On 11 Nov 2005 19:24:27 -0800, "rvbilly" wrote:

Hay Ookie can you imagine what that canoe would have done with a 250cc
2 stroke dirt bike engine hooked up, it would have been crazy fun,
that`s what I am hoping to hook up, of coarse with the boat wieghing
more it won`t be as fast but I still figure I should be able to get 30+
mph out of it, I still haven`t located a suitable transmission out of a
wrecked ride on tractor yet but something will turn up. Think I`m going
to run the exhaust through a muffler right into the water and mayby put
the rad or heat exchanger right in the water at the transom to keep it
cool, Bill.

Why not use the tranny from the bike? That way all you have to do is
couple it to a shaft. You could even go further and couple it with a
jet pump from a jet ski. That way you don't have to worry about a
rudder and could go into much shallower water.

I had intended to do the same thing with a 600cc street bike engine I
have. Unfortunately if seized up. I went out to crank it over like I
used to do every couple weeks and it just wouldn't kick over. It's
grown up in the weeds now, useless. Until it seized up I was going to
build a large jon type boat and use the pump out of a jet ski to
propel it. Those pumps are hard to find for cheap though. Still might
build one if I can find a pump for less than $50. Don't think it's
going to happen anytime soon though.

If you do go the prop route, it may be possible to use the back
pressure of the exhaust to keep the shaft free of water like an
outboard seems to do. I would get it to the water somehow. I have a
weedeater that I bent the shaft to 90 degrees on and put a trolling
prop on it. It works, but it's LOUD. For some reason that thing echoes
all over the lake. Not at all like it would if it was being used to
cut weeds. Something about the water carries the sound more.