On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 13:00:31 -0500, "sal" wrote:

Hi folks. Has anyone ever put an small 4stroke engine eg Honda 6-10 hp
horizontal shaft in an 14-16ft. fishing boat eg .Lund.? I have heard this
may be possible , but was curious as to the method involved. I checked
prices of 4stroke outboards an they are extremely high and maybe there was
an cheaper alternative.

Sal


I don't think that you have thought this through very carefully.
Contrary what another poster has said the mechanical part of adding a
small air cooled motor to an open boat is not that big a project. What
is, is the question of how you are going to get the power to the
water?

Basically you are going to have to cut a hole in the bottom of the
boat; add some sort of shaft tube that either incorporates a bearing
at it's outer end or you have to add a "bolt on" bearing to the bottom
of the hull. then you have to bond/bolt in engine bearers and the
whole shooting match has to aligned accurately.

Once you have all that accomplished you have a direct drive (pull the
starting rope and you're off!) inboard engine. So how to add neutral
and reverse?

In short, it isn't economically feasible unless you get the parts
pretty near free and do all the work yourself.

One alternate way would be to build a "long tailed" boat motor as used
in Asia, but again, unless you can do the work yourself it is probably
cheaper to just buy an outboard.

Sorry to be so negative but facts are facts.


Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)