Outboard Conversions
 

I have seen a bunch of older go fast boats and cruisers restored and "resto-modded" with outboards.
I really like the idea of building or buying one down the road instead of a center console.
Eventually I see something like 48 Fountain Express in my future or maybe the addition of a ZRC island hopper......

Let's see what you got & also would love to hear some real world feedback on how they run, set up issues, etc.


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Put a wrap around on that and it would be cool. I am like you, wouldn't have a issue with OB's but don't want a CC, just not for me. AT tried the OB sport boat and it doesn't seem like it went.

People love the OB cats but it seems like the OB V market is all CC's.

I want to do a gladiator with ob power

Blasphemy^^^^ :ban?::flag:

This whole OB trend is so lame 🤦🏽‍♂️

Money pit/schedule/resale are the words that comes to mind. I'm sure this could be done with the direction OB power is going and a structural design that accommodates hanging 3-4 engines off the back.

Maybe understanding why someone does things is part of your maturing process.

Though they obviously sound tame around the docks, the 450’s sing a sweet song while running.

Why? Dont get me wrong, nothing beats the sound or speed of a traditional V bottom with BB engines, but still. We use our Nor-Tech CC far more than our Formula 382 or Donzi 43ZR mostly because we know the outboards wont have issues.

did you check out the new 29 Outerlimits outboard ? I think it looks great.

The two 41 outboard OL’s are pretty nice boats and the owners love them.

One of them might get 450’s in the near future....

Wow!!!

Outboards aren't cheaper to own because all the money you save on maintenance, fuel and breakdowns will be spent onboard eating, drinking and having fun with all the extra friends you can fit in the bigger cockpit.

Resale isn't an argument because you'll never want to sell. :)

RR

yes

https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/...17-marine.html

48 fountain express

The hate OB mantra of OSO has always cracked me up.

RR, is right.
Me and my clip ons are burning gas while the loud motor crowd is thrashing.

I too love the looks/sounds of well tuned, bad ass big blocks, on the pipe, in a hull flying 6” off the water.

Personally, I can’t afford the expense or gray matter to get there and stay there.
And, w/my OBs I can do everything myself including the gear cases.
And, they’re cheap.
And, I can buy a complete, spare parts motor for $500.
And, I can haul 2 fold up bikes, an inflatable dinghy,2 beach chairs, beach grill, beach table, spare anchor where the iron was.
And I can tow it w/anything.

I think about and laugh about the OB haters on here every time I see a new Formula, OL, Cigarette etc come out w/a new OB model and the heads exploding behind the keyboards 😆

Get used to it boys.
The future is here and it is clamp ons 😂

Could not have been said any better Gary.... Having had both and inboards for years, without question the outboards are better all the way around when considering everything associated with the setup....

I have said it before and will again. The motor has no idea if its in the bilge or clamped on, but you have it right, the sound of a BBC.

When was the BBC first designed and when is the last time GM produced that motor? They are very old designs.

Now I get how you say you can work on your OLD outboards easy (same reason I like my old inboard), but can you really say that about the new outboards? And they will need work when they get old. Ask Bup.

When people say the new 450R is so reliable,,,,, and it seems to be I always think. Yes but cheap? what list is 58k-62k for 450HP. That is not cheap and it better be reliable.

We were talking the other day and have been for a while, us normal people are thinking the 300R is a deal price wise and at that low of HP for its size should be a nice package. Plus it is only 20-30lbs heavier than the 300XS. One person in that conversation was one that just had his 200 hour XS blow up.

Not hating on OB's, just can't fit it as yet. I have been watching Velocity's new 290 build with twin 300R's, that should be interesting.

100% agreed.

On my side, I am writing of 20 yr old, carbureted V-6 OB’s.
Before computers, EFI etc.

W/what I know how to do, I know that stops working (on a vee) at about 30’.

I would never consider a pair of those on a 35 Cigarette. I know it would be an absolute pig and I’d hate it.
Twin 450’s though.....

But also agreed on price, complexity and unknown durability, at this point.
Merc has always been good at releasing motors before they were ready.

I had a bud w/a 300x on a 120 mph 19’ tunnel boat that was a bad SOB!
His smart craft told him he ran 1400 gls of gas through it w/o touching it!
I knew 10x more owners though where they died a premature, grissly death.

I always said if you want to know how an OB will last look at boat pts on s.fla Craigslist.
When everyone still swore to the mighty Yammi 4 strokes, there were warehouses of blown up donor motors in warehouses in s.fla.
Same w/the Honda’s 10 yrs earlier.

I used to post pics of stacks of them just to screw w/the faithful.

On new, price is relative though.

Buy a 35’ vee bottom anything, and put enough power on it to run 85 - 90 and compare, or 110+ in a cat.
Initial cost, suggested maint, etc.

