Engine Replacement

dah

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I have a Westerly Centaur with an MD11c inboard which I suspect I may have to replace in the near future. I remember an article in PBO several months ago by a guy who had a Sabre 27 or Mirage 27(I think) who replaced his old inboard with an outboard on a moveable bracket. He seemed quite happy with the result. Expense is the overiding factor here. To replace an inboard with another inboard would cost several thousand pounds plus being of a limited technical ability I would have to employ someoane to refit a new inboard - more cash. I realise an outboard fitted to an 8 mtr boat would give cavitation problems in rough seas but does anyone see other obvious problems.
Suggestions/Recomendations/Does/Dont's heartily welcomed
 
G

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The petrol needed to run an outboard is a lot more dangerous than diesel to have on board, also you would need more of it to maintain the same range.

Two stroke outboards are noisy and smelly, I don't know if the new four strokes are any better.
 

oldharry

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Why do you think it needs replacing? Diesels in boats rarely wear out, and it may be a whole lot cheaper to have it overhauled. Its amazing what life a new injector set will inspire in an old engine!

4 stroke outboards are quiet, and much more fuel effcient than most of their 2T counterparts, but also noticeably heavier.

However, cost apart, why bother with the inconveneience ? OBs are vulnerable to THEFT, THEFT and THEFT. Also impacts, waves etc.

Also you will lose the handling characteristics of the inboard: put the helm over, a burst of throttle and the boat heads off predictably doing what you expect. Do the same with an outboard, and the boat heads off in a straight line until there is sufficient way for the rudder to bite (yes I know they are swivel mounted, but on a boat the size of a Centaur, it will be very difficult to steer with the engine and the tiller.) The boat will be much less manoeverable aor predictable. Reverse thrust for emergency stop is often minimal or non-existent. Just lots of noise and froth before the expensive crunchy bit....

Get someone who knows to check over your diesel before you chuck it away and do something you will almost certainly regret!
 

snowbrushy

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I have had both. My first boat (heavy 24ft.) had had the inboard removed and a 7hp longshaft outboard on a adjustable bracket off the transom. I liked it. I never had a problem. Going slow in a marina I would sit on the back of the boat to control speed and sometimes steer with both the tiller and the outboard - I could turn on a dime! And the best thing was that if I needed work on the motor I could just throw the thing in the car and take it to the shop. Simple. Suggestion: Take some measurements off the transom to make sure you'll be able reach the controls of the outboard.
 

theduke

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the centaur is a big lump of hull to propel,i have a hurley 22 with an 8 horse outboard in a well in this case it works ok,origionally she was fitted with an inboard so not only have you got to remove the old engine you will have to remove the prop/ and pack the stern tube with fibreglass then like others have said you have the danger,expense of petrol over diesel i would try and keep your inboard as long as possible it will give you far less problems in the long run
 
G

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Very good article by Ken Endean in Y.M (approx June 2000) which makes a pretty convincing case for replacing a dead inboard with an outboard, Ken also touched on the subject in a piece in PBO describing the purcase and refit of his Sabre (?about 1990)
 

castaway

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Main disadvantage is the loss of value on your hull. If youre not to bothered or are going keep the boat for a long while think of the following.
1. Less drag you can pull up yr prop big big factor on a smallish sailing boat ( like letting off the hand brake)
2: All that extra space under the companion way
3. Things like Maintainance have all been covered
4. Boating world is very conservative about things like this, but that doesnt mean it is always better. It would be interesting to calculate the cost of our inboards per mile of use.
Nick
 

seahorse

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Re: Another Engine Replacement

Hi, I'm in exactly the same boat!
My MD11 starts & runs well but lacks oil pressure when it warms up. A friend had the same problem & had the engine
re-built at a cost of £1800. I don't think that it is worth the cost as he still has a 24 year old engine & is shakled to Volvo's pricing policy.
I bought a KUBOTA 19 hp 3 cylinder diesel & have bought parts co convert it. Estimated cost including the nearly new engine & folding prop is going to be about £2500.
For comparison last year a friend had a new engine fitted- £4300!
E-mail me if U want further info.
 

billmacfarlane

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Don'tknow if anybody else has mentioned yet but I don't know what the charging output of an outboard is compared to an alternator run off a diesel inboard. If you go for an outboard you might have to consider an additional means of charging your batteries - wind vane , solar etc.
 

snowbrushy

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Many outboard engines (do) have a way to re-charge battery's. Really. Many people sail around the world without any motor's on the boat at all. (of course they are avoiding sound's and river's, etc.).. Outboard's are just as good as inboard/diesel engines. Depending on your need's. If you need a new motor for basic sailing over to the Isle Of White; and want a engine to make sure that you can get home if the wind DIES - Save yourself some pound's and buy a outboard. Inboard diesel motors are EXPENSIVE. An outboard on your Westerly may work just fine. And save $$$$.
 

JeremyF

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See the 'for sale' forum. There's a MD11 for sale.

On the general subject, I wouldn't dream of replacing an inboard for an outboard. Resale value, reliability, convenience, longevity all count against fitting an outboard in a yacht designed for an inboard.

Whatever we think about marine diesel pricing, they are amazingly long-lived. I'd be surpised if you couldn't get a complete overhaul for £1500, and it would then be good for another 10 years. £150 p.a. is no bad investment

Jeremy Flynn

www.yacht-goldeneye.co.uk
New pics 11.02.02
 

PuffTheMagicDragon

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I was in the same situation 3 years ago when I decided to replace the old MD6a with a brand new Lombardini LDW903M. The quotation that I had received FOR PARTS ALONE came to almost half the cost of a new engine; and I would have been adding parts at today's prices to a lump of metal that was 25 years old. If I had to do it again I would also consider converting a Japanese engine. A 4-cylinder Toyota motor that is less than 2 years old - with turbo, if you want - can be picked up locally for less than STG400. You would possibly find it for even less in your country. To this cost you would basically need to add a marine gearbox, a heat-exchanger and a sea-water coolant pump. If your gearbox is still good, consider using the same one. These motors are available because apparently the Japanese only have to pay Tax when the vehicle is more than 2 years old; so, they replace every 2 years, less a bit! Someone mentioned converting a Kubota: this is what NANNI, BETA and, I believe, WESTERBROOKE do for a living. Basically you would be discarding what is useless and bolting on what is useful. Think about it.
Good luck!

Wally
 

PeterGibbs

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Re: Why not a rebuild?

Your vessel is far too heavy for any practical size of O/B. It had to be an inboard diesel.

Why not go for a rebuild of the exisitng motor. After all why put all that dosh into new engine beds for a different engine, plus relaignment for the prop shaft etc etc etc?

PWG
 

PuffTheMagicDragon

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Re: Why not a rebuild?

1. A rebuild would entail using parts at Volvo prices.
2. It would still be an old engine, with expensive new bits.
3. The "new engine beds" consist of two lengths of 80x80x10 angle iron that are bolted to the existing bearers; hardly real "dosh".
4. You align the new beds to the existing shaft and not the other way round.
5. I did it myself and do not regret it!

Wally
 
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