TOPIC: Power Cat 14c twin setup

Starting to get a plan together to get this restoration going in 13'
What I'm thinking of starting with 1st are twin 64' 650's. I need direction on how these motors need to be set up. Also trying to figure out the twin control set up. Would like to see pics of other completed boats for possible ideas.

Travis

Brian Lawson's (crosbyboat) 18 DC is the first thing that came to my mind on examples, Travis. I couldn't find the restoration thread, must be back in the archives somewhere. Here's some pics and a video Frank and his son shot of one of the first trial runs;
www.fiberglassics.com/fiberglassics-forums/home/main-forum/brian-lawson-s-power-cat-18dc-in-action#17967

www.powercatboat.com/Group/index.html
Travis: If you go to the page link above you can go down thru
the list and there are several 14c's with twin engine setups you
could find.
With twin 650's your going to want a stout steering set-up that
can keep them under precise control. A good pulley/cable set-up
with strong tie-bar would be the simplest and if they are done
correctly provide excellent steering control, the problem is they
have to be constantly maintained and adjusted. A dual cable/rack
Super Rideguide would be great, but the parts to put those together are very scarce. Don't be mis-lead by some of the other
newer rack/pinion dual cable offerings. The gear ratio's and
components used in many of them are not as strong or robust as the
old Rideguide and will only give you headaches if you try to utilize them. Stiff un-manageable steering is not what you want.
Most of the Merc controls for shift/throttle were designed to be bolted together for a dual engine set-up, and when mounted together you can use one hand to control both motors.
Prop selection will be very important to your final performance
in this application, as you have a very small boat with twin large
horsepower motors.
Regards,
Danny Leger

Pondrocket44 wrote:

Starting to get a plan together to get this restoration going in 13'
What I'm thinking of starting with 1st are twin 64' 650's. I need direction on how these motors need to be set up. Also trying to figure out the twin control set up. Would like to see pics of other completed boats for possible ideas.

Travis

A double rack super rideguide is still easy to put together. You need two of the round tube helm rack configuration used from the early 60's through early 70's. These simply bolt together, you will need a longer pinion gear to connect through the two racks, these come up all the time on ebay for the newere square style helm rack tubes, you will need to shorten this longer pinion a smidge. The helm will bolt right onto this double rack.
You can run the cables opposed or in parallel, cables may be the bugaboo as they are harder to find.
I did this for my 74 Hydrostream and my 69 Switzercraft, they work great. Merc had brackets that looked like a figure 8's that would clamp the round rack tubes together, I used these(correctness) but don't think they are really needed plus they are near impossible to find but subtitutes could be easily made.
On a single engine there is a second steering tube bracket that needs to be added, it goes onto the tilt tube. In a double install you could have one cable per motor.
Teleflex is still making new twin cable systems which would not be period correct if you are fussy. If not worried about correctness then consider hydraulic with a vintage wheel. Run the lines to look like steering cables. Tie bar systems do come up on ebay and I think Joe Poole might help with this too. It would not be too challenging to have the right pieces made as well.
If you are looking to build a 2nd shorty 650 and can't find one, if you find a matching 650 long, I may have all you need to convert it to a short depending on year.
Randy