Outdrives ride again
I am forwarding this one on to the group so I can
say some more on outboards. Part of the problem is
the size level that I am interested in. The
smaller, simple boats that most of the group are
building or are interested are well served by
outboards. For one thing what else is there in the
5-40 hp range other than diesel auxiliaries. Even
so outboards are not cheap. Fritz just bought a 15
hp Yamaha for his Sneakeasy and it cost around
$1700 I think, which I suspect is a lot more than
he has in the boat and trailer.
Ah, but what about used motors? Here I think the
Alaskan experience must be at great variance with
the rest of the world. Tim you are running a 1987
motor. I would be awestruck to see a motor of that
vintage in Western AK. It might have something to
do with a 3-4 month season, improper storage for
8-9 months of non use in temps down to 40 below.
Most buy a new motor at 4-5 year intervals , if it
lasts that long. Here in Juneau I have seen an
occasional older motor, but always accompanied
with problems. There are three things that you
don't buy used, outboards, snow machines and chain
saws.
Now lets move up to the Wyoming, Dakota size which
is where I am currently dreaming. A 60 hp Yamaha (
the cheap 4 stroke) costs $5-600 here. I can get a
120 hp outdrive new for near this price and a used
take out in good shape for $2-3000. I can install
one in 4 days. The new four strokes are
wonderfully engineered, but if something breaks
all you can do is take it to the dealer. The volvo
and mercruisers are all older automotive blocks
and I can work on them and the parts are cheap.
OK 120 hp is a lot even for one of these big
babies. What I REALLY want is for the dbd marine
drive to work out, and install one with an
automotive/or something power pack in the 60-80 hp
range that I work out. This will take more than 4
days of course, but I bet I can do it for $4,000
or less. I get the shallow draft and get to cater
to my anti outboard prejudices.
Thanks for the opportunity to rant.
HJ
WE>Tim of the Flying Tadpole
Easy answers, no in all cases. There is a reason,
though. Outboards
present an order-of-magnitude simpler installation
than inboard, or for
that matter any inboard-outboard. Outboards are
cheap and easily picked
up (and replaced). There needs to be no special
fuel provision (eg no
built-in tanks). In the case of the Tennessees,
Wyomings etc, the
Norwalk Is Sharpies, indeed just about every
cruiser except my poor
AS29, the outboards, singular or paired, lurk
tucked away in shrouds,
with only a kick-up hole showing in the transom to
prove that there is
indeed an outboard and not a hybrid or inboard.
For the AS29, the
outboard is very exposed on the stern, but there's
literally no room to
put even an outdrive without mucking up the
interior.
All that said, bear in mind that there are =no=
true box-keel sharpies
here other than the River Van, and in that case
the argument for big
outboard is CO, and also servicing by the local
houseboat people. So
your design idea may have merit. But its
implementation would still
have to retain the simplicity and low relative
cost of the ancient (1987
in my case) cheap outboard conveniently slung in
its hidey hole, and
taken home without the boat as needed
Tim & Flying Tadpole
===========================================================
WE>While thundering around the web I ran across
this
WE>Australian link for a new
WE>variation on an out drive.. I have a very
strong
WE>personal bias against outboards. I like the
WE>thought of a good automotive block that you can
WE>get parts for at any NAPA store, even in Nome
AK,
WE>and I have worked a lot with both Mercruisers
and
WE>Volvo outdrives. This concept looks like it
gets
WE>away
WE>from a lot of the problems of outdrives, (cost,
WE>reliability), while retaining lot of the
WE>advantages. Recognizing the fact that just
because
WE>its Australian, doesn't mean that your
neighbors,
WE>have any of the Duck Flat boys with their
WE>Tennessee's, Dakotas and Wyomings looked at
this
WE>yet.
--
_ _ _ _ _
% Harrywelshman@...
say some more on outboards. Part of the problem is
the size level that I am interested in. The
smaller, simple boats that most of the group are
building or are interested are well served by
outboards. For one thing what else is there in the
5-40 hp range other than diesel auxiliaries. Even
so outboards are not cheap. Fritz just bought a 15
hp Yamaha for his Sneakeasy and it cost around
$1700 I think, which I suspect is a lot more than
he has in the boat and trailer.
Ah, but what about used motors? Here I think the
Alaskan experience must be at great variance with
the rest of the world. Tim you are running a 1987
motor. I would be awestruck to see a motor of that
vintage in Western AK. It might have something to
do with a 3-4 month season, improper storage for
8-9 months of non use in temps down to 40 below.
Most buy a new motor at 4-5 year intervals , if it
lasts that long. Here in Juneau I have seen an
occasional older motor, but always accompanied
with problems. There are three things that you
don't buy used, outboards, snow machines and chain
saws.
Now lets move up to the Wyoming, Dakota size which
is where I am currently dreaming. A 60 hp Yamaha (
the cheap 4 stroke) costs $5-600 here. I can get a
120 hp outdrive new for near this price and a used
take out in good shape for $2-3000. I can install
one in 4 days. The new four strokes are
wonderfully engineered, but if something breaks
all you can do is take it to the dealer. The volvo
and mercruisers are all older automotive blocks
and I can work on them and the parts are cheap.
OK 120 hp is a lot even for one of these big
babies. What I REALLY want is for the dbd marine
drive to work out, and install one with an
automotive/or something power pack in the 60-80 hp
range that I work out. This will take more than 4
days of course, but I bet I can do it for $4,000
or less. I get the shallow draft and get to cater
to my anti outboard prejudices.
Thanks for the opportunity to rant.
HJ
WE>Tim of the Flying Tadpole
Easy answers, no in all cases. There is a reason,
though. Outboards
present an order-of-magnitude simpler installation
than inboard, or for
that matter any inboard-outboard. Outboards are
cheap and easily picked
up (and replaced). There needs to be no special
fuel provision (eg no
built-in tanks). In the case of the Tennessees,
Wyomings etc, the
Norwalk Is Sharpies, indeed just about every
cruiser except my poor
AS29, the outboards, singular or paired, lurk
tucked away in shrouds,
with only a kick-up hole showing in the transom to
prove that there is
indeed an outboard and not a hybrid or inboard.
For the AS29, the
outboard is very exposed on the stern, but there's
literally no room to
put even an outdrive without mucking up the
interior.
All that said, bear in mind that there are =no=
true box-keel sharpies
here other than the River Van, and in that case
the argument for big
outboard is CO, and also servicing by the local
houseboat people. So
your design idea may have merit. But its
implementation would still
have to retain the simplicity and low relative
cost of the ancient (1987
in my case) cheap outboard conveniently slung in
its hidey hole, and
taken home without the boat as needed
Tim & Flying Tadpole
===========================================================
WE>While thundering around the web I ran across
this
WE>Australian link for a new
WE>variation on an out drive.. I have a very
strong
WE>personal bias against outboards. I like the
WE>thought of a good automotive block that you can
WE>get parts for at any NAPA store, even in Nome
AK,
WE>and I have worked a lot with both Mercruisers
and
WE>Volvo outdrives. This concept looks like it
gets
WE>away
WE>from a lot of the problems of outdrives, (cost,
WE>reliability), while retaining lot of the
WE>advantages. Recognizing the fact that just
because
WE>its Australian, doesn't mean that your
neighbors,
WE>have any of the Duck Flat boys with their
WE>Tennessee's, Dakotas and Wyomings looked at
this
WE>yet.
--
_ _ _ _ _
% Harrywelshman@...