New 27 questions and Atomic 4 issues in particular

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mpahl

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Oct 9, 2010
2
Oday 27 No idea
So, I bought a 1977 Oday 27 as my first "big" boat- coming from a 14' trailer dinghy... I looked the boat over before I purchased, but I did not get a survey as I was only paying $1500 and a survey would have doubled the cost of the boat...

The atomic 4 in the boat is no good... It sounds good when running, but it's overheating and the head is so corroded that there's water seeping through the rust... I pulled the engine and I'm trying to decide whether to rebuild or replace with a transom mounted outboard. On the one hand, I like the clean look of an inboard-powered boat, and the A4 looks like a nice, simple engine. But on the other hand, if I rebuild it, I still have a 33 year old engine that boatyards won't want to touch, that is hard to get parts for, and that is hard to access when things go wrong. If I got a 15hp outboard, I could get something much more modern and something that every engine shop around here can repair.

Ideas? Anything I'm failing to consider?
 
Aug 20, 2010
1,399
Oday 27 Oak Orchard
Hello fellow 27 owner. Two words, Moyer Marine. Worth considering if you want to save some coin on a retrofit.
 
Aug 28, 2006
578
Bavaria 35E seattle
there are plenty of mechanics that can work on an A4, and parts are pretty easy to get, so no worries, there. An outboard can be the easiest way to go and quickest remedy to not having a usable engine, but it's performance wont' be the same as an inboard if you get into some heavy waves.
 
Apr 9, 2009
14
2 N/A N/A
I've got and lod 10 HP Honda on my boat. Very handy when I run aground in the ICW. I can turn it alternateing left and right and work the boat off. However when motoring in heavier seas (3to 5') it has come awfully close to being submerged a few times. All in all having an outboard leaves a lot of room below for storage.
 
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