Boat repowering

[Vintage Boat Guy]

I have a 20' boat which is built like an open Lyman. What would be a good size engine to re-power it with?

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Boat repowering

Is it an outboard I am assuming or an i/o?

The general rule of thumb is to look at the USCG capacity plate and repower with no less than 80% of what is stated and no more than what is stated on the capacity plate.

Pictures may help

 

[tazrig]

Re: Boat repowering

How heavy is it? What is it rated for? what does it have now? are you happy with the current performance?

 

[Vintage Boat Guy]

Re: Boat repowering

I've never actually driven it, just got it, it's an i/o and has no manufacture recommendation or coast guard plate as it was built in the 60's in a local town, not sure of the weight. It currently has a 289 Ford coupled to an eaton outdrive.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Boat repowering

since Its an I/O, there is no USCG rating requirements on an I/O. you can have 10hp, or you can have 10,000 hp.

with that stated, how fast do you want to go? I would look at either a 4.3 V6, or a 5.7 V8

what is wrong with the vintage motor and drive you have in there now?

 

[QC]

Re: Boat repowering

Moved this over here to get some more exposure with engine and I/O peeps. I think the answer to Mr. Danforth's question is that there is no chance of finding parts for that drive.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Boat repowering

Moved this over here to get some more exposure with engine and I/O peeps. I think the answer to Mr. Danforth's question is that there is no chance of finding parts for that drive.

Ayuh,.... I believe Marysville Marine, in Marysville Michigan carries 'bout every part for all the Dana/ Eaton drives,...

I'd either refurb the existin' motor, 'n drive, or go for a V6/ V8 Mercruiser/ Alpha combo,...

 

[Walt T]

Re: Boat repowering

For all the money and labor you'd have to put into it to make it a V-6 or 8 Mercruiser boat you could buy a pretty decent boat that didn't need so much work. However if you found a good source for the current drive and motor that might be fun. You'll have to decide if this is something you want to tackle as it will always be a labor of love and will never ever be worth what you have into it. Projects like this tend to be all apart in pieces in the driveway for years, kinda like your marriage after you make her park the '89 Astrovan with 367,354 miles on it outside in the snow while you spend her new SUV money on drive parts that take six weeks to get a tracking number while the motor is on a stand in the garage and most of your heating bill goes to the propane heater you bought with what was gonna be the down payment on her nice new Escalade but instead she's stuck driving that old Astrovan that still plays "La cucaracha" on the horn because you once bought her a musical horn for it in a fit of supreme idiocy on your 5th wedding anniversary and every time she goes out in the snow to brush off the Astrovan and sees your comfy recliner, heater, and 72" LCD TV with surround sound in the garage you told her was necessary to cruise marine websites for parts she is reminded that she could have married that guy you stole her away from in high school by sticking Barbie heads on the antenna of his AMC Gremlin but now the guy is the owner of a chain of adult toy stores that you now work at in IT keeping the website up and running despite the Christmas crush of shoppers looking for the "Tiniest Elf" so many inadequate guys find in their stockings and you are pretty sure she's ordered one.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Boat repowering

That is some Vintage "Dear Walt" right there, good advice with a moral and then come contemporary reality bites at the end...I love it!

 

[QC]

Re: Boat repowering

Ayuh,.... I believe Marysville Marine, in Marysville Michigan carries 'bout every part for all the Dana/ Eaton drives,...

Cool. Is that what's on your houseboat?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Boat repowering

Walt...... you may need therapy.

 

[Vintage Boat Guy]

Re: Boat repowering

Well swapping out an engine would not be a big deal, the only problem I could see is the outdrive giving me a hard time. That was the only real reason I would think of re-powering, that and its a Ford not a Chevy. I would use this for fishing on the great lakes so it has to have power.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Boat repowering

Cool. Is that what's on your houseboat?

Ayuh,.... Mine is just a Bigger sister,....

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Boat repowering

do those Eaton drives push the transom or the stringers?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Boat repowering

do those Eaton drives push the transom or the stringers?

Ayuh,... The Transom,....

The oddity of 'em, or atleast Mine is, they actually have a hyd. standard Clutch, on the motor's flywheel, to shift the drives,...
as ya move the shifter, it opens a valve, 'n uses hyd. pressure from a P/S pump to push in the pressure-plate, 'n disengage the driveline,...

 

[muc]

Re: Boat repowering

That looks like it might be a plywood lap strake hull.
If it is, the motor and drive are probably the least of your problems.
You should pull up the floor and use your awl to check the keel and where the transom and bottom meet for rot.
You will need about 200 HP to plane and 230 to 280 HP for good performance.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Boat repowering

That looks like it might be a plywood lap strake hull.
If it is, the motor and drive are probably the least of your problems.
You should pull up the floor and use your awl to check the keel and where the transom and bottom meet for rot.
You will need about 200 HP to plane and 230 to 280 HP for good performance.

Howdy,

That is a COOL boat! If all the wood is good, I would get a modern MPI engine and newer drive for it!



When I was looking for my repower engine, I almost bought a 2004 5.7L (MPI) 300hp + Bravo I drive for my 21' Four Winns.

It had closed cooling and about 400 hrs on it. If I hadn't found the (also 300hp) 7.4 carbureted + Bravo III engine/drive combination, I would have it now.

That would be a perfect engine for a boat that size. you would probably have to re-build the transom though. (and you may have to anyway)


Cheers,


Rick

 

[Vintage Boat Guy]

Re: Boat repowering

Plywood lapstrake least of my problems? No this boat has no rot at all, the hull is sound only needs paint and an interior. That's why I bought it because it was all wood. My motor only has the crank of the engine, the alternator and water pump(not hooked up) in the belt driven section, no power steering pump. I'm also concerned about fuel consumtion.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Boat repowering

I'm also concerned about fuel consumtion.

It'll take a fixed amount of fuel consumption to push that boat a certain speed regardless of the engine you install. AN EFI engine will be slightly more fuel efficient but it probably won't be very noticeable.

Your most fuel efficient installation will be either an MPI V-6 or (SBC)V-8 with a Volvo Penta DUO-prop or Bravo III (contra-rotating twin prop) drive.


Cheers,


Rick

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Boat repowering

If your worried about fuel consumption for a boat, you need to give up power boats and take up kayaking or sailing