From: legacy@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (wayne.m.simpson)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: What is it worth?
Summary: There is one application only this engine will fill
Date: 14 Oct 92 13:16:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewsj.1992Oct14.131601.864
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Oct12.213008.5733@zehntel.com> mikeg@zehntel (Mike Goldstein) writes:
>Any ideas what a 1972 Johnson 9.5 outboard is worth? It has
>no hours on it as it was a kicker for a main motor that never
>fails.

   The best thing you can do with this engine is find someone with and
old Seafarer 23 sailboat and sell it to them. The old 23, designed by
Sparkman and Stevens, also known as the Kestrel, had a trick engine 
compartment with a very long well and a set of trap doors. When the 
engine was no longer needed you would tilt it up into the lazerette and
close the doors, leaving you with an engineless craft and all the sailing
benefits thereof.
   The boat was designed specifically for the OMC 9.5 horse "fisherman"
motors such as those you describe. They were the only motors short enough
to perform the trick. When production of the fisherman motor ended in 1973,
so did production of the Seafarer 23, at least with the trick lazerette.
   My Seafarer 23 (which I had before I bought my Catalina) came with 
a 15 Johnson electric start. It could not be tilted up and every year
I had to go through the pain of sanding and painting it to deal with
sea grunge and corrosion. In addition, the boat was slow due to the excess
drag and required at least 2 1/2 knots of speed in order to tack because
of the motor skeg behind the rudder.
   When I finally found a 1972 fisherman motor in need of work, I gladly
bought and repaired it. Handling under power was stinko, particularly
in reverse, but under sail, the boat was an absolute joy! I was now
fast and responsive and could tack with any amount of headway. I never
had to repaint the engine again. This little engine was also highly
reliable, but then so was the Johnson it replaced.

   Now, back to your problem. The Seafarers were built on Long Island
and I suppose most were sold in the east. I don't know of any owners
association but there was talk of one some years ago. There is a fellow
named Wright Reininger who lives in NY somewhere. He was chief of prod-
uction for Seafarer in the early 60's, and is the self-styled Seafarer
historian. I know he reads Coastal Cruising Magazine and Offshore. He
scours the classified looking for Seafarers for sale and contacts the 
owners to try and peice together the history of the boats. He particularly
loves the old 23s. I suppose he may also read Soundings. A letter to
the editor of any of these mags might catch his attention. He could
tell you if there is an owners group and could probably put you in touch
with someone needing an old 9.5

   Why go to all the trouble? A 20 year old outboard is pretty worthless
to just about anyone. But to a Seafarer 23 owner, they are almost priceless.
I paid $350.00 for mine 6 years ago and had to put a new head on it
immediately. I would have paid more for an engine I didn't need to work
on, but none were available. I searched for three years before finding
one in any condition.
   This would also help keep an old Seafarer 23 sailing in the way it
was intended to, with no external evidence that it had an engine. These
were really beautiful boats and, obviously, I have a soft spot in my 
heart for them.

***************************************************************************
                                          Wayne Simpson, Technical Editor
(insert standard                          National Catalina 27 Association
        disclaimer here)                  wms@spin.ho.att.com
                                          (908) 949-0482
***************************************************************************