New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

[rolander]

New to the forum, I have an older boat an 85 Starcraft 18ft used to be an IO, but I built a C drive on it and hung a 140 HP Evinrude motor on it. I have used the boat that way for the last 8 years, The motor was an 83. A buddy of mine was selling his 175 Evinrude XP VRO, he wanted a grand for it, so I sold my 140 for 1300 and bought the 175. Man that motor looks way nicer on the back of the boat. Looks like it belongs there!!

Anyways I am now going to restore the whole thing, new carpet inside the boat and going to paint the outside. I do body work so I will do it all myself.

Here is a picture of the strange beast, I get comments on it all the time with that C drive on the back. But talk about room inside when you take that IO motor out!!!

I included a picture of my new motor from last night, got it hung and fired it up, purrs like a tom cat in a creamery!!

 

[Expidia]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Welcome to iboats. Interesting looking set up. I never saw bracket like that. Just guessing, but it looks to me that the boat was originally an I/O and converted to an outboard!

 

[Philster]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

New to the forum, I have an older boat an 85 Starcraft 18ft used to be an IO, but I built a C drive on it

Hey, Expidia, it looks like it used to have an I/O because it did have an I/O!

Amazing!

 

[rolander]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Yes it did have an IO in it before, the motor was blown and had the old OMC outdrive with the screw style tilt. Not a good OMC outdrive in my opinion, so I got the idea from another guy here in town that did one a little different. I took his idea and made it all out of 1/2 aluminum. Welded it all together, but the aluminum plate on the hull for support and to cover the old IO hole, then put an 1/8 steel plate all the way across the inside. So it is built heavy.

It makes the boat perform great, it has a hell of a hold shot, with my 140 and a 17 pitch 3 blade SS prop the thing popped right out of the hole. Can't wait to see how she does with the 175. I was getting around 47-48 MPH out of the 140.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Welcome to Iboats rolander...and also the Starcraft armada.

Several folks have considered an I/O to OB bracket conversion on starcrafts, not sure if anyone's posted photos of a succesful conversion up till now

That thing will surely fly with the 175

 

[Expidia]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Ya, my bad . . . I missed that in the first line of the post. I actually even re-read it to see if he mentioned it before I posted.

It piqued my interest when I saw that big bracket hanging off the boat because I'm in the market for another boat and the style I'm looking at has a bracket which supports a 150-200 O/B.

48 MPH is fast for the previous outboard. I'm sure being a former I/O it's a solid boat and I'm not trying to be the capacity police, but just wondering how does one calculate how much horsepower one can put on a homemade rig like that before it hits 100 mph and disintegrates

The other question that came to mind, but you've already answered it was what kind of hole shot do you get with the weight that far back.

 

[rolander]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Ya, my bad . . . I missed that in the first line of the post. I actually even re-read it to see if he mentioned it before I posted.

It piqued my interest when I saw that big bracket hanging off the boat because I'm in the market for another boat and the style I'm looking at has a bracket which supports a 150-200 O/B.

48 MPH is fast for the previous outboard. I'm sure being a former I/O it's a solid boat and I'm not trying to be the capacity police, but just wondering how does one calculate how much horsepower one can put on a homemade rig like that before it hits 100 mph and disintegrates

The other question that came to mind, but you've already answered it was what kind of hole shot do you get with the weight that far back.

No prob, I should have used a little better punctuation in that post. LOL

What style boat are you looking at that uses that type of bracket, are you talking something with a transom jack?

Yea we were all impressed at the speed for a 25 year old fiberglass heavy boat. No worry on being the police, the plates I had built are all 1/2 aluminum, most transom jacks are 1/2 and less and are rated up to 300 HP. So my plates will take some good force before the bend or break. I figure the 175 will give me another 8-10 MPH it won't be like I will be gaining 20-30 MPH, it won't be that huge of a difference. I have had this thing put together for just over 8 years now and never an issue I beat the crap out of it too, horsing around with the engine, making it porpose. I guess if my plates break under the 175 HP then I know they weren't strong enough LOL. I am not worried though.

Yep the hole shot is amazing, I could use a dolphin though, the nose pops pretty high up in the air, but it comes back down within seconds. pulling a tuber or skiier with it was no problem

 

[rolander]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my boat

Welcome to Iboats rolander...and also the Starcraft armada.

Several folks have considered an I/O to OB bracket conversion on starcrafts, not sure if anyone's posted photos of a succesful conversion up till now

That thing will surely fly with the 175

Thanks for the welcome.


Well now I can help some folks out that have considered it. It really was an easy conversion to do. Just some time, measuring and some beer LOL If there is anyone considering the move then I can answer some questions. 8 years of fishing and horsing around with my setup and no problems.

I can't wait to get her on the water with that 175 that is really going to fly out of the hole now.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

Welcome, nice conversion. Keep us all posted with how you make out when you get in the water with it.

 

[rolander]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

Welcome, nice conversion. Keep us all posted with how you make out when you get in the water with it.

Oh I will let you know how it does with the bigger motor. Can't wait to see how it does

 

[scoutabout]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

Yes, welcome - that does look cool. You didn't take any pics as you were doing the conversion did you? It would make a nice write-up over in the resto/building section, even it it was 8 years ago!

 

[rolander]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

No unfortunatly I have no pictures from when I buiilt it. All I could drum up now is close up pics of the C drive and the plate I put on the inside. I could still do a write up on it.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

No unfortunatly I have no pictures from when I buiilt it. All I could drum up now is close up pics of the C drive and the plate I put on the inside. I could still do a write up on it.

I agree...a thread detailing some of the issues you faced and how you solved them would be extremely helpful for anyone considering a similar conversion.

At least you can prove that it can be done successfully. Many argue that nobody has ever been happy with this type of conversion.

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

Welcome aboard! Nice rig you got there.

 

[rolander]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

I agree...a thread detailing some of the issues you faced and how you solved them would be extremely helpful for anyone considering a similar conversion.

At least you can prove that it can be done successfully. Many argue that nobody has ever been happy with this type of conversion.

Should have a mod move this thread to the right area. It can be a good start.

It does work well, I am very happy with the conversion. I love all the room in my boat with that IO gone, it's great for fishing. All the room I ever need!!

 

[MRS]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

Ya I would like to see some inside photos and what you did where the motor sat.

 

[rolander]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

I will snap some pics of the inside area over the weekend. I haven't done anything other then put a piece of flooring where the motor used to sit. The back is still open. I am planning on putting a couple of seats on each side, then put a sliding door in between them to cover all that up. This is a work in progress, just now 8 years later I am deciding to finish this project, the interior is getting pretty ratted out so I am going to redoo the whole thing.

 

[jonesg]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

I agree...a thread detailing some of the issues you faced and how you solved them would be extremely helpful for anyone considering a similar conversion.

At least you can prove that it can be done successfully. Many argue that nobody has ever been happy with this type of conversion.

If it were true there wouldn't be brackets for sale, lots of guys have done it very successfully if you look over on the classic seacraft forum, they mold their own brackets from glass. Its a matter of getting the angles right.

Setting the engine back should improve handling if anything, but as I say, its got to be done right.They say the 30 inch leg works best on the outboard.

This should be in the restoration forum.

 

[rolander]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

I put a detailed write up on this in the resto section of the forum.

 

[dave11]

Re: New guy here, saying hello also pics of my IO to OB conversion

Welcome. Your conversion should improve that boat. It's not pretty, but it looks well done. Slap some paint back there and you will have a real sweetheart of a boat.