I am looking to get a bigger boat (18-19 feet rather than my current 16 foot double eagle) and have an idea which I would like to test. I want an outboard rather than an I/O engine. I often see ads for hulls which I like but the engine is an I/O. Here is my question. Can you convert a hull from I/O to an outboard? Is it possible to fix the transom inexpensively to get rid of the I/O and allow for mounting of an outboard? Is the effort and expense worth it?
Conversion from inboard to outboard
- Thread starter jimbob
- Start date
1stLite
Member
Yes you can get the hole for the leg glassed in and an out bracket(pod) built and mounted on the back.It gives you that much more deck space in the back of the boat.You see a lot of older boats getting rid of their old inboards and getting the outbracket mounted and a new outboard on the back.
Merrittboy
Active Member
What would something like that cost?
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
There's a lot of people doing this. However, you'll notice that many of these boats "sag" at the back and depending on the weight distribution, these boats will tend to "slap" in rougher chop, and the change in weight balance adversely affects handling in a following sea, effectively making the boat behave more in a "corklike" fashion.
You'd be BEST advised to buy a boat that has this feature already as it's been designed from the factory for such an application.
Also, think about this..you could take the money for the conversion and put it towards a factory install...giving you a whole different quality of workmanship.
Also, resale of the boat will suffer--and you'll never recoup your investment entirely---you will have to find someone willing to trust what you have done.
If it were me..I'd trust the boats built that way...I've driven the hell out of Whalers, a coupe of Gradys..and I know that even some of the factory built boats have experienced problems with these brackets.
Personally, I'd just put all the money for the conversion towards a boat that's built for it.
Don't bother glassing the hole in, the way it was done on my boat, the pod's grid goes across the whole transom, and makes it stronger. I cut an access hole into my pod where the leg used to be, that way you have somewhere good to put the beer to keep it cold. . My conversion has been done well, the thing that I learned is instead of having the pod slope upwards from the transom, have it goe straight back, this keeps the bow nice and low while planing. Think anywhere from one to four grand for the pod, depedning on powder-coating or what have you.
wolf
Well-Known Member
Well if you get your boat inspected they want the hole covered in(DTO), its another one of those great rules i did just to be on the safe side and as LC stated my pod goes srtaight back from the hull sort of it is acually 1/4 inch higher and was explained to me as a less drag feature but what do i know LOL my top speed with the pod and 5 people on board hits at about 45 miles an hour way to fast but nice to have.
It was very easy to plug I got the guy who manufactured the pod to completly cover the hole with the alum. to cover the hole I cut out 3 pieces of 3/4 and a 1/2 ply to make a plug my transom is over 3 inches thick.
I then cut a nice big piece of mat fiberglass that would over lap and gooped it up threw the plug in sealed around the cracks and then covered with a layer of mat roven mat all thick stuff that thing will never come out of there.
Personally i think it was really worth it the deck space is great and it runs great.
Good luck Wolf
It was very easy to plug I got the guy who manufactured the pod to completly cover the hole with the alum. to cover the hole I cut out 3 pieces of 3/4 and a 1/2 ply to make a plug my transom is over 3 inches thick.
I then cut a nice big piece of mat fiberglass that would over lap and gooped it up threw the plug in sealed around the cracks and then covered with a layer of mat roven mat all thick stuff that thing will never come out of there.
Personally i think it was really worth it the deck space is great and it runs great.
Good luck Wolf
danthewire
Active Member
I believe the coast guard had some 19 foot double eagles converted to outboards.I looked at one this summer that was for sale at the bc government surplus.I would have bid on it but it needed too much tlc.It was well done the transom was cut out and a well was built in the back.It had a ton of room in the back and nice high sides.I talked to the Double eagle factory this summer about having a 19 foot built with a pod they said they could do it but that hull didnt respond to the bracket mounted motor,the center of gravity was off a bit and if my memory serves me well he said it didnt like a following sea.Theres a picture of it on the Double Eagle website.Im thinking though that a pod like last chances might work out better.I have seen a couple of Double Eagles done that way.It would be a huge difference over a 16 footer.There is one year that they built the 19 footer with an outboard ,Im thinking around 1983 or so, somebody will know.That could be another option for you. DAN
Knotty Seamen
Active Member
I personally like the older boats like the double eagles, hourstons etc. Its worth it if you have alot of spare time and can do alot of the work yourself, otherwise buy something already done.
