SEI question

[ricovw]

Just wondering why SEI doesnt make an adaptor kit to mount an SEI106 drive (alpha 1 replacement) to a Yamaha stern drive powered boat? Seeing as Yamaha pretty much copied the alpha 1, I would've thought they would have had a kit. I know there arent a whole pile of yammies out there, but there still seems to be quite a few. The Yammie sterndrive I/O forum seems to have some traffic.
I would think that it would be a profitable proposition as it would increase the sales of the 106.

 

[Don S]

Re: SEI question

That is a question you should ask SEI, not us.

My guess is it doesn't have a future for them money wise. Yamaha only had 2 years in the US and didn't sell enough of them to make it profitable to engineer the whole thing just to sell 4 kits.

 

[ricovw]

Re: SEI question

Well, they sure sold a lot of them in 2 years. And there still are lots around, they were real good drives. Certainly a lot more than 4, you know that. My guess is they will say not enough of them around, but I think they would be under estimating the market size. Just my opinion.
I will send out this question to SEI and see what they say.

 

[ricovw]

Re: SEI question

Okay guys. I guess there isn't enough of a market. Luckily the transom cut out is the same as mercruiser. Not like a king cobra, or whatever it is from OMC. Mine is still running mint, I was just more curious than anything.
Are their that many cobra drives out there? SEI makes a kit for that.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: SEI question

Okay guys. I guess there isn't enough of a market. Luckily the transom cut out is the same as mercruiser. Not like a king cobra, or whatever it is from OMC. Mine is still running mint, I was just more curious than anything.
Are their that many cobra drives out there? SEI makes a kit for that.

I don't know where you got your info about the Cobra. I removed a complete 460 King Cobra engine/drive and replaced it with a Mercruiser.......A pretty much "drop-in" replacement.


OMC probably sold more 460 King Cobras than Yamaha sold of their complete line....... And the 460 was small potatoes...compared to the rest of them.....

The after market is a great indicator of numbers too. There's still aftermarket companies making parts for many Cobra models. Someone is even making the 460 manifolds and couplers again (Sierra is selling the couplers)

You cannot say that about the Yamaha stuff.

That doesn't mean there's anything "bad" about Yamaha. on the contrary, It was a well designed drive. Regardless of the reason, they have no market here.

I know that doesn't help you. but it's the sad truth.


Sorry about that....


Rick

 

[ricovw]

Re: SEI question

Rick, thanks for the info. I know nothing about the OMC drives, except that one of them had a transom cutout that was too big for anything else. I have read on here that there are no parts available and to run from that particular model. I thought it was the cobra line, but obviously i was wrong. I'm pretty sure that SEI supports the cobra line, for reasons I better understand now.
Thanks Rick,

rico

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: SEI question

Well, the good thing about what you have is that you can probably part it out and sell the Yamaha specific parts to someone that needs them. I wouldn't suggest replacing it with an OMC Cobra though.

While the Cobra does had a following and some common parts are and will probably be available for some time, you'd be better off to find a Mercruiser gimbal mount and either a Mercruiser or SEI drive to replace what you have.

The Yamahas did use GM engines like everyone else so you can still use it with a Mercruiser Alpha drive. You will still probably have to replace the flywheel housing and gimbal along with the manifolds and risers.

An easy way to swap would be to find a donor boat with a similar engine and Mercruiser drive.

If your engine is still good, Wait until spring and find a boat that someone didn't winterize that has a cracked block......there's usually a zillion of them by APR or MAY!


Good luck,


Rick

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: SEI question

J...Seeing as Yamaha pretty much copied the alpha 1, I would've thought they would have had a kit...

That's funny, because it looks almost exactly like an OMC Cobra.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: SEI question

That's funny, because it looks almost exactly like an OMC Cobra.

They sort of do, don't they?

I don't know if they copied anyone.


The new Yanmars aren't copies though and instead of dogs or cones they use wet clutches sort of like an automatic transmission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqnT1d0HOZ0

Yamaha still makes drives but this one looks suspiciously like a Yanmar!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5VWg6Ki8-A&feature=related

The "Lower" on both drives also look "suspiciously" like a Mercruiser Bravo III!


///

 

[ricovw]

Re: SEI question

I never was considering going with an OMC drive to replace my yammie. My yammie is currently running like a champ and has never failed me in the 6 years I've had it. I also haven't had any issues with parts, as most consumables are still readily available at my yamaha dealer. If I ever had to convert, it would be to an alpha gen 2.
I was simply just seeing if anyone thought that SEI would ever build a kit. The answer is no, so if I ever need to, a donor boat would be the way to go.
Y