On 30 Oct 2005 12:16:41 -0800, "rvbilly" wrote:

Hi I am building a little 11 ft. V bottom plywood epoxy speedboat, I am
really interested in installing a 250cc dirtbike engine in it for
propulsion, I would have to use a stuffing box and shaft supports and
rudder, but I live in Chilliwack BC Canada and nobody locally can
supply parts,has anyone ever done such a install? The engine (dirtbike)
would have about 20 to 40 Hp. be watercooled with a small rad, I was
thinking I could use some kind of tranny with F,N,R from a lawn tractor
to obtain reverse in the boat, I know people have told me to use a
outboard but this is a project and I`m going to make it all work one
way or another, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I built an inboard canoe once. I used a Briggs & Stratton 2hp
horizontal shaft engine from an edger. I mounted it where the rear
seat was and used a shaft and gears from old weadeaters to get the
power to the prop with a belt and pulley dealie. In order to keep the
shaft from leaking and filling the boat with water I made one end of
it protrude above the "deck" of the canoe. It had no reverse. I made a
rudder to steer it and a seat in the middle with a steering wheel
hookup. The weedeater gears are really tough. I used a wooden block
behind the housing that was screwed into the transom (it was a flat
transom canoe) so it wouldn't push out. The prop came off a 15hp
outboard engine. It went pretty fast for a 11ft canoe. I rode that
thing around for a while. Lots of fun. Eventually ants invaded the
transom and ruined the wood. I gave it to my uncle so he could rebuild
it and make it something else. Got a lot of use out of that $20 boat.