Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

[FlyBoyMark]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

djohns..that argument does not fly, there are less Manufactures and there are more engines produced now than ever. In addition you need to examine the specs on many of the manufactures that use MANY cross over parts between many of their models. There actually very few SEPERATE engine types.

 

[DJ]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

FlyBoyMark,<br /><br />Hey I'm not arguing with you. All your points are valid. I'm a fan of both. (Don't care too much for sails). I want my boats to burn hydrocarbons-and plenty of them.<br /><br />Each drive system has it's merits.<br /><br />I think you'll see that once the old tech. pushrod Detroit iron starts to dry up, you'll see much lighter sterndrives using smaller displacement engines made of various alloys. These will incorporate trick stuff like variable valve timing, four valves per cylinder and maybe even turbo/superchargers. The weight to horsepower gap will diminish and the I/O will still have potential price an advantage due to economies of scale.

 

[FlyBoyMark]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

I want to see more of diesel........I've built a few large fishing vessels that use Kodiak drives<br />AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DJ]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

FlyBoyMark,<br /><br />Mercruiser has a nifty little diesel out now coupled to an Alpha I. The diesel is only 30 pounds heavier than the 3.0L gas LX and has the same horsepower.

 

[Beernutz]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

The old blue & white Honda?<br /><br />Now there's a sweet piece of machinery....and Fast!!!<br /><br />If that's the proof, I'm sticking with what I've got!

 

[Beernutz]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

I gotta leave for the Bahamas first thing in the morning. I hope you guys have this thing figured out by the time I get back.

 

[Forktail]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

Bahamas? Dang....we still have ice here! And hey, that old Honda 4 still runs like a well oiled sewing machine.<br /><br />FlyBoy, your example is a fantasy motor. $2,500? 18" tall?<br /><br />How about we use a real example. Lets compare the Merc outboards and Merc sterndrives of the same hp.<br /><br />A 250 hp Mercruiser stern drive engine in the most compact and popular 5.7L version available, complete engine ready to run will cost you about $8,000. This is without the gimbal housing or stern drive (in other words worthless). Want an Alpha 1 outdrive? Thats another $3,000. Then it all needs to be installed. I bet you can't get the labor for under $1,000. Want fresh water cooling? Add another $1,000. How about engine mounts, wiring harnesses, controls, gauges, intake ventilation, blowers and exhaust routing? Another $1,000?<br /><br />When its all said and done in the water, lets round it off to $15,000.<br /><br />Did I mention this thing weighs 938 lbs with the little Alpha 1 outdrive? It will sit 22" high, so with clearance from hull bottom for oil changes and adding the cover/cushion height, you're looking at over 30" tall.<br /><br />The 250 Merc outboard can be bought, installed, and loaded with all the goodies for under $15,000. And it will weigh only 479 lbs. Plus you won't trip over it. It will be safer. And if you don't like it and want a 300 hp or a 50 hp, you can change it out in a few hours and make the next tide.<br /><br />Ever try to fit an inboard in a 14 foot Lund? How about twin power for safety....2,000 lbs (938 lbs X 2) of inboard engines or 1,000 lbs (479 lbs X 2) for outboards? Which one will be faster now? Need a tiller engine? Not with an inboard. How about an interchangable jet unit? Not with an inboard.<br /><br />Come on FBM, sterndrives have their place, but so do outboards.

 

[Beernutz]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

I think that's the point, Fork. If the power to weight ratio of that ol' Honda is what it takes for 4-strokes to last, they're doomed. Like I said I'll wait to let this new technology prove itself.<br /><br />After reading all this, I'm leaving the boat behind. Can't trust either powerplant anymore. We'll go Turbo-prop! Now there's something you guys havent considered yet. Turbines!<br /><br />Adios!

 

[DJ]

Re: Give your opinions on attached 2 vs. 4 stroke article

Beernutz,<br /><br />TURBINES-BEEN DONE. Ford had an extensive program to put turbines in boats back in the 70's.<br /><br />They worked well, but the gas embargo and soaring fuel prices killed them. They put out tremendous power for their size and weight, however economy was not a strong suit.<br /><br />Those turbines would burn anything basically. They worked well on gas and were most efficient on kerosene or Jet A.<br /><br />Four strokes are NOT new technology.<br /><br />FlyBoyMark,<br /><br />Have you seen the ads for the outfit that is marinizing the Mazda B Rotary? THat engine truly is 18" tall and will hook up to just about any stern drive, inboard, v-drive or jet. If I remember right it's about 150 hp. in standard form and 185 in turbo. Very interesting. I think they now have the seal issues worked out in the combustion chambers. Mazda is going to re-introduce the RX series automobile next year using a rotary.