SAILDRIVE 280 This article is being written to provide an alternative auxilliary power unit for those poor souls that may be owners of Sail boats with OMC Saildrive units. I purchased a 1980 Oday 28 foot sloop last year with an OMC Saildrive. The OMC was in very sad condition, the lower unit was corroded so badly that you could push a tooth pick right thru the casting and the motor was really sad. I spent time on the Internet looking for suppliers of new units to no availe. There were a few suppliers of used units, but I did not want to inherit someone elses problems so I keep searching the Net and suddenly there it was, a web site for the Saildrive 280. I contacted the owner of the distributership in this country; Arne Jonsson a realy nice guy who gave me all the information necessary. The unit is produced in Sweden using a combination of Honda and Volvo components. The power head is a Four cycle 12 HP Honda with a Volvo hull feed thru and a Honda lower unit including a Flex-Fold folding propellor, a 10 Amp alternator and anti syphon muffler. The package comes with a fiberglass housing that must be Fiberglassed into your hull and provides all the necessary wiring harnesses with clear instructions for installation. The cost of the package was $6000.00 I decided to go for it and sent off the check. The crate arrived a few weeks later and I set forth to remove the old engine and Hull feed thru with sabre and circular saws. I then fiberglassed into the hull the supplied engine mount and feed thru housing. then the power unit was dropped into the mount, the bolts and water seal installed and then the lower unit was bolted to the engine. The folding propellor was attached, the fuel lines and electrical harness were routed and connected, the exhaust hoses and control cables hooked up, motor oil andded and it was ready to go. The new unit has been performing quite well for the past season, I was very pleased with the performance, low vibration and quiet running, the fuel ecconomy was better than expected and the folding propellor provides adequate thrust both in foreward and reverse. I would highly recommend the Saildrive 280 as a replacement for the defunct OMC or any other aux power unit upgrade. The address for info: Arne Jonsson 2041 Grand Street, unit 23 Alameda, Ca. 94501 Phone; 510-769-0602 Fax; 510-865-3512 E-Mail; sales@saildrive280.com Web site; www.saildrive280.com This article was written by Bruce Lounsbury who lives in Connecticut and enjoys sailing his Oday 28 on Long Island Sound. Bruce can be contacted on the web at; blounsbury@snet.net