Ditching the diesel inboard engine

[Hermia II]

Originally Posted by NorthCoastJoe

I would try to crank the diesel and see what happens. You only need a screwdriver to short the battery positive terminal on the starter to the solenoid terminal from the key switch. It might come to life!! The terminals should not be more than 2 cm apart.

Thats a good idea. Do figure out how to stop it before you start it. stopping a Diesel is a little different from a petrol engine.

On the topic of starting. My previous boat, a Gallant 53 ketch, with an old Perkins machine was flooded when I emptied the water tanks into the bilge and left without checking that the bilge pump was in order. Which it was not, of course. Batteries, cables, starter motor all gone, water in the engine and gearbox oil...mayhem.
I cleaned up, got the starter motor re-wound, changed the oils, pressed new nice cables, new batteries....and so...it was the push of the button.
I pressed once, 3 seconds.....and it ran. And so did my tears...

[thomm225]

So what if the diesel does start?

It's still very old and will leak and smell and probably produce no where near 20 HP.

This is why my new 5 HP 4 Stroke 25" Shaft Outboard did a much better job than the old loud leaky Bukh 10 HP diesel engines I tried before buying the outboard

Also the outboard weighs 57 lbs., the diesel 352. Removing the 352 LB diesel, motor mounts, stuffing box, prop shaft, prop, copper fuel line, metal fuel tank, etc really lightened the boat and got rid of the awful diesel smell. Plus removing the sludge in the bilge and cleaning 40 years of leaks from the engine compartment.

With outboard and with diesel

Interior pictures after removing the diesel and cleaning up the mess it left plus adding a bit of paint, shades, and LED Lamps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpZhq35etcw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKTHfGSch5A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoW10TdIPnQ

[keelsidedown]

At one point I was considering hanging a yanmar d-27 (outboard diesel) off the stern. Unfortunately these are discontinued and parts are very difficult to find. There's also the option of glassing in a hanging compartment between the hull and cockpit deck (at the penalty of some buoyancy... possibly made good by a lower engine weight).

[bstronger]

Any outboard is better than any Volvo Penta diesel.

[walt41]

As you are "new to boats" I don't recommend voyaging without an engine. If the diesel compression and cooling are good, the diesel will be much more reliable that the outboard. After a while you will not need to carry so much "stuff" and be glad you kept the diesel.

[MicHughV]

Thought I would throw my 2c in here as well.

Some years ago, due to financial limitations, I strapped a 15 hp outboard to the transom of my 38' steel sailboat. This was my sole motive power.

I had to fit an 15" extension to the engine lower casing, so as to have the prop as deep as possible. Even with this, the prop was only maybe 18" below the surface of the water.

It worked...sorta...kinda...maybe...it was good for getting me on and off a dock, and would push my boat at a modest 4 knots in very calm water....I'm talking very calm.

Any wake, or small wave, would make the boat pitch up and down, often making the prop come right out of the water. Adverse current of any strength, would bring me to a standstill.

I had to go back there to adjust the throttle, ie, leave the steering wheel. This became a 2-man operation.

The engine was fed by a 6 gallon fuel tank.....# 1, this was gasoline (petrol), and to my surprise, even a 15 hp engine could suck this tank dry in a very short time, which meant it had to be re-filled, often, while underway, filling this fuel tank, with yet another 6 gallon container, plus funnel, hose, etc, was a very tricky maneuver. See above crew requirements. Fuel spills were common.

On the plus side, I had no prop drag while sailing, and I did a lot of sailing, even in confined waters, I learned to short tack my way around, as I had no other choice.

I had numerous " close calls" and "groundings" as my little 15 hp engine was simply unable to handle the situations I found myself in.

After a period of time, the writing was on the wall !!! The outboard had to go if I wanted to go anywhere.

Knowing what I know, not in a million years would I recommend you trying to push your boat with an outboard.

You gotta suck it in and fix, repair or replace the inboard diesel, that's all there is to it.

[RRJames]

Interesting and informative replies to the question. As with many things, people knowledgeable of and successful with diesels like their diesels. Likewise people with outboards.


My 1978 Liberty 28 was designed for an inboards but built by my brother for an outboard. It has done 10.2 knots since the first day it was in the water, which is 2.5-3 knots faster than it's sisters with inboards. Also, there is a lot more storage without the diesel. And less weight.


These are, after all, "sail" boats.

[dady]

Hola, me parece que la imagen te supera, pero, si hasta este momento has conseguido hacer todo lo que haces con tus manos y tu cerebro, una dificultad mas, aprender un poco de mecánica Diesel hará, que ese motor que todo el mundo elogia, pase a ser algo importante. Los motores marinos diesel son muy robustos y llegado el momento te dará infinitas satisfacciones. Es verdad que son aceitosos y sucios, y pesados pero por otro lado, si te quedas sin viento y estás apurado podrás darle sin pausa para llegar a destino.

