project boat

[Scott Danforth]

correct, idling V8's are not, however idling diesels would be.

 

[smokeonthewater]

OOH I like!! or better yet a single 3 cyl perkins but then the engine(s) would likely cost more than a complete boat lol

sidenote... my screen name here came from the plan to put a diesel into a boat I used to have... never did it tho..... manifolds alone were gonna cost me more than a complete used drop in gas engine... oh well

 

[Scott Danforth]

I used to get some really good deals on take-out diesels in a prior life. I was thinking more along the line of twin QSB's, however the Mercruiser Diesel 4.2's would be a good choice

 

[kvando]

Thanks for all the input, but I think most of you guys are missing the point,,sailboats and inboards in my area are strictly stay in the channel and head out to deep water,, I've had nice center counsel,, didn't like it,,I want the luxury of a cabin,, last month I was on a converted 34 ft chris craft fly bridge with twin 300s on it,,ran much better and even faster than with the twin 454 crusaders,,,

 

[kvando]

I know this project is do able,,, I'm finished with the fabrication of the transom with the guidance of my son who is a west point grad engineer,, he also has a plan for the wt displacement,, that part I'm not concerned with,, the fabrication took 16 hours not 500,, just looking for some expert advice on the hp issue, not whether it's do able, thanks

 

[kvando]

If you don't mind me asking where are guys located,,, you keep mentioning sailboats,,I live in an area where most of the water is shallow,,tampa bay fl area

 

[kvando]

This conversion is not a new exploration,,I have a guy in my marina with a 28 foot pacemaker with twin 135 omc,, the boat looks and performs fine,,

 

[kvando]

I really thank you for the input but I think I'm going to go with rotary racer on this and put the 250 hp on, just in case I need it,,I don't plan on going out in bad weather but there are some good reefs 3 miles out

 

[Scott Danforth]

Im in Bradenton Florida. If Vbuletin gets their act together so the frustrated IT department can fix the bugs on the website, our locations would show up under our avatar.

Since you boat down here, you know that no one plans to head out in bad weather. you also know that storms will pop-up out of nowhere. the wind can shift and seas can go from 6" chop to 5' rollers in 15 minutes. If you have boated the ICW down here during an outgoing tide, you also know that places like longboat pass and Johns pass have a tide current in the 15knot range, and the passes are congested with boats. I do not think that a top speed of 8 knots will cut it. in those cases you will need to have a bit of power.

If you boat the ICW near Sarasota bay, you will see everything from hinkleys to 52' SeaRays pulled up to Jew fish key and other areas. I dissagree with your statement that sail boats only sit in the channels and go out to deep water. Most boats do. if your not in the channels in the ICW, you may be sitting on mud at low tide. The ICW is the only place I know of that you can go from 10' of water to 10" of water in 15' There are two kinds of boaters down here. those that have run aground, and those that will run aground.

Sorry, however I see way too many boats hacked up down here. hence my apprehension for projects like this. many of them end up on a lot somewhere and sit until the hulls are ground up to become seacast. I have even hit one that was scuttled and sitting just under the water in the channel in the Manatee.

 

[smokeonthewater]

I didn't say it WOULD take 500 hrs I said IF ..... It was a hypothetical roughly based on the almost non existent information you have given us to work with..... The REASON we have missed the point is that you haven't given it....... Why don't you tell us WHY you want outboards instead of the inboards and WHY you want to be limited to hull speed....

We CERTAINLY aren't here to beat up on you or ridicule you but rather to share our knowledge and experience...... If something we say can help you then great.... if not, that's ok too BUT you don't have to convince us..... We can disagree and still be friends and even those of us who disagree with you just might think of something you can use..... The more ideas that we put on the table the more chance you will say "OH I like that one!"..... So what if we come up with 100 you don't like.

Sure more hp is a fine idea but you will end up with a less seaworthy boat that you started with.... That isn't to say it's a terrible idea OR that it won't be exactly what you want as long as "what you want" isn't to maintain the seaworthiness of the factory design...

As for shallow water many sailboats have swing keels that raise with a winch and really don't draft that much more than anything else...

I keep mentioning them because they are designed from the ground up to work very well for what it sounded like you were doing....

