Am I being cheap and/or stupid?

[nimblemotors]

Is the reality of the example given a sailboat can't depend on its sails?
Then only a fool would have sails on their boat...right?

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by sony2000

I just finished an electric conversion on a 6500 lb., 29 footer.
I suggest if you are going outboard, use a cheap (2 stroke) Saildrive with an external tank. A 9.9 hp can be made into a 15hp.
For when your outboard is inadequate, have a 7kw or less electric motor on your old drive shaft and use both at the same time. Golf Cart simplicity, running two belted pulleys.
Saildrive can act as a generator if necessary.
Dual propulsion so one can fail.
I had a 3.5hp, 2 and 4 stroke on my J22, and I preferred the 2 stroke.

What?

[onestepcsy37]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this before, but there is an Alberg 30 on youtube that had it's engine removed, then an outboard well fitted in the stern, and looks pretty good. Its at about 8 minutes into this video. Towards the end of the video he is motoring in flat water and seems to be moving right along - maybe as well as on an inboard. There are some related videos from this guy which show other aspects of the inboard well construction, IIRC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDRr...Y&spfreload=10

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by misfits

If you're ready to go & the only thing stopping you is not having an ICE,
no brainer. Spend a couple grand on a new outboard, toss it on the transom & go. You can cruise for quite sometime for what it'll cost you to repower with a diesel inboard. I wouldn't call that being cheap or stupid, it's smart.

Yes, I'd agree with this one. Do what ever gets you going 'safely'.

I really dislike petrol on large boats. Too many have blown up. I of course carry a small 10Ltr can of petrol for my Tender engine which I store on an outside sealed locker, but having a large petrol fuel tank inside the cabin where there are naked flames (stove top) is a huge risk in my book.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Yes, I'd agree with this one. Do what ever gets you going 'safely'.

I really dislike petrol on large boats. Too many have blown up. I of course carry a small 10Ltr can of petrol for my Tender engine which I store on an outside sealed locker, but having a large petrol fuel tank inside the cabin where there are naked flames (stove top) is a huge risk in my book.

What, I agree diesel is better, I would put cigarette buts out in diesel working commercially. Someone being prudent can do OK with gas.
Not every one can afford diesel. I grew up on gas stink pots or what you wish to call them and I'm still alive. As I recall it was 150 gal. per tank.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Cadence

What, I agree diesel is better, I would put cigarette buts out in diesel working commercially. Someone being prudent can do OK with gas.
Not every one can afford diesel. I grew up on gas stink pots or what you wish to call them and I'm still alive. As I recall it was 150 gal. per tank.

That's closing in on 600 litre tanks (wow!) , which are therefore clearly inbuilt tanks. A lot safer than having portable tanks, though still a need to be much more safety conscious when refuelling and carrying out maintenance than on a diesel.

I think it's funny what you yanks call 'gas'.

What do you call LPG fuel? (Petrol?)

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

............. I think it's funny what you yanks call 'gas'.

What do you call LPG fuel? (Petrol?)

"Gas" is short for "gasoline" which is inaccurate since our government is now forcing providers to adulterate it with alcohol. It's now technically "motor fuel".

PPG? We call it "propane".

Now lets talk about electrical receptacles and grounding systems!

[donregan]

Extra long shaft 4 stroke outboards with high thrust props are available, virtually all would have alternators & are good on fuel for a gas engine. We had one (9.9 Yamaha) on a Grampian 26 (about 8000-8500# heavy ship) and it worked a treat, they claim 80% thrust in reverse and i would confirm that, it would stop the Gramp in not a lot more than a boat length. Controls at hand w/b essential, on the Gramp (tiller) you could reach. You would need more hp than that.

Cheaper than an inboard diesel by a bunch, don't like gas on board, most things are a tradeoff.

Cheers, Don

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by donregan

Extra long shaft 4 stroke outboards with high thrust props are available, virtually all would have alternators & are good on fuel for a gas engine. We had one (9.9 Yamaha) on a Grampian 26 (about 8000-8500# heavy ship) and it worked a treat, they claim 80% thrust in reverse and i would confirm that, it would stop the Gramp in not a lot more than a boat length. Controls at hand w/b essential, on the Gramp (tiller) you could reach. You would need more hp than that.

