thesaintlyone
Well-Known Member
As Suggested I have decided to start another thread that I hope others will find useful. re Converting a 1992 Sea Ray Sundancer that I purchased for £5000 to outboard power. That I hope others will find useful.
Disclaimer: if you feel the need to tell me what a bad idea this is and suggestions of selling the boat there is another thread please go find it. Constructive criticism and comments are welcome of course but this is a project and if it doesn't work then that will be a lesson learned please remember we dont all by boats to sell em. That Said...........
Converting a boat to outboard power is not a new thing and has been done successfully by many people the world over.
https://www.wavetowave.com/home/2018/1/17/outboard-conversion-repower
For Me Personally There are a number of reasons I chose to go with Outboards:
1) Cost - Re powering (Converting) to Outboards is potentially a cheaper option than installing two stern drives the most significant cost involved depending on your choice of outboard is the Outboard Pod or Bracket conversion its self. Brackets and Pods are available from Armstrong and Porta Bracket for around £2000-£4000 which is the cost of one single engine.
2) Up-gradeabillity - Related to cost my initial uses for this boat beyond the fact that I will be using it as a stay aboard on the river Medway will likely be river cruises up and down the Medway as far as Stangate which is a great little overnight creek just before the Medway reaches the Thames estuary and longer cruises in the Thames estuary and up to the far reaches of the Thames its self. This means that initially I can purchase outboards that whilst not giving the out an out planing power normally associated with these boats once a suitable pod/bracket is in place I can upgrade as needed later.
3) Ease of Maintenance - I am no mechanic but I know a few that are and the ability to unhook an outboard and take it to the repair shop is a much more attractive prospect than squeezing about in engine bays. and if the worst was to happen replacing an outboard is a much easier prospect.
So On to the project itself. for me there are a number of considerations involved in choosing how to go about this and which Pod/Bracket style to go with:
1) Aesthetically pleasing - I want it to look good, the idea of just bolting some contraption on the back and moving the boat forward is not my idea of fu I want this outboards to look good like is was meant to be there.
This formula 350 CBR is probably the closest representation of how I would like the conversion to look where the Pod/Bracket sits hidden under the swim platform
2) Single or Twin Outboards - There are alot of good arguments for one or two outboards and I am currently undecided on which
3) Full functionality - The integrated Swim platform of the Sundancer as shown in the picture of my boat above does present its own problems with design as the Pod/Bracket must be mounted underneath and clear so that the outboard still sits and moves as it should
4) Strength - A few conversion projects have used a brace system from the pod to the existing stringers in the old engne bay itself to provide extra support for the transom.
5) Which Pod or Bracket Design - The Pod must be able to hold big enough engines for the upgradeabillity mentioned above Here are a few links to what I've already found.
Porta Bracket
http://www.portaproducts.com/index.php?page=56
Stainless Marine
http://www.stainlessmarine.com/prod...utboard-engine-brackets-twin-engine-brackets/
I'll be posting plenty both here on a blog and hopefully youtube as the project progresses
Regards
Disclaimer: if you feel the need to tell me what a bad idea this is and suggestions of selling the boat there is another thread please go find it. Constructive criticism and comments are welcome of course but this is a project and if it doesn't work then that will be a lesson learned please remember we dont all by boats to sell em. That Said...........
Converting a boat to outboard power is not a new thing and has been done successfully by many people the world over.
https://www.wavetowave.com/home/2018/1/17/outboard-conversion-repower
For Me Personally There are a number of reasons I chose to go with Outboards:
1) Cost - Re powering (Converting) to Outboards is potentially a cheaper option than installing two stern drives the most significant cost involved depending on your choice of outboard is the Outboard Pod or Bracket conversion its self. Brackets and Pods are available from Armstrong and Porta Bracket for around £2000-£4000 which is the cost of one single engine.
2) Up-gradeabillity - Related to cost my initial uses for this boat beyond the fact that I will be using it as a stay aboard on the river Medway will likely be river cruises up and down the Medway as far as Stangate which is a great little overnight creek just before the Medway reaches the Thames estuary and longer cruises in the Thames estuary and up to the far reaches of the Thames its self. This means that initially I can purchase outboards that whilst not giving the out an out planing power normally associated with these boats once a suitable pod/bracket is in place I can upgrade as needed later.
3) Ease of Maintenance - I am no mechanic but I know a few that are and the ability to unhook an outboard and take it to the repair shop is a much more attractive prospect than squeezing about in engine bays. and if the worst was to happen replacing an outboard is a much easier prospect.
So On to the project itself. for me there are a number of considerations involved in choosing how to go about this and which Pod/Bracket style to go with:
1) Aesthetically pleasing - I want it to look good, the idea of just bolting some contraption on the back and moving the boat forward is not my idea of fu I want this outboards to look good like is was meant to be there.
This formula 350 CBR is probably the closest representation of how I would like the conversion to look where the Pod/Bracket sits hidden under the swim platform
2) Single or Twin Outboards - There are alot of good arguments for one or two outboards and I am currently undecided on which
3) Full functionality - The integrated Swim platform of the Sundancer as shown in the picture of my boat above does present its own problems with design as the Pod/Bracket must be mounted underneath and clear so that the outboard still sits and moves as it should
4) Strength - A few conversion projects have used a brace system from the pod to the existing stringers in the old engne bay itself to provide extra support for the transom.
5) Which Pod or Bracket Design - The Pod must be able to hold big enough engines for the upgradeabillity mentioned above Here are a few links to what I've already found.
Porta Bracket
http://www.portaproducts.com/index.php?page=56
Stainless Marine
http://www.stainlessmarine.com/prod...utboard-engine-brackets-twin-engine-brackets/
I'll be posting plenty both here on a blog and hopefully youtube as the project progresses
Regards
f:0
