I wouldn't....again
Jim: I have had my O'day 28 with the sail drive for six years this season. There are plus's and minuses with the engine and here they are (in my opinion): Plus's: 1 simple engine (mechanically) 2 motors well 3 steers well (fwd and reverse) 4 motors fast 5 little vibration 6 fairly clean in the engine area Minuses: 1 gas hog 2 very, very loud at full throttle (exhaust noise). 3 fumes in the cockpit are insufferable 4 must mix oil to fuel at the pump or buy it by the can and fill at the dock. 5 When needed parts are hard to find but not impossible. 6 re-builds by a mechanic are mighty expensive. 7 possible to have a heat exchanger for hot water but another hard one to do. On balance I would have rather had the diesel had I known what a pain the sail drive has turned out to be. The out board is a fine idea actually. Just get a bracket, a good four stroke engine, purge the on board fuel tank of mixed fuel, run a fuel line and controls to it and you're set. If you don't mind the appearance it will work. The 28, however is a great boat! Comfortable, weatherly and fairly stiff for her size. My advice; buy the 28 but shun the sail drive. Regards, Mike S/B Pitterpat, Lake Huron