[RRJames]

dady, if you're replying to me. I don't speak Spanish

[Kamen]

Originally Posted by Caminantes

Cant sell the outboard. It was a present from a good friend who died shortly after giving me that motor. Now he travels with me in the form of that motor. Thats motor wont be sold.

.

If I was your friend watching from above, I would like you to use my gift the best way possible, including selling it to fund repairing the diesel. Then I will travel with you in the form of your diesel engine.


Every time that reliable diesel saves the day, you will remember your friend.

[RRJames]

Congratulations for the success you've had with your diesel. I've had the same success with a Yamaha outboard plus much more room and much less weight.

[MicHughV]

Some thoughts to consider...the outboard, whether or not, you have some or other emotional attachment to it, is simply not the way to go. If I was your friend, watching you from above, I'd send a lightning bolt your way to wake you up to reality.

It's entirely possible to purchase a "re-conditioned" diesel engine, these have been factory rebuilt, tested, etc......for very little....usually, half the price of a "new" one or less.

My first diesel was only 17 hp....a Volvo at that...but it did the job, and it did it well. After I had that little 17 hp in there for around 7 years...I replaced with a 27 hp....still a Volvo....I grew to develop a love/hate relationship with Volvo...mostly hate.....but the 27 hp was a big improvement....but what I really wanted, was 40 hp.....but that was outside my price range. The 27 hp did everything I needed it to do.

These days you can get a variety of Kubota diesel engines for very little.

Several on this thread have advised on the wisdom of getting an inboard diesel, and I concur. It's the only way to go.

In my day, I was a master scrounger, I got this trait by being continually broke. Whenever I needed something, I would put the word out that I needed something. Sooner or later, I will hear " you should check out so-and-so....he has a diesel for sale"...etc...and voila...indeed....I would find what I needed at a price I could afford...

Don't forget...a diesel will come with an electric alternator....a useful tool to charge batteries, etc

You can use the outboard on a dink....where it will do what needs to be done...

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Thought I would throw my 2c in here as well.

Some years ago, due to financial limitations, I strapped a 15 hp outboard to the transom of my 38' steel sailboat. This was my sole motive power.

I had to fit an 15" extension to the engine lower casing, so as to have the prop as deep as possible. Even with this, the prop was only maybe 18" below the surface of the water.

It worked...sorta...kinda...maybe...it was good for getting me on and off a dock, and would push my boat at a modest 4 knots in very calm water....I'm talking very calm.

Any wake, or small wave, would make the boat pitch up and down, often making the prop come right out of the water. Adverse current of any strength, would bring me to a standstill.

I had to go back there to adjust the throttle, ie, leave the steering wheel. This became a 2-man operation.

The engine was fed by a 6 gallon fuel tank.....# 1, this was gasoline (petrol), and to my surprise, even a 15 hp engine could suck this tank dry in a very short time, which meant it had to be re-filled, often, while underway, filling this fuel tank, with yet another 6 gallon container, plus funnel, hose, etc, was a very tricky maneuver. See above crew requirements. Fuel spills were common.

On the plus side, I had no prop drag while sailing, and I did a lot of sailing, even in confined waters, I learned to short tack my way around, as I had no other choice.

I had numerous " close calls" and "groundings" as my little 15 hp engine was simply unable to handle the situations I found myself in.

After a period of time, the writing was on the wall !!! The outboard had to go if I wanted to go anywhere.

Knowing what I know, not in a million years would I recommend you trying to push your boat with an outboard.

You gotta suck it in and fix, repair or replace the inboard diesel, that's all there is to it.

First, your boat is too big for an outboard.

Second, a small 4 stroke outboard is as efficient on fuel as most any diesel engine.

Third, it's all about the placement of the outboard, the bracket capability as in how deep can it get the outboard and the shaft of the outboard.

My outboard lines up when all the way down approximately at the same depth the prop was for the diesel.

The bracket has a 14" swing and the outboard has a 25" shaft

Btw I've used a 5HP 4 stroke outboard for the past 10 years to power my 6600 lb. Bristol 27.

[RRJames]

My Yamaha has an alternator for charging the batter, plus my solar panel plus takes much less room with 80% less weight. Obviously you've had a bad experience with an outboard and they were much less reliable years ago. But the new ones are reliable, easy to start, lightweight and compact. Since you're getting good service from your diesel, fine. It would be a lot of effort to change.

[MicHughV]

thomm, in my day, four stroke outboards didn't exist...especially small one's.

for sure, I was crazy trying to push a 38', 20,000 pound boat with a 15 hp outboard....a 2-stroke Chrysler at that...but the reality was that I didn't have 2c to scratch together...but I wanted to go, so my options were limited.

I readily admitted above that doing this was crazy....but I did it anyway....in the process, I learned a lot, which I'm trying to share here.