Motor selection on 1957 Lonestar King Commander

[D_B]

Ive been restoring my Dads 1957 14.5' Lonestar King Commander and original 25hp Evindrude, and just can't get the motor to run right. It will go fine at high speed, but it cuts out immediately at low speeds (forget idling). Ive rebuilt carb twice, and adjusted slow speed jets many many times to no avail. As good as the combination looks (see photo) I've about decided to get a new motor. The spec plate on the transom says 35hp max (1115 lbs total), but the old 25 seems heavy already. Im looking at a 20 or 25 mercury, which are 125 or 167 lbs respectively with electric start. Anyone have advice here, or a conversion formula for old boat ratings? Many thanks.

 

[gddavid]

Re: Motor selection on 1957 Lonestar King Commander

I cannot provide you much information with specifications for the motors but I have run a king commander with a few different engines. I had one of these boats in my early teens and used the heck out of it. I ran it the most with at mid 50's vintage 40hp quiet shaft, electric start Evinrude which was overweight and 5 hp overpowered. I cannot find the specs for that motor and I sold it years ago and cannot weight it but would guess it weighted around 150 lbs. The boat handled the weight fine and there was about 8" of freeboard at the lowest point of the transom with a 5 gallon gas can and 50 lb battery behind the aft seat. I could slalom ski behind the boat with this motor but I weighted only 140 lbs and the boat was only had 2 or 3 similar sized kids in it. I also ran the boat with an early 70's johnson 33hp, this motor was very close in size to the 40hp but did not have the quiet shaft or electric start so it was about 20 lbs lighter and I didn't need to carry a battery in the boat either. I could ski behind this as well and the boat planned out well, if I had to guess I would say the motor weighted around 130 lbs.

I have pushed this boat with as little as 15hp and it will plane the boat out with two smaller adults and not much else in the boat. As you know it is a very sturdy aluminum boat for it's vintage and size.

 

[D_B]

Re: Motor selection on 1957 Lonestar King Commander

Thx gddavid. If it could handle a 150 lb 40hp motor, I dont see why a modern 25hp motor would be a problem. Of course, a modern 25hp mercury is 167 lbs. I wonder if moving the battery and gas tank towards the bow would help even the weight distribution? Or is this advisable?

 

[gddavid]

Re: Motor selection on 1957 Lonestar King Commander

There is no reason not to move the battery and tank forward, I preferred to keep as much stuff behind the aft bench seat simply so there was less to stumble over in the middle of the boat. Depending on how many people and where they were seated, I moved stuff around as needed. I always carried a second tank and kept it between the aft and middle bench seats. My battery box was not secured to anything and the cables had enough slack to sit in either position, it probably should have been secured but it wasn't an ABYC compliant rig. Also my steering wheel and controls are further forward in the boat, mounted on the back of the bow deck so my weight was further forward.

My only concern with handing 167 lbs on the back of the boat would be having that much weight bouncing around in choppy water, then again I really don't know exacly how much mine weighted and it could have been that much. Definitely stick to a short shaft to minimize the torque on the transom. I know that on mine the plywood only extends halfway down the transom rather than the full height which would have distributed the load to the hull a little better. I believe the design was to keep the wood above the bildge water.

I am speaking in past tense because I haven't used the boat in 15 years but I still have it.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Motor selection on 1957 Lonestar King Commander

If you are done futzing w/ the vintage motor & want to move to a modern 20-25hp, you should be fine. Once on the transom, adjust weight (fuel, battery) as necessary to get a fairly even float/planing attitude.

Battery cables aren't cheap when you need to buy more then a couple of feet of each. But your commander isn't real big so fuel & cable runs won't be 25+ft...

You side console setup puts you forward of the rear bench, but not as far forward as GD's. You may need to move more weight further forward then he did. Too much forward isn't any better then being stern heavy, neither are ideal.

You can use weighted bags or whatever (a 50-75lb kid works good for easily moved ballast) while trying to see how much weight to move & where to locate it. Just don't call the kids ballast in front of the Admiral or Children/Family services :facepalm:

Welcome to Iboats & I love the look of your Commander w/ the vintage Evinrude:

If you haven't yet, I definitely recommend you start a motor thread in the Johnson/Evinrude forum & see if they can help you get the gremlins out of it. It looks GREAT.

Pix looks a bit stern heavy now, but even a vintage, stout L*S is really lightweight and nose high w/ a 35hp on the back.





If you remove it, even not quite running right, I'd keep that Evinrude. It's the 'right' motor for that boat, IMO

More pix of OB & boat, please

 

[gddavid]

Re: Motor selection on 1957 Lonestar King Commander

Pix looks a bit stern heavy now, but even a vintage, stout L*S is really lightweight and nose high w/ a 35hp on the back.

It is sitting pretty level in that picture. The sheerline of that boat is not supposed to be level.

 

[D_B]

Re: Motor selection on 1957 Lonestar King Commander

Thanks for the advice and compliments; it was not an easy decision to replace the old evinrude. When my older brother saw everything restored, he broke down big time. Dad never got to see it done. I'll send a pic of it trailered behind my 85 jeep woodie for full effect. I will take your advice and start a motor thread, in case there is something I missed. Ive looked for a carb guy in Houston area, but they are literally a dying breed.

Just found out that Mercury doesn't sell a 25hp short shaft with electric start and remote controls (as well as Suzuki), so I may have to go with the 20hp after all. As for ballast, Ive got three of various sizes in school right now so that should not be a problem!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Motor selection on 1957 Lonestar King Commander

Have you posted your motor issues on the AOMCI site
The Antique Outboard Motor Club Website - AOMCI.org

These guys KNOW everything there is to know about vintage outboards, and I'm bettin' they could get that motor purring like a new one in no time if you give em a chance.