Switching an inboard for an outboard

Aug 24, 2014
148
Aphrodite 101 148 Coeur d Alene ID
benny makes a good case. safety first is wise. lots to ponder for sure.

the most important thing is to get the sails up and have as much fun as you can.

as a young pup, dad had an alden US ONE Design, 38' racer. it had an outboard well. had a 71/2hp outboard that went in the well and was pulled out and a plug was put in it while sailing.

View attachment 189996

no aux. just a pusher to get in and out of the harbor. pic is a sistership.

it's what you know. it's what you want.

me, i know sailboats. most want motorsailers. i have a aux sailboat. i also have a 38' speedster with no engine, Ascow. it's all good.
great lines
 
Aug 24, 2014
148
Aphrodite 101 148 Coeur d Alene ID
Clubmates converted a Newport 28 to outboard. Their mistake was removing the Atomic 4. Forgot to anticipate that the boat was engineered with the engine weight where it was. While the outboard did what they intended, the sailing characteristics were changed. They dumped the boat the following season...
we've had some discussion about this and talked about ways to mitigate it. It is lake sailing and not racing anymore.
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
one cylinder diesel.
If you’re at all handy a small diesel rebuild would be a good winter project. I did the 5411 in a previous boat for a lot less than the cost of a outboard. About $500Cdn. Mind you I hear Yanmar parts are more than Kubota.
 
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Likes: jon hansen
Apr 26, 2015
660
S2 26 Mid On Trailer
It's in Cougar Bay. it's been there since the previous owner bought it in 1980. Where are you moored?
I agree with you on the lines of the boat but after doing quite of bit of research and outboard has quite a few advantages over a one cylinder diesel. Looked into an electric motor but the price is still out of reach for me. the good news is that somewhere down the road the next owner can go back to an inboard if desired.
We come up for the summers and keep the boat at Conkling Marina since it's 4 miles from the resort were we stay. We are also big in to cycling and the trail is close by also. At this point the outboard is probably a good idea. Maybe we will work our way north this year or you can come south for an ice cream in Harrison.:)
 
Aug 24, 2014
148
Aphrodite 101 148 Coeur d Alene ID
We come up for the summers and keep the boat at Conkling Marina since it's 4 miles from the resort were we stay. We are also big in to cycling and the trail is close by also. At this point the outboard is probably a good idea. Maybe we will work our way north this year or you can come south for an ice cream in Harrison.:)
I try to get down to Harrison a couple times each season. I'll let you know when I head down your was this year.
 

PaulK

.
Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
No waves out there to make the outboard prop lift clear of the water? Surprising. Maybe the extra weight aft will make the stern sink enough to keep it submerged. If the prop does lift out too often at least the outboard will be easier to replace than the diesel. Don't forget to run your blowers for a minute before start-up each time.
 
Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
I currently have an outboard and an unreliable inboard. Here's a short list of things to consider
  • Your inboard's prop is probably in front of the rudder. You're turning radius will increase
  • Outboards often spend a lot of time out of the water and wow do they sound angry when that happens
  • "Braking" may be better with the inboard. Docking with my outboard sucks.. Lots of propwalk and "braking" isn't very good. With the inboard, it stops on a dime, near zero propwalk and I can maneuver better
  • Buy a good mount. I've had two plastic mounting "boards" develop cracks. One of them totally snapped in half. Motor went for a swim and was VERY difficult to get on deck
  • If you buy an outboard get one with electric start. Much like a bimini, it really makes the whole boating experience more enjoyable
  • Remote throttle (and starter?) is recommended
  • Get the longest shaft possible
 
Aug 24, 2014
148
Aphrodite 101 148 Coeur d Alene ID
I currently have an outboard and an unreliable inboard. Here's a short list of things to consider
  • Your inboard's prop is probably in front of the rudder. You're turning radius will increase
  • Outboards often spend a lot of time out of the water and wow do they sound angry when that happens
  • "Braking" may be better with the inboard. Docking with my outboard sucks.. Lots of propwalk and "braking" isn't very good. With the inboard, it stops on a dime, near zero propwalk and I can maneuver better
  • Buy a good mount. I've had two plastic mounting "boards" develop cracks. One of them totally snapped in half. Motor went for a swim and was VERY difficult to get on deck
  • If you buy an outboard get one with electric start. Much like a bimini, it really makes the whole boating experience more enjoyable
  • Remote throttle (and starter?) is recommended
  • Get the longest shaft possible
thanks
 
Aug 24, 2014
148
Aphrodite 101 148 Coeur d Alene ID
Decided to go with a Honda 10hp xl with electric start. Having a custom mount built. Am still considering a remote throttle.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Interesting. Are you going to be able to use your old integrated fuel tank to feed it?
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
looks great. this is the future. the inboard is dying perfect use of a reverse transom.
sailors are slow to change, they live on tradition. this is the new look.
 
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Likes: FlimFlamII
Mar 15, 2021
51
Macgregor Venture 22 Brooklyn
I have a 1974 Ericson 27, Silver Maiden. Her Palmer p-60 finally gave up the ghost 2 years ago. I converted her to a yanmar 1gm10 which pushes her along just fine and sips fuel compared to the old Gasoline P-60. I gave a thought to both Electric and Outboard when I was sorting out what to do.

Thunderstruck was not helpful. I contacted them to find out about a very slight modification to one of their brackets to better work in Silver Maiden. They never responded in spite of repeated attempts. I did do some calculations on what I would need for batteries and the battery weight was going to be more than the weight of the old P-60, which was 425 lbs.

