I/O to OB conversion project?
12-07-2018 | 09:50 AM
#31
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From: Miami fl
Here is a Bullet with a pair of 300s:
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/198...nced%20listing
I would suspect the choice of using Etecs will probably hurt the sale.
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/198...nced%20listing
I would suspect the choice of using Etecs will probably hurt the sale.
12-07-2018 | 06:22 PM
#32
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yes not everyone is an etec fan, but at the time they were lighter, less maintenance, more umph for same hp, they could be run without oil for a short period of time and better mpg additionally you could use regular gas. They perform better then the Yamaha and optimax engines I had on equal boats.. Of course price and warrantee played a big part also. I am happy with them. Have not put a penny into them yet.
12-08-2018 | 10:03 AM
#33
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From: Miami fl
yes the boat is mine. I did most of the conversion myself. The biggest obstacle was getting people to show up for the work I couldn't do. I had a local guy do my bracket because I wanted custome work to it and the support system. They all promise to show up but getting them there was a problem. I was promised 10 days but two months later it was ready. Frustration with vendors was the worse thing being an 'A' type personality. No one met a schdule. I took my time doing most as I had back surgery right in the middle of it all and was laced up for a year. During that time I had the engines mounted and was even more frustrated seeing it sitting in the yard without being able to finish and use it. But now that is finished it is everything I wanted it to be. During the last year I converted a 31 sonic to outboards and sold it a couple of weeks ago.
12-08-2018 | 11:28 AM
#34
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yes the boat is mine. I did most of the conversion myself. The biggest obstacle was getting people to show up for the work I couldn't do. I had a local guy do my bracket because I wanted custome work to it and the support system. They all promise to show up but getting them there was a problem. I was promised 10 days but two months later it was ready. Frustration with vendors was the worse thing being an 'A' type personality. No one met a schdule. I took my time doing most as I had back surgery right in the middle of it all and was laced up for a year. During that time I had the engines mounted and was even more frustrated seeing it sitting in the yard without being able to finish and use it. But now that is finished it is everything I wanted it to be. During the last year I converted a 31 sonic to outboards and sold it a couple of weeks ago.
Glad to hear you are back in action to tackle another conversion! In keeping with the title of the thread, do you see a 40 Baja conversion to triples worthwhile?
12-08-2018 | 02:01 PM
#35
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From: Miami fl
that is a hard question to answer. I guess if it is a boat you like and intend to keep also have the $$$ to put in it sure. Don't expect to get your money out of it and it might be a hard sell. If you are in the Miami area you are welcome to see what I have done and the effort and dollars involved.
12-08-2018 | 05:27 PM
#36
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From: Northern NY
Yes you did. And did not some old sage tell you to leave it alone, it ran great.
Arnesons, well it ran like a champ, might have benefited from a prop change, but ran real well. Leave it alone said the old sage, boat is killer.
Lately I have been thinking that dry Sixes and a pair of the new Merc turbos would be a fun fix for that hull. The Old Sage has spoken! Get to work.
Arnesons, well it ran like a champ, might have benefited from a prop change, but ran real well. Leave it alone said the old sage, boat is killer.
Lately I have been thinking that dry Sixes and a pair of the new Merc turbos would be a fun fix for that hull. The Old Sage has spoken! Get to work.
12-08-2018 | 09:58 PM
#37
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From: Syracuse,NewYork
Yes you did. And did not some old sage tell you to leave it alone, it ran great.
Arnesons, well it ran like a champ, might have benefited from a prop change, but ran real well. Leave it alone said the old sage, boat is killer.
Lately I have been thinking that dry Sixes and a pair of the new Merc turbos would be a fun fix for that hull. The Old Sage has spoken! Get to work.
Arnesons, well it ran like a champ, might have benefited from a prop change, but ran real well. Leave it alone said the old sage, boat is killer.
Lately I have been thinking that dry Sixes and a pair of the new Merc turbos would be a fun fix for that hull. The Old Sage has spoken! Get to work.
12-09-2018 | 09:07 AM
#38
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,470
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From: Milton, Fla!
Beautiful project!
The 31' Sonic would have also been a perfect candidate.
On the e-tecs, Im a huge fan. They are excellent motors and the most advanced two stroke O/B on the planet. I had two different twin O/B Sonics, both with JohnRudes and did fine on resale.
W/the Merc XS's NLA, look for the e-tec stock to grow.
I am currently converting a single I/O 25' Checkmate to twin O/B's.
Im an O/B guy anyhow so I see this as all positives.
I understand the serious I/O guys will be slow to change but I think w/the popularity of the large center consoles which are virtually all O/B powered, and a lot of that market is pulling consumers from the hi perf offshore market and those new owners will be sharing their positive experiences.
Probably never take the true hi perf I/O guys but thats to be expected.
For the other 95% of the market though........, the new Merc V-8 O/B's w/rumors of a 500 hp version in the works IMO, is a game changer.
That would mean 1000 hp from twins w/a warranty, near bullet proof powerheads and gear cases, near zero maintenance etc, etc......
Converting existing I/O boats is a huge project and expensive, as you know. But bang for buck.......
I like it.
I have a mental list of candidate hulls including a 27' Magnum sedan, which has already been done.
yes not everyone is an etec fan, but at the time they were lighter, less maintenance, more umph for same hp, they could be run without oil for a short period of time and better mpg additionally you could use regular gas. They perform better then the Yamaha and optimax engines I had on equal boats.. Of course price and warrantee played a big part also. I am happy with them. Have not put a penny into them yet.
The 31' Sonic would have also been a perfect candidate.
On the e-tecs, Im a huge fan. They are excellent motors and the most advanced two stroke O/B on the planet. I had two different twin O/B Sonics, both with JohnRudes and did fine on resale.
W/the Merc XS's NLA, look for the e-tec stock to grow.
I am currently converting a single I/O 25' Checkmate to twin O/B's.
Im an O/B guy anyhow so I see this as all positives.
I understand the serious I/O guys will be slow to change but I think w/the popularity of the large center consoles which are virtually all O/B powered, and a lot of that market is pulling consumers from the hi perf offshore market and those new owners will be sharing their positive experiences.
Probably never take the true hi perf I/O guys but thats to be expected.
For the other 95% of the market though........, the new Merc V-8 O/B's w/rumors of a 500 hp version in the works IMO, is a game changer.
That would mean 1000 hp from twins w/a warranty, near bullet proof powerheads and gear cases, near zero maintenance etc, etc......
Converting existing I/O boats is a huge project and expensive, as you know. But bang for buck.......
I like it.
I have a mental list of candidate hulls including a 27' Magnum sedan, which has already been done.
yes not everyone is an etec fan, but at the time they were lighter, less maintenance, more umph for same hp, they could be run without oil for a short period of time and better mpg additionally you could use regular gas. They perform better then the Yamaha and optimax engines I had on equal boats.. Of course price and warrantee played a big part also. I am happy with them. Have not put a penny into them yet.
12-09-2018 | 09:58 AM
#39
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From: Merritt Island, FL
For a lot of people that would have to pay for the work I don’t think converting will take over.
What I don’t understand is why new performance OB’s don’t seem to sell. Both Outerlimits and AT came out with models and It doesn’t seem to have caught on.
What I don’t understand is why new performance OB’s don’t seem to sell. Both Outerlimits and AT came out with models and It doesn’t seem to have caught on.
12-09-2018 | 03:22 PM
#40
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From: St. Pete Beach, FL
