When I got mine up to 25 mph, I was the only one on board. It should do fine with a couple people and not a lot of gear.

[Richard Perry]

Steve, thanks, you read my mind; I was intending on asking your opinion on the capability of the Bearcat powering a Seafair sedan. I was initially led to this forum by an image I found of your beautiful boat with a Bearcat on it, and was wondering how it performed - now I have additional food for thought on the matter.

By the way, what motor are you using now? It sounds like you parted company with the Bearcat.

PS My apologies for not replying sooner, it's been a crazy week and I compete for access to our lone laptop with my lady.

[Steve_Kiesel]

Right now I'm running a Johnson 60hp two stroke. For me 60hp is more than enough power. I also added the CMC Power Trim unit when I got the Johnson. Here's a link:

http://www.basspro.com/CMC-Power-Til.../product/1137/

The Seafair gets up on plane fairly quickly, then you can fine tune it with the CMC. All this talk is making want to be out on a lake somewhere.

[Richard Perry]

That looks like a nice piece of gear for sure... dang it, now I want one!
I'm assuming it will work with a Bearcat too?

[Steve_Kiesel]

Yes, it will work with a Bearcat. May have to drill some holes though. It comes from the factory with mounting slots for the major brands.