There is a fellow on the EricsonYachts.org: The Starting Point on Ericson Yachts! site that did convert his 27 to Electric. He has batteries in all the lockers under the port and starboard setees leaving very little storage. My impression from his writings is that he does not require any long motoring.

Had I gone electric on Silver Maiden I would have installed a generator to charge the batteries. Gasoline or Diesel still has a higher energy density than batteries.

With the switch from the Gasoline engine to the Diesel my under power range went from something like 120 miles to over 600 nm with the same tank.

I can only think if you are doing anything more than in and out of the marina you will not be as happy with the outboard as with the diesel inboard.

As has been stated above with a boat your size handling it in close quarters will be an issue with an outboard. Trying to lash the tiller amidships and steering with the motor will leave you in an uncomfortable position, and steering with the prop behind the rudder by using the boats rudder means always being way ahead of the boat and sometimes sculling with the rudder to get a turn started. I know because while I was trying to get my old palmer working, through the completion of the engine swap I hung a small outboard off a custom mount off the transom. I was very pleased to be back to inboard power when I got the job finished.

Of course if you have any non-trivial wave action you can expect the prop to spend plenty of time in the air and cavatating with maybe 1/3 of it's time taking a useful bit out of the water.

I am just starting the restoration of a Mcgregor Venture 22 with an outboard on it. I have to move it about 70 miles and 1/5 of that is shallow twisting IC waterway where sailing is painful. I am not looking forward to taking her at least 35 miles under power with an outboard, but since the boat is small, light, and designed for an outboard maybe it will not be that bad.

I do know on my 5800lb 27 foot Ericson while I might mount the dinks outboard if I lost the diesel and could not sail for whatever reason it would not be a pleasant or economical way to traverse a long distance. Since most of my sailing is solo I tend to use the motor when there is no wind and I have to be someplace, or when it is blowing like merry hell and I can not handle the sails and helm by myself due to conditions. In those conditions I would prefer my 1GM10 to the 7.5 horse dingy outboard I can sling on the back if need be.

Additionally if I were buying a boat such as yours and it had an outboard mounted and the inboard either did not operate or was removed I would knock a fair amount off the price I would pay figuring I had a repower in my future. I am handy and could do it myself, but I would knock off what a shop would charge because my time is worth something too.

I hope this helps you sort things out.
 

JRT

.
Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
That is a nice conversion, way better then the ones that were done on our lake, which is why i walked away form them every time.
 
Aug 24, 2014
148
Aphrodite 101 148 Coeur d Alene ID
I have a 1974 Ericson 27, Silver Maiden. Her Palmer p-60 finally gave up the ghost 2 years ago. I converted her to a yanmar 1gm10 which pushes her along just fine and sips fuel compared to the old Gasoline P-60. I gave a thought to both Electric and Outboard when I was sorting out what to do.

Thunderstruck was not helpful. I contacted them to find out about a very slight modification to one of their brackets to better work in Silver Maiden. They never responded in spite of repeated attempts. I did do some calculations on what I would need for batteries and the battery weight was going to be more than the weight of the old P-60, which was 425 lbs.

There is a fellow on the EricsonYachts.org: The Starting Point on Ericson Yachts! site that did convert his 27 to Electric. He has batteries in all the lockers under the port and starboard setees leaving very little storage. My impression from his writings is that he does not require any long motoring.

Had I gone electric on Silver Maiden I would have installed a generator to charge the batteries. Gasoline or Diesel still has a higher energy density than batteries.

With the switch from the Gasoline engine to the Diesel my under power range went from something like 120 miles to over 600 nm with the same tank.

I can only think if you are doing anything more than in and out of the marina you will not be as happy with the outboard as with the diesel inboard.

As has been stated above with a boat your size handling it in close quarters will be an issue with an outboard. Trying to lash the tiller amidships and steering with the motor will leave you in an uncomfortable position, and steering with the prop behind the rudder by using the boats rudder means always being way ahead of the boat and sometimes sculling with the rudder to get a turn started. I know because while I was trying to get my old palmer working, through the completion of the engine swap I hung a small outboard off a custom mount off the transom. I was very pleased to be back to inboard power when I got the job finished.

Of course if you have any non-trivial wave action you can expect the prop to spend plenty of time in the air and cavatating with maybe 1/3 of it's time taking a useful bit out of the water.

I am just starting the restoration of a Mcgregor Venture 22 with an outboard on it. I have to move it about 70 miles and 1/5 of that is shallow twisting IC waterway where sailing is painful. I am not looking forward to taking her at least 35 miles under power with an outboard, but since the boat is small, light, and designed for an outboard maybe it will not be that bad.

I do know on my 5800lb 27 foot Ericson while I might mount the dinks outboard if I lost the diesel and could not sail for whatever reason it would not be a pleasant or economical way to traverse a long distance. Since most of my sailing is solo I tend to use the motor when there is no wind and I have to be someplace, or when it is blowing like merry hell and I can not handle the sails and helm by myself due to conditions. In those conditions I would prefer my 1GM10 to the 7.5 horse dingy outboard I can sling on the back if need be.

Additionally if I were buying a boat such as yours and it had an outboard mounted and the inboard either did not operate or was removed I would knock a fair amount off the price I would pay figuring I had a repower in my future. I am handy and could do it myself, but I would knock off what a shop would charge because my time is worth something too.

I hope this helps you sort things out.
getting anxious to see how it works. I'll post again after I am able to get it back in the lake.