Cheaper than an inboard diesel by a bunch, don't like gas on board, most things are a tradeoff.

Cheers, Don

Still probably looking at 4 grand new with controls.

[Shawn67]

Tohatsu 9.9 25" shaft with electric start is about $2300 and $200 more for the adapter for existing controls.

Shawn


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[Boatyarddog]

"Stupid is, what Stupid does" know your limits.
Forest Gump


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

[SterileCuckoo58]

Our Vivacity 24 has always had an O/B - sine '81 it's had an improperly propped Johnson 15hp 20" that always popped out in the inlet with following sea, 9.9 Johnson 25", and now a 9.8 25" XL w working electric start. These are mounted on a bracket so under sail its high and dry, when motoring it's deep in.

It has always been a tiller model and I am seriously thinking about adding throttle and shift control - I manage alright, but when it gets interesting it's no fun.

Thoughts on the Tohatsu 9.8- Carburetor is easy to clean, and can be done over the water. Make sure she runs perfectly.

Make absolutely certain that the reverse lockdown works solidly, otherwise you'll have a surprise when you use it in reverse to stop the boat in your slip. My new 9.8 did a back flip breaking the mounting board - floating momentarily on the surface - long enough for me to grab - and hold in a most awkward position while the Admiral tied the boat up.

Thoughts on charging - I use a battery isolator, a lawn tractor starting battery in the aft seat locker, and my house batteries in the cabin. I have added a DBDT switch to allow me to use the electric start powered by the start battery only, and then switch to allow power to the isolator and charge all batteries as needed. The alternator does well for our limited needs (no refrigeration or A/C)

I question I have - centered or off-set? Mine is centered, but I think offset would allow better control over the tiller when in reverse. Prop wash on the trailing edge of the rudder makes it difficult to control the rudder's tiller. I am thinking about offsetting.

Fuel storage - I was able to fit a 15 gallon Mueller box in the lazerette. Over kill in most instances, but I did that for our transfer of the boat from Long Island to Boston against a NE breeze and alongshore current. Twin bilge keels don't point so well as nice fin.

Engine bracket - I've had an old OMC bracket that offered no "assist" since the assist went out of it ages ago - assuming it had any to begin with. The replacement I just got has what I think is an air piston on it but it is toast (looking at repairing it is possible - replacement is $200-$300); have been using a block and tackle off the stern pulpit to raise and lower engine.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

That's closing in on 600 litre tanks (wow!) , which are therefore clearly inbuilt tanks. A lot safer than having portable tanks, though still a need to be much more safety conscious when refuelling and carrying out maintenance than on a diesel.

I think it's funny what you yanks call 'gas'.

What do you call LPG fuel? (Petrol?)

You will have to forgive us yanks. We come the other side and end of the earth so we get things upside down and side ways.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Electric drive is for those not going anywhere. Batteries just can't store enough energy to take you very far unless you buy the ultra high tech variety or steal the drive system out of your neighbors Prius on a dark night. Typically, battery storage capacity won't get you more than 50 miles for normal cruise in flat water. If you get in nasty conditions and run the motor at maxx, you can count the longevity in minutes. Of course, you can put in a Generator, tanks, etc and charge the batteries as you go. If you are going to do that , might as well stick with a diesel inboard and be done with it.

Couple spent years putting together a really trick electric boat. All sorts of generating capacitty from solar, a generator off the oversized prop, wind, etc. Got into some nasty weather 50 miles offshore and decided to run back to harbor which was dead upwind. Tried motor sailing to beat into the wind and waves but soon exhausted the batteries. Was such a bad experience they sold the boat. 10 gallons of diesel would have gotten them back in hours not the days that it took them to sail against wind, waves and tide.

It was such a pretty boat too and the conversion was well done!

[boatman61]

Guess its sail with a removeable ZIT.. till one can afford the cure..
I'd sail with the ZIT.. beats the **** outa looking pretty but going nowhere..