To pod or not to pod

[Jimmy]

I have watched several project boats being done on this forum. They have got me thinking if I ever found an older boat that was worth re-powering it might be worth re-powering and possibly with a pod and an outboard or two.

I looked into it an asked a local marine refit yard. I was looking at a 24ft double eagle flybridge that I felt was worth re powering with outboards and this would include a pod. I was told if the boat had an I/O in it the transom would not have the strength to pod it and hang an outboard of the back. Boats built to hold an I/O do not have the transom strength that boats built for outboards have.

Is this correct? If so are guy's strengthening the transoms of I/O boats before they attach a pod and hang an outboard of the back?

I look forward to hearing the responses from this group.

 

[Rum Buddies]

The smart ones are reinforcing the transom, tabbing it into the hull and even adding support braces. But ya a lot of guys don't even cover the hold and just slap a pod to the transom too.

IMO when dealing with boats, good enough is rarely good enough in the long run.

 

[island idiots]

I have a 21 K & C in the midst of refit. The transom was rebuilt. Pod and 225 outboard mounted.
After much investigation I found that some have used dog leg braces, many more claim it is not necessary to strengthen the transom.
Most pod projects I have seen are inboards to start out and have the pod mounted without reinforcement.
There are Pod manufacturers / installers out there, I would seek their advice.

 

[sly_karma]

Can't see how it makes much sense to pod a hull built for an outboard. I/O hulls have a nice straight transom whereas the splash well on an OB hull is a problem, either you spend more money/time to remove it, or you leave it unchanged with wasted space. It will be a lot simpler to modify/repair the transom on the I/O hull, the pod will spread thrust over a much greater area than the baseplate of a transom mount OB.

 

[Last Chance]

If the pod goes right to the edges of the transom, the weight gets put on the sides of the hull and no reinforcement is needed. If the pod is a little guy in the middle of the transom, start laminating. That's why most guys get a pod where the grid goes to the outer edges of the hull. I have podded 2 boats myself. No problems at all.

 

[ericl]

The transom need re-enforcing. On my 24ft SeaRay we used sheets of 5052 AL inside/outside of transom with a wood stringer inside the transom.

Bracket was made by Armstrong. Went from 350 chev to Yamaha 250. Top end went from 40 to 50- rode much flatter & when sitting in the water the stern was 3" more out of the water. It was in-F'ing credible!! FYI, Armstrong bracket had planing surface - not all brackets/pods do.