Mornin Chubby
Member
I just had a conversion done to my boat in 2005. I was of the same thinking a lot of the boats I really liked were inboards so I bought one and had in converted. I have been very happy with the performance. The deck space alone is a major benefit. Alot of manufactures are going this way just because of the performance. I sold the I/O for 3k and the pod and hole glassed in cost the same. 1300 pounds came out and 800 back on with pod and 4 stroke motor. The boat was way better in the rough the pod increases the length of you boat putting your bow on the next wave a lot sooner. The outboard can be mounted a lot higher out of the water than one sitting on the transom, just because with the pod it puts the prop in the high water behind your hull, major performance benefit. Don’t worry about it not being a manufacture’s designed ride that’s what trim tabs are for. The pod also increases you planning surface. Be sure to get a pod that comes right off the keel with a slight angle up to the back of the unit this will provide the boat with extra floatation and help get the bow up and on plane sooner. I/0’s (in my opinion) are a thing of the past.
danthewire
Active Member
Hey Chubby, what type of hull, and length is your boat,power etc i am still researching this idea i think its the way to go.Any info would help in the final choice.Thanks in advance DAN
Mornin Chubby
Member
M
Mongoose
Guest
a bigger boat would be better
I disagree with the up-angle. On my H23, I had it go up from transom at 11 degrees, this caused the bow to be a little light. I had the pod modded to have the hull extension go straight out from the transom,a nd now I can have 4 guys in the back of the boat, and it planes level. My trim tab wiring has been bad since October when I did the work, and I just can't be bothered to fix it right now because I don't need them (Except when all 4 people want to stand on my side of the boat for some reason).
Mornin Chubby
Member
I dont have any experiance with the my boat not having the angle. I do know I am happy with the pod. I have to have a small amount of continous trim to keep the bow down. not having the angle on the keel could also have the ill affect of not getting the bow up enough. I would assume it has alot to do with the kind of boat. I do wonder how my boat would perform with out the angle on the pod.
knotoncall
Member
Forgive my ignorance but I thought a pod was just a brkt extension bolted to the transom to accept an outboard. Sounds like you guys are describing a hull extension or is 6 of one half dozen of the other. If the pod is a fully enclosed floatation brkt then could not a boat engineer tell you exactly how large the pod should be in order to maintain (or improve) the original ergonomics in order to balance the boats handling or planing action? I have a 206 Double Eagle with a 302 Ford that I have been seriously considering doing the same.
I almost gave birth to a big brown bear when you said heard that! But Boris (The Transport Canada Guy) assured me this morning that it is fine. I'm due for inspection shortly, so this a relief. Saves a lot of messy stinky dirty glass work, and a cold place to put the beer is a must.
The difference for me was night and day! I did not loose any speed (This is the idea of the up-angle, similar to a stepped hull). It put such a smile on my face from where it was with the step that I made everyone sit at the back for a run to the bluffs when I sea trialed it. I need NO tabs now unless I'm loafing through 4 ft chop at Beechy in a good hard ebb tide, or have 4 jackasses standing on my side of the boat (I'm probably closer to 400 pounds the 350). It's really something else. I think you could get away with it on a longer boat with more weight up front, but 800 pounds 3 feet back from the boat probably lifts the bow with a LOT more force then that (I'm not physicist, so I don't know the leverage equations).
Each boat is different, but no up-step is a sure bet, and stepping it is a gamble (In my opinion). However, I helped a buddy of mine outfit one of my old 18 foot project boats with a stepped pod, and it rides level and goes like a scared rabbit.
Each boat is different, but no up-step is a sure bet, and stepping it is a gamble (In my opinion). However, I helped a buddy of mine outfit one of my old 18 foot project boats with a stepped pod, and it rides level and goes like a scared rabbit.