And don’t forget storage space if you actually stay on your boat.

Some see the CC market as a faze and I don’t.
They do so much for the go fast IO owner that his boat don’t.
If married, his wife and kids will love this boat.
Now they’re seeing a side of OBs they’ve never seen, or experienced before.

Their eyes are open to that 32 Doug Wright, or the bigger cats, and see it totally different now.

Thats just my opinion and as my wife will tell you...., I’ve been wrong before.

LOL Your wife has told you that you are wrong! Yea I have the same problem Gary.

As for DW,,,, man would I love to have one of those. Two years ago at the New Years run our friend went by me in the slop like I was standing still,,,,, and I think he could have had a Martini and not spilled it.

The conversions are cool but when you add 3-4 new 400's at 100-130K it takes a pretty strong commitment and then there is the rigging/bracket costs.

Sure guys like Twin/OB Sonic can do it in a season with a pair of used OB's and starting with a reasonably priced hull but for the majority it starts with big check writing.

I like the Fountain 48 with quad 300's and if you got the boat cheap (blown motors/issues) and you had a line on some nice used 300/350s with some warranty left it suddenly is a viable conversion compared to a new build from Formula for 1mm!

Thers a 28’ Tuff vee in Canada running 118 w/twin 300XSs and know they’ll have one w/450s before long.
I think a solid 130 is coming.

How much power would you need in a single IO 28 cat to do that 😮

From a twin OB vee bottom!

The 36’ cats are already running 120’s w/twin 450’s!

How can you not be impressed?

Paradigm shift.

Well this thread went to hell quickly.....
Didn't even get one pic, let alone feedback from anyone who has converted a boat.

Too old for most on this forum but I'm with Gary, somewhat.... I did spend for the new stuff.
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There's pics of a conversion..........

The conversion of my 30 was well documented in multiple SOTW articles, but in a nutshell, I pulled a set of Sterling 588 naturally aspirated 800hp motors out, ASD #7 drives off and mounted a pair of Mercury 400Rs on the back. This was all after Skater converted the boat from a quarter canopy deck to a Lee Aerospace wrap windshield. After 2 years and $250k later, we turned an inboard cat into an outboard cat.

Just curious, is the $250k cheaper than if you sold your boat and bought a new skater with the wraparound windshield and outboards etc?

Yes, only because I was able to sell the motors and drives that came out-of/off it. The boat was completely new after the conversion, there wasn't one bolt/nut/part reused from the original build, so there would be no advantage to a new build - other than a 2018 HIN # instead of 2005.

The "NEW" 2005 is incredible artistry in the paint design.

Thomas Khulesia at No Coast Designs did the design and also provided the masks for the paint job. Chris Mills at Boat Customs brought the design to life with his paint skills. I would highly recommend both of them to anyone looking to do a custom paint job - either conversion as I did, or new build.

sorry about that Tom, I dont have pictures but on the fountain FB page there is a few.

one guy took a big step 42 and put 3 350? Verado’s on it. I believe he said he was getting 70-75 out of it.
Did not move the seat or anything.

Another just posted, this one is quad something, I don’t think that has hit the water yet. Another bought a old 12 meter he is starting.

I have a friend down here that took a 28 single Howard and put twin 250’s on it. Runs about 70-72.

he moved the seat back to get more room, next time we are out I will get some pictures. I do know he has been messing with setup.

First off - Congrats because it came out awesome. I followed the build and really enjoyed it.
This is exactly what I was looking for. It's hard to justify some of the numbers out there for new boats. My friend is looking to trade up his 23 Donzi CC for a 35 and then rerig it with new 300s/350s. Fresh interior and you have a new looking boat with warranties for 1/2 the price of new.

All good! LOL - The last thing I would do (or want anyone to do) is stress over a boating thread!

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To me this is the ideal retirement package! A big island hopper with good speed, plenty of room, and 5/7 year warranties!

Your boat looks amazing, well done with all the updates.
I think a lot more people will start doing this, once they add up the numbers. New boats are insanely expensive and AFAIK, the hull (bottom) designs haven't changed significantly for many years. The biggest changes I see is the bling level, electronics, sound systems, seating and paint. All of that can be done to an older boat and the outboard benefits have got even hard core inboard guys thinking. Whether it be a 25 footer or a 50 footer, I think the same applies.

For those who always buy new, that's great too but there's a lot of guys like me, who simply can't afford it.

RR

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theres a vidieo on reggiefountain III INSTAGRAM PAGE

The 42 Fountain above is owned by a good friend of mine, re powered with 3 350's. Last weekend he ran buy us in our CC like we were standing still. Boat was on rails. Awesome set up! Runs upper 80's now, with more setup will run over 90.