Fitting new Yamaha F25 to existing Cable Steering on 1965 SPORT 13
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2026 11:08 am
Q1: how can a c.2026 Yamaha F25 be fitted to a 1965 SPORT 13 (that has a curved and notched transom) to work with an existing Tele-flex style cable steering helm and actuator?
Q2: what was the name of a vendor located in the Florida panhandle that was making an adaptor that could be used on older 13-foot hulls which had a notched and curved transom and would allow cable steering to be used?
I don't think that adaptor that was made by a vendor in the Florida panhandle would work on an older 13-foot hull with a notched and curved transom if the engine is a c.2026 Yamaha F25 unless the adaptor was modified.
BACK STORY (long)
I am about to embark on a second refurbishment of my 1965 SORT 13. The last refurbishment was done in the winter of 2000. Forum members in c.2000 very helpful in assisting me to rig a [then] new 1999 Johnson 30-HP engine on the 1965 SPORT 13 and use a Teleflex-style cable steering system.
As you all know, the 1965 hull has a curved and notched transom, and therefore the single-cable steering with tilt-tube [mounting of the steering actuator ] would not interface with the tube on the 1999 Johnson 30-HP engine without a very clever adapter. The adaptor was manufactured by someone up in the panhandle of Florida here. It solved my problem very nicely, and has worked without any problems for 26 years.
My plan for the second refurbishment is to re-power the 1965 SPORT 13 with a Yamaha F25.
As you [may] know, the current model Yamaha F25 has the has the best power-to-weight ratio in the industry. [The power-to-weight ratio] is always a concern when using any four-stroke-power-cycle engines on older Boston Whaler hulls. The Yamaha F25 only weighs about 15-lbs more than the current 1999 Johnson 30-HP two-stroke-power-cycle engine.
Since the winter of 2000 when I did the last refurbishment, I have moved over to the Harris Chain of Lakes in Tavares Florida, in central Florida. I cannot find the paperwork that I had for the gentleman in the panhandle that made the c.2000 adapter to see if he is still in business.
From a quick look on-line at the new Yamaha F25 engine, I see that the c.2000 adapter [which I presently have and bought from the vendor in the Florida panhandle] may not work unless modified.
If no other adaptor or method of connecting the present Teleflex-style cable steering to the new Yamaha F25 adaptor, I have do have the option of modifying the adaptor [I used in 2000].
Q2: what was the name of a vendor located in the Florida panhandle that was making an adaptor that could be used on older 13-foot hulls which had a notched and curved transom and would allow cable steering to be used?
I don't think that adaptor that was made by a vendor in the Florida panhandle would work on an older 13-foot hull with a notched and curved transom if the engine is a c.2026 Yamaha F25 unless the adaptor was modified.
BACK STORY (long)
I am about to embark on a second refurbishment of my 1965 SORT 13. The last refurbishment was done in the winter of 2000. Forum members in c.2000 very helpful in assisting me to rig a [then] new 1999 Johnson 30-HP engine on the 1965 SPORT 13 and use a Teleflex-style cable steering system.
As you all know, the 1965 hull has a curved and notched transom, and therefore the single-cable steering with tilt-tube [mounting of the steering actuator ] would not interface with the tube on the 1999 Johnson 30-HP engine without a very clever adapter. The adaptor was manufactured by someone up in the panhandle of Florida here. It solved my problem very nicely, and has worked without any problems for 26 years.
My plan for the second refurbishment is to re-power the 1965 SPORT 13 with a Yamaha F25.
As you [may] know, the current model Yamaha F25 has the has the best power-to-weight ratio in the industry. [The power-to-weight ratio] is always a concern when using any four-stroke-power-cycle engines on older Boston Whaler hulls. The Yamaha F25 only weighs about 15-lbs more than the current 1999 Johnson 30-HP two-stroke-power-cycle engine.
Since the winter of 2000 when I did the last refurbishment, I have moved over to the Harris Chain of Lakes in Tavares Florida, in central Florida. I cannot find the paperwork that I had for the gentleman in the panhandle that made the c.2000 adapter to see if he is still in business.
From a quick look on-line at the new Yamaha F25 engine, I see that the c.2000 adapter [which I presently have and bought from the vendor in the Florida panhandle] may not work unless modified.
If no other adaptor or method of connecting the present Teleflex-style cable steering to the new Yamaha F25 adaptor, I have do have the option of modifying the adaptor [I used in 2000].