"woopei" wrote in message
...
I have only had smaller boats with outboards and would like to get a larger
boat.
The ones in my price range have engine issues and here is my question.
I understand the preference for diesel over gas but I have never heard
of anyone simply replacing an inboard with a normal engine such as from a
go-kart or Volkswagon or one of those 3 cylinder japanese cars.
I don't see the advantage of a marine engine since when they get wet they
are
filled with rust and seized as would my 6hp go-kart engine.

So, does anyone know why I can't replace an engine with a normal gas
engine?

You can, of course, but you'll certainly not help the value or salability of
your boat at resale time. Then there's the issue of cooling--your kart
engine example is most likely an air-cooled engine. How do you propose to
cool that engine in an enclosed space near the waterline? Same with a VW
engine, unless you're referring to one of the later liquid cooled engines,
in which case you'll have to adapt some sort of heat exchanger and
water-cooled exhaust manifold, assuming you'll be running in the brine.
Finding such parts for non-marine engines will be costly, if you can find
them at all. Ultimately you'd be wise to consider replacing the engine with
a proper marine engine, perhaps even a used Atomic Four gasoline engine if
cost is a factor. There is a reason why engines to be used in boats are
*marinized.*

Max

woopei wrote:
I have only had smaller boats with outboards and would like to get a larger boat.
The ones in my price range have engine issues and here is my question.
I understand the preference for diesel over gas but I have never heard
of anyone simply replacing an inboard with a normal engine such as from a
go-kart or Volkswagon or one of those 3 cylinder japanese cars.
I don't see the advantage of a marine engine since when they get wet they are
filled with rust and seized as would my 6hp go-kart engine.

So, does anyone know why I can't replace an engine with a normal gas engine?

Thanks,
Frank

Becasue it's not water cooled...there are gas engines on sailboats that
aren't water cooled but anyone I knew that ahd one ahd massive problems
with them...