Converting from outboard to inboard

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I have a Hardy Pilot 20 with a 60Hp Power Trim & Tilt 2-stroke outboard engine but I'm unhappy with the fuel consumption which is awful. I'd like to hear from anyone who has, or has knowledge of, anyone who has converted from an outboard to an inboard, preferably on a Hardy Pilot. I'd like to step down to around a 30Hp diesel engine. I've been in touch with John Butler at Hardy Marine regarding fitting the Hardy inboard stern drive option but he said this wasn't really possible because the hull's stern shape is different for an inboard engine. However he mentioned that he had heard of people converting to saildrives through the hull bottom but I don't know what this means?

I'm also looking at a diesel outboard but I hear they're pretty expensive, does anyone know if the fuel consumption on similar sized diesel inboards and outboards are the same?

David Livie
 
mmmmm,go to lancing marine website and get the dimensions of there outdrive stern plate to see if your transom will accomodate this,if not your wasting your time,check your transom angle also,you must have a flat surface to bolt upto.
You could look into a surface drive (shaft)also available from this site which might be a better option??
regards,
T.b.

http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/stamfordian
 
There was an italian diesel outboard some years ago called Carniti, it was heavy and I believe about 20/30HP but don't know much about it.
A saildrive would be very vulnerable as the leg would be the first thing that hit the ground if you went aground. (fine on a sailing boat as the keel hits first)If you fit a wooden? skeg to the keel then you could fit a traditional inboard drive but I would have a look at one with an inboard engine to see the keel shape.
mmm - just reread your post, do you mean an I/O installation fitted on the transom? Don't know about that but you would need a re-inforced transom.



dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
 
Have you considered changing to a four stroke outboard? Particularly if you are also downsizing to 30hp I'dve thought this would dramatically improve your fuel consumption and of course eliminate the need for 2 stroke oil. Quieter running & better economy with minimal hassle. I know lots of people who speak highly of Yamaha 4 strokes on RIBS. Suzuki's are also pretty good,

I've thought that to justify the expense of converting totally to diesel and re-engineering the boat to accept an inboard would not be worth it unless you are doing 200hrs per year or so.

Don't bother with the outboard diesel option. These jobs are air cooled and VERY noisy!

HTH,
Alan
 
Diesel outboards are not aircooled, at least not the newer ones, in the last ten years. But they are heavy, I'm not sure whether this downsizing is the way to go, if the engine isn't man enough for the boat, it will be working it's guts out and with a high fuel consumption, if you don't want to plane anymore, go for a smaller four stroke outboard, much better, but hacking the boat up to fit transom plates, engine beds etc. or saildrives, is a bit OTT, IMHO. Diesel outboards are available from Yamaha just as an aside, but a 30 horse, is about the same size as a 70 petrol, remember also the fourstrokes are quite a bit heavier aswell.
 
There have been a couple of Diesel outboards, one was the Lombardini one of about 25ish Horse and the other is the Coventry Climax which is 30ish horse.
They are V. Expensive and quite heavy, given the choices I'd go for a decent 4 stroke which would lower your fuel use by quite a margin.

Jim
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I'd sell it and by a boat with a factory fit diesel. The conversion to your existing boat, if feasible, will be very expensive and the resale value mayl not recoup this outlay. Indeed, such a non-standard conversion may make the boat hard to sell.

All IMHO.

Hardy Pilots with factory fit inboard diesels are available for around £20 something thousand I believe?? There are also similar style european boats with diesels such as Jenneau/Rodman/Beneteau.

"Hopefully that won't be too expensive to fix?"
 
Fourstroke outboard (like the others said).....the small weight penalty won't worry you if you were going to be happy with 30hp on a pilot...and you'll need to carry much less fuel anyway.

I use a suzuki DF115, on a similar size/weight boat : pottering about at 5 knots or less is very,very economical. If you don't want to go fast, try a 25 or 30hp modern fourstroke- the consumption is SO much better than two-strokes at low speeds
 
I think another member has mentioned this, but I had an outboard powered craft of 90hp with an old ish 2 stroke, optimax's of the size were just coming out so I changed to a four stroke 70 my fuel consumption more than halved I now have a 7.4l Merc to feed so my view on fuel consumption may be differnet to yours but a 30 hp should be very resonable on fuel I would think. Would'nt have thought worth changing to diesel inboard better to sell the boat and buy another of your choice due to hassle and cost.
 
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