If you want to continue with the outboard plan and want power to plane with 250 hp but also really do plan to spend most of your time at low speed I would STRONGLY suggest you also mount a 25 hp kicker... If you can muster the $$$ to make them both 4 strokes you will do better on fuel and spark plugs.........

idling that 250 for 90+% of it's run time won't be good for it but the 25 running at 1/2 throttle will be in it's sweet spot

 

[kvando]

You gave the info I was looking for, and I thank you for for that info, that's why I'm here,, don't need all the other opinions on cutting up a chris craft, which I'm not, it if it's a dumb idea that won't be profitable in the end,,, I'm a guy who can build anything with my hens and am good at thinking outside the box

 

[kvando]

I will absolutely do as you suggest and put a 25 hp kicker for lower speeds with 20 inch shaft

 

[smokeonthewater]

Let me word it differently PLEASE share more with us.... You aren't reading an encyclopedia you are talking with REAL people who are interested in your project... Your goals and ideas.... Trust me You have a LOT more to gain from this discussion than you think and even if you don't like any other suggestion we make, we still would like to hear more....
ALSO PICTURES..... We call it boat porn and we LIVE for boat porn around here.....

Not doubting your abilities or those of your son but even the most seasoned veteran knows he can miss something staring him right in the face and someone else might see it and point it out.

You are tapped into a cumulative of hundreds of years of experience here and we have a couple guys here that just barley missed working with Noah building the ark.

Sooooo why pull the inboards n go outboard? I originally thought you were after fuel savings but now money is the only reason I can come up with tho it doesn't sound like you will be saving anything now so I'm at a loss???

 

[kvando]

You gave me the info that I needed, thank you,, but what I don't need is all the opinions of cutting up some old chris craft, which I'm not it weather it's a dumb non profit idea,, oh and I didn't mention the fact that my wife refuses to go out on my boat with inboards for this reason,, her best friend and husband had a beautiful 32 ft trogan with twin inboards,, they hit a submerged dock and broke the starboard shaft and sunk.within minutes,, they weren't prepared for that , they sunk in minutes and she drowned.

 

[kvando]

Scott danforth,,I totally disagree with you,,,I am 3 miles from John's pass,, I'v been through that pass a 100 times or more,, never seen 15 knot currents,,, I've been under that bridge in a 10 ft aluminum boat with a 8 hp,, no problem,, and if you've been out that pass you know how shallow it is,, you can't enjoy the island's with a inboard or sailboat.

 

[kvando]

Hey guys, not going to the middle grounds,, and not stupid,,I know the hulls and my limitations,, just looking for coastal cruising and camping at the local shallow water county parks with my wife and dogs

 

[RotaryRacer]

kvando, these guys are trying to help and I actually think they all would like to hear more about your project. I know I would.

The reasons you have for repowering to an outboard are yours and only you can determine if the cost and effort are justified.

Regarding the bracket, what do you have in mind?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Ok sooo now we know your choice to convert is driven by outside forces beyond your control....

Are you also restricted to low speed for the same reason or is that for fuel savings or other?

Are you planning on a bolt on bracket for your outboard mounting?

Outboards really hamper swim platforms but there are brackets available that have platforms built in front of the engine mount... there is a tradeoff here tho as the further aft the engine goes the more out of whack your c/g gets AND the longer motor you need to keep the powerhead from going under water....

Also You will want some way of lifting the kicker out of the water if running on the main engine...

Earlier I mentioned both being 4 strokes but after thinking on it some more I would suggest that the main be an oil injected 2 stroke to save weight and the kicker be 4 stroke. That way you could run them both from the same fuel tank(s) and have the best of both worlds.

 

[kvando]

No,, not really restricted to speed,, but Being that the boat was not designed for an outboard I don't want to get in a unsafe position,, my desire would be cruise between 6 and 8 knots, but be able to hit 12 to 15 if the weather was coming in,,

 

[kvando]

I don't plan on venturing off shore, but the weather can come in quickly but you can usually see it coming and heed to the weather warnings,, this is my eight boat and always play it safe, but there's always that chance,, I'll leave the off shore fishing to the pro's.