Re: Inboard retrofit - crazy?

Hi Robