Power to weight ratio is what makes a diesel outboard virtually useless for
most recreational boaters. Sailboats are an exception as they never go very
fast anyway excepting multis and racers.

Commercial applications are another thing but low demand makes a diesel
outboard for commercial application very expensive. Displacement hulls come
to mind. The Army has (or had) some huge diesel outboards with six cylinder
engines for bolting down to large barges and floating piers for constructing
expedient port facilities, etc. Actually they were more like outdrives but
with great portability.

I seem to recall a Tohatsu (?sp) diesel outboard???

Butch
"K. Smith" wrote in message
...
Jeff Rigby wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

I was jsut looking through Gene Kearns's collection of rec.boats
subscriber pics, and say K.'s 34 foot cruiser with a Tiapan outboard
diesel (semed huge!)

http://thebayguide.com/rec.boats/photos/karen_02.jpg

I never knew there was such a thing. I wonder why this isn't more
popular. actually It looks like a good idea to me

Tim


Look at the pitch on the prop, it's probably a 30HP diesel in an outboard
package that would be a 250HP if gas.

I guess it might "look" like that but it's not exactly that. It's a full
controllable pitch drive, trying to emulate the way larger ships do it,
the motor is Toyota derived notionally 80 HP but more like 65 in the
application.

Rather technical to create a heat exchanged 4 stroke large diesel OB &
only been made in small numbers to specific orders, heavy, large &
expensive about covers it:-) But fuel efficient & long lasting.

Been around a while now & not seen any attempted copiers so can't be that
good an idea:-) but certainly love mine.

K