[Public-list] Inboard Replacement

[Rob Alley]

I have to agree with all that George has said.  Further, you will find 
that many of the small diesel engines used as inboards are also used to 
power generators or as refrigerator power units (without the specialized 
((marinized)) pumps or heat exchangers) which make them "marine"engines, 
so the engines are readily available if you look in the right places.    
All this  "specialized marine" stuff on the engine can be had new or 
used for relatively little money.  So,  I think you might find a used, 
or even a rebuilt diesel more or less ready to drop in for about the 
same price as a new outboard if you look around.  The Universal diesels, 
a few years back, were used to power kubota tractors--the only additions 
to make them marine power were a sherwood raw water pump and a heat 
exchanger in lieu of a radiator and fan.
I urge you to continue to investigate your options.

Best.
Rob

George Dinwiddie wrote:

> John,
>
> With grad school, kids' braces and life, how much time can you afford. 
> No matter how you look at this, it's going to be a huge undertaking. 
> You'll need to make the lazarette complete waterproof from the rest of 
> the boat.  You'll need to provide a mount for the motor.  You'll need 
> to rework the lazarette deck, as the current hatch is surely not big 
> enough.  You'll need some structure to replace the stiffness you lose 
> by cutting out that much deck.  You're looking at hundreds of hours of 
> work.
>
> And I think you're going to be tremendously disappointed if you ever 
> do launch the boat again.
>
>  * Outboards in lazarettes really don't work very well.  At least, 
> that's what friends who have had them tell me.  They don't get enough 
> air.  They stay in a very moist environment.  They generally need the 
> hatch open when running, and they don't last like an outboard used, 
> well, outboard.
>
>  * You're not going to get the torque you're used to having.  
> Outboards are high-rev, small blade engines, relatively speaking.  
> Pushing a 10,000 pound boat, I don't think you're going to get nearly 
> full power out of the engine, so you'll be seriously underpowered 
> also.  An outboard will get an Alberg 30 in and out of harbor, but not 
> take it places.
>
>  * Even in the lazarette, if there are any waves, the outboard will be 
> pitching out of the water, negating it's effectiveness.
>
>  * You will completely destroy the value of the boat.  You'll be 
> losing a lot more than the cost of a new diesel conversion.  There are 
> good boats going for fewer dollars than they ought.  Who's going to 
> buy a boat that's been hacked up that much, such that it's structural 
> integrity is questionable?  No one who wants an Alberg 30 will buy it, 
> and someone who wants an outboard-powered sailboat will probably 
> figure the Alberg 30 is too heavy and narrow for their tastes.
>
> If you *really* want an outboard, I suggest you look at the rig that 
> Yves Gelinas designed to hold an outboard on the stern quarter 
> (http://caphorn.com/sections/remotorisation/remotoriserAng.htm).  At 
> least you won't be trashing the boat.
>
> The Greymarine is, like the Atomic 4, a simple engine.  The problems 
> are generally the accumulation of neglect over many years.  If you 
> don't have the time and energy to tackle overhauling the engine 
> yourself, Van Ness Engineering in NJ specializes in this engine.  (Of 
> course, if you don't have the time and energy for the engine, where 
> are you going to get the time and energy for redesigning the lazarette?)
>
> Another alternative is to just sail the boat.  If you get a mooring, 
> you can easily learn to sail off it and back to it.  With a slip, 
> you're more likely to have to get creative and warp the boat in and out.
>
> A dinghy with an outboard lashed to the sternquarter will get you 
> moving in a pinch.  See the book "The Boy, Me and the Cat" 
> (http://www.alberg30.org/store/Amazon.html#BoyMeCat) for a description 
> of how well this works.
>
> Finally, I recommend you read "Rebuilding, Restoring, Adding To, or 
> Upgrading Your 'Classic'? -- Here are Six Rules for Success" 
> (http://www.pocketcruisers.com/art_restorerules.html).
>
>  - George
>
> Manza, LtCol John LTC PM LAV wrote:
>
>>  
>> After screwing around for a few seasons with my old Gray Marine 
>> inboard, I
>> am going to replace the engine with an outboard.  There are a few key
>> reasons for this.  The first, is cost.  I estimate that a diesel 
>> conversion
>> will cost around 8 - 10 thousand dollars and with grad school, kids 
>> braces,
>> and life I can't afford that.  The second reason is ease of 
>> maintenance.  A
>> new outboard is in my mind more reliable and more easily repaired - 
>> or taken
>> to a repair shop - than is an inboard.  With all of that in mind, I 
>> now am
>> struggling with the decision as to where to put the outboard.  One 
>> option is
>> on the stern.  I don't like this because it is ugly and because I am 
>> worried
>> about the prop coming out of the water and the engine swamping in 
>> high seas.
>> The other option is to place the engine in the lazarette.  Some 
>> models of
>> the Alberg 22 came with a well mount for an outboard as did the 
>> Sparkman and
>> Stevens Yankee Dolphin.  I also recently read an article about a similar
>> boat to the A30 having an outboard installed in the lazarette - see
>> http://www.atomvoyages.com/projects/outboard.htm
>> <http://www.atomvoyages.com/projects/outboard.htm> .  The engine that 
>> I am
>> looking at is a 9.8 hp Nissan extra long shaft.   My question is - has
>> anybody in this group done this?     
>> John Manza
>> #150
>
>

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