May 11

May 11 Outboard Conversions: All Boats, All Budgets

One great thing about living in Florida for a boat enthusiast is you get to see almost every kind boat imaginable everyday. With new boats being so expensive, it is not surprising when you see some creative restorations or some really cool vintage boats that are in great condition. What I see more and more of is different boats being converted to outboard power. I have seen everything from large cruisers to mini jetboats converted and it made me think of how many older boats could be given a new lease on life by converting to outboard. Here is a look at some really cool conversions and some not so good ones to see what’s happening out on the water. With some great deals on old sterndrive boats, I don’t think this trend will end anytime soon.

A couple years ago I did an article about outboard conversions for sport boats and some of the qualities that make a good boat candidate. Here, I want to look at ones I have seen in the wild to see what works and what doesn’t. There is no hard and fast rule but generally, the transom design and layout of the boat are factors. Custom made brackets or standard brackets can work really well. Much of the work is actually removing the old power, reinforcing the transom in some cases and getting the setback and engine mounting height right.

Unfortunately, sometimes pulling everything out shows some problems with the boat like rot, broken stringers and other necessary repairs before repowering. Because of the nature of extending the transom with a bracket and hanging a heavy engine off the back puts more strain on the structure of the boat. Always consult a pro but you are going to want to ensure the transom and knees are solid along with the stringers and floor.

A good time to make some measurements as to where you want to mount the bracket and engines is when the boat is in the water. Determine the resting point with different weight in the boat. If you’re lucky and have the ability, you will want to measure again when the boat has the power removed, where you can move added weight around.

If you get to put the boat back in the water after you have mounted the bracket and try to replicated the weight of the engines on the bracket to see how it will float. This would be your last chance to adjust. Depending how far your setback is, the weight distribution is different but might not be as drastic as you would think, the outboards are lighter and some brackets provide floatation. Be prepared to make adjustments. Depending on your project, you may be adding seats or removing them to make more room in the boat. Easiest hack if find someone who has already done this, then you have the perfect prototype.

Cruisers

I came across an older Sea Ray 330 Express with triple Mercury Verados added with a bracket. I love this idea. There are so many older cruisers out there that have good hulls but tired engines and because of the limited layout, you can really open them up with outboards. Slow cruisers don’t need tons of power either. If the conversion boat has a smooth and relatively flat transom then it will be easier. One other idea is to “box out” a fiberglass bracket under the swim platform, effectively creating your own bracket.

I spotted this Sea Ray Sundancer on the right in Miami. The owner converted to outboards by adding a large bracket. The triple 300 Verados should power it nicely.

Some of these boats were well built and were made in high volume, so they are cheap to buy used. And, if you missed out on the housing boom and are preparing for the end of the world, you can live on it.

Sport Boats

This will reflect what I said in my previous article but basically there are lots of older “flat” transom boats out there that would be great candidates for converting. I do love the idea, some people are very traditional, so when they see a Cigarette or other sacred brand they get up in arms. Personally, I like both sterndrives and outboards so I would say do whatever you like. Not many boats are too sacred to convert. Many boaters who convert say it’s the best thing they have ever done.

This Apache 28’ converted to twin 400R is a nice example. I believe the owner has claimed it runs great and loves the way it drives. Many “purists” might not like it but it’s hard to argue the economics.

I have seen a 28’ Apache converted to twin 400Rs and we featured a Cigarette Cafe conversion with Yamaha’s last year. So older offshore boats are fairly common. I like smaller single engine conversions when you can add a small bracket or simple jack plate can work on some boats.

Many manufacturers experimented with outboard versions of their boats in the 2000s, so you can find some Checkmates, Baja’s, Formulas and other popular boats where it was already done. Baja Outlaws are also popular because they have a flat transom that is easy to add a bracket too. Some used brackets, others made new transoms or new designs off old hulls.

This Baja Islander had a bracket from the factory. This looks pretty bad for a factory boat in my opinion, pretty makeshift.

Many boats with molded swim steps are very tricky to do. You can effectively mount a bracket underneath the platform but it won’t look that great to me. Sometimes, it is better to just repower the existing engine and not convert. That said, I did see a mini jet boat to outboard conversion, so you can convert anything really.

New Boats

More recently, I have seen new cruisers and day boats with outboards from top luxury brands like Hinckley and Tiara. And, with the introduction of the 600 HP Verado V12, I expect to see many more luxury cruisers with outboards hit the market. One Italian cruiser manufacturer I saw hid outboards under a compartment to replicate an inboard look while allowing access to the outboards. Not sure what to think of it. I believe for the truly luxury cruisers an inboards will always look better and be more aesthetically pleasing. But the new V12 Mercury Verado is bridging that gap.

These DeAntonio Yachts have outboards underneath the rear hatch. It’s an interesting way to fake the look of the inboard while using outboards. Kind of interesting.

All of the major manufacturers, from Sea Ray to Regal are making their cruisers with outboard models. In fact, Sea Ray has a new Sundancer 370 designed as an outboard bowrider and it actually looks decent for that type of boat. I personally like the look of the cruisers from the nineties and two thousands and not the overly rounded tall boats you see today. For new cruisers under 40’, I can definitely see the appeal for the ease of use.

Formula Boats has gone after the outboard market in a big way. I don’t love their execution, for a builder of that caliber I’d like to see a redesigned stern, with a completely integrated transom.

Power

Figuring out how much power to go with is tricky with a conversion but in general if it’s a cruiser, consider torque and gears over horsepower, you’ll want torque and lower gears generally. Big torquey V8 sterndrives run very differently than outboards, so consider that. If you can, go for the larger displacement and lower gears. Suzuki outboards often fall into this category.

For more performance boats, generally outboards are a little faster as singles, when HP is the same. A 20 foot boat with a 300 HP sterndrive converted to outboard could probably run a 225 HP or 250 HP and achieve very similar performance top speed wise. This has to do with weight, weight distribution, adjustability of the gearcase height and gear reduction.