Replacing a internal diesel engine with an outboard

[Fish 0]

Sounds like you are onto the problem now. Good work.

A minor tip. When mucking around with filters and fuel pipes, it is easy to spill diesel all over the place, that smells and you have to attempt to clean up. I have found the meat trays from New World to be ideal for catching diesel drips. (the trays that come with the meat). They have an indentation pattern that catches the meat juices without the need for adsorbent pads. The indentation pattern also catches diesel. So you can have a low profile tray that doesn't get in the way, as opposed to an icecream container or something that is easy to knock. Not a helpful tip if you are vegetarian, or if you get your meat from a descent butcher.

[Black Panther 1,765]

I use old egg containers.

[Leftred 49]

I just fill the bilge with diesel and swear a whole lot, but each to their own...

[Muzza 18]

On 28/11/2021 at 10:33 PM, Tigermoth said:

Hi, I've just bought an old Van de Stadt Privaat (Buccaneer) that has an old diesel inboard that is unreliable and leaking oil. I've got a 6hp Johnson outboard and am planning to mount it on the transom and remove the inboard diesel. I'd appreciate any advice on the best way to so this. There is a swim ladder and chainplate for the backstay in the centre so I was going to mount it to one side using a rise and fall outboard bracket. One issue is that the design of the boat means it might be quite tricky to operate the outboard from the cockpit so it might need to convert it to remote control. Another option I've been thinking of is to replace the inboard with a pod electric system but this seems quite expensive compared to just using the outboard I already have (although would be nice and quiet!).

 

[Muzza 18]

Another disadvantage of the outboard is that the propellor is not in front of the rudder, this can often mean steering issues at very low speed, having seen this with a number of boats with skeg hung rudders they are very slow to answer the helm in windy weather or a chop.

[Zozza 351]

Best decision I ever made in my 26 footer,  was pull out the perfectly good diesel and replace with outboard, and I will be doing the same with the 28 footer I have recently got.  I get heaps more storage, I get no smell of diesel that had infiltrated and embedded itself in every nook and cranny and took hours of airing out and cleaning to get rid of, and I get a faster boat with no propeller dragging like a bucket aft.
But I set my boat up properly though with vented petrol lockers on deck, and I bought a spanking new outboard with extra long shaft, and low pitch elephant prop, i.e I didn't buy some piece of sh*t 2nd hand outboard off Trade me.
It's a compromise of course, but one I am willing to make.  

And if you want a bit of inspiration, here is a couple that sailed their heavy 30 foot plastic classic (Allied Seawind 30 https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/seawind-allied) to the bottom of South America from USA, and their auxiliary is just a 6hp Tohatsu and like me they too pulled out a diesel inboard (see here: https://sailingdawntreader.com/2015/10/22/engine-removal-new-outboard/ ).  I've been following them for years, and they seem perfectly happy with the trade-off of inboard v outboard, and to a place where most people would insist is impossible to explore in a boat with such an "underpowered auxiliary propulsive means for the size of boat".   

 

[ex Elly 256]

But if they had a diesel engine they could then install a diesel heater, and have a warm cabin. They look a bit cold!

 

 

[aardvarkash10 1,103]

On 23/10/2022 at 12:54 PM, ex Elly said:

But if they had a diesel engine they could then install a diesel heater, and have a warm cabin. They look a bit cold!

They took out the diesel engine to make space for the firewood for the woodburner...  A logical change 🙄