jasoutside
Supreme Mariner
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
- Messages
- 13,269
Re: Re-powering a soon to be mine chieftain.
Well...
I know I went through many days and sleepless nights toiling over how I was going to power my rig. I knew it wasn't going to be of the OMC persuasion!
I ended up going with a donor Baja named Thumper - 4.3 Merc Alpha One. I've chopped up the boat, sold off some of the rigging, will sell some more gear that came off the Islander and the Baja, and when it is all said and done it was a super decision financially (I think, I hope). I know piecing together a drivetrain/controls/parts can get ridiculous expensive pretty quick. With a donor boat it's all there (er, should be all there) for you. And hey, there are plenty of glass boats out there with good drivetrains that have sat out for mother nature to have her way.
Two things in my situation...
First, I have yet to mount up and turn the key. I may have very well bought my self a giant headache. I gambled on it, but, I think it was a pretty safe bet for many reasons. Round about the middle or late summer I'll know for sure how good or bad I did.
Second, I'd have to say that the credit goes to Bondo for my selection in power - he called it from the start! Thanks again buddy.
So, I suppose, in my rookie and hardly educated opinion on such things I'd say:
If the boat comes with a reasonable motor/outdrive rebuild and have fun.
If the boat comes with something that is shot, spent, burned up, cracked, ugly, smells bad, has poor manners, lives in it's mothers basement and smokes weed while watching daytime talk shows -or- there isn't even an engine there, I'd say pick up a donor boat, keep what you need/like, sell off what you don't need/like and have fun.
Whoops, I blended my high school students and marine engines there for a second there, sorry. I suppose the criteria still applies though.
Either way, have fun!
Well...
I know I went through many days and sleepless nights toiling over how I was going to power my rig. I knew it wasn't going to be of the OMC persuasion!
I ended up going with a donor Baja named Thumper - 4.3 Merc Alpha One. I've chopped up the boat, sold off some of the rigging, will sell some more gear that came off the Islander and the Baja, and when it is all said and done it was a super decision financially (I think, I hope). I know piecing together a drivetrain/controls/parts can get ridiculous expensive pretty quick. With a donor boat it's all there (er, should be all there) for you. And hey, there are plenty of glass boats out there with good drivetrains that have sat out for mother nature to have her way.
Two things in my situation...
First, I have yet to mount up and turn the key. I may have very well bought my self a giant headache. I gambled on it, but, I think it was a pretty safe bet for many reasons. Round about the middle or late summer I'll know for sure how good or bad I did.
Second, I'd have to say that the credit goes to Bondo for my selection in power - he called it from the start! Thanks again buddy.
So, I suppose, in my rookie and hardly educated opinion on such things I'd say:
If the boat comes with a reasonable motor/outdrive rebuild and have fun.
If the boat comes with something that is shot, spent, burned up, cracked, ugly, smells bad, has poor manners, lives in it's mothers basement and smokes weed while watching daytime talk shows -or- there isn't even an engine there, I'd say pick up a donor boat, keep what you need/like, sell off what you don't need/like and have fun.
Whoops, I blended my high school students and marine engines there for a second there, sorry. I suppose the criteria still applies though.
Either way, have fun!
