Options - what to do with the hole in the water
 

(ok, actually a money sink-hole sitting on a lift above the water)

Well, the boat didn't sell on e-bay. Didn't really expect anything more than advertizing. Only one person was serious enough to come look at it, but not serious enought to take it home with him.

Further investigation of the failure mode is "looking" like it toasted a lower and not the dreaded Yamaha shift-shaft twist disease, but can't confirm it without more time for diagnostics/disassembly. That leaves the potential for repairing it, but it's been enough problem after problem with the Yamaha's that I think I'd just be throwing money so the next thing could break.

Inexpensive (under 15k) re-engine options exist, but all the candidate motors I've found so far are 1998-2000 vintage which is still kind of old. I'm afraid I'd just be getting into similar problems a year out from now.

New motors with a warranty (if they come from local so I can get service) seem the most likely to give "some" trouble free boating opportunity, but are beyond my cash limit, and I just can't bring myself to seriously consider financing for toys, so would have to be defered till next year.

I'm leaning toward putting in some stabilizer, giving it a wax job, and putting it away for the winter. I'm not really looking forward to a summer sitting on the dock, but I did it the one year I broke the crank in the Formula, so I guess I would survive. I can see if I can talk my daughter into letting me take her boat out sailing.

Unfortunatly none of the options looks all that good, just a trade between evils.

-g

cheap option


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94-04...QQcmdZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/YAMAH...QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks. Unfortunately it is the counter rotation lower that is dead. So far I hadn't seen any "lefts". I'm assming it isn't a simple mod to switch one?

-g

There's way too many twin engine boats running around to not be able to find a CR lower if that might be all you need for a while. It seems like there's tons of guys here on OSO that are close by and willing to help. :D
If you've even allowed the thought of a complete repower to cross your mind, I would think swapping a lower would be a cheap way to at least get back on the water? I don't remember the specs of what you've got, but there's got to be SOMETHING down here in FL that could be shipped to you.
I can imagine the frustration, but you're here looking for motivation...so get 'er done! :D

Current motors are 1993 Yamaha 250.

Yes, OSO is great, already had a couple people offer trailers so I can get it to a shop to work on. I'd really prefer different motors as I've just grown to not trust these, plus I'd still need to fix the frozen bolts on the tiebar so i can replace it and adjust the toe-in and lower the motors and see about the voltage regulators (reads 16V) and ...

The more I throw at the current motor the less I have to look for something better.

-g

Get on "screamandfly.com" and look for the lowers. You can also brouse some outboards for sale there. Looks like you got a nice rig. Get it going!

I stop in at scream and fly too. Very few there do twins, so most motors for sale are singles. I keep looking though.

-g

May sound kind of silly but couldn't you just put one motor in reverse to spin the prop in a counterrotating direction. In essence that is really all that happens. It is all the same gear ratios unlike a car. Wo:party-smiley-004: uld be a little annoying for a year but at least you could get back on the water and save money for a different option down the road.

I have read this recommendation in a few other threads and one guy is running an I/O in reverse with a left rot prop. I am curious! Isn't that a good way to loose a prop? I have been told not to push 1 in reverse because the rotation encourages the locknut to work loose. Is this true?

Pull off the bad motor and move the good one to the center. Get TowBoat US unlimited coverage and run it like you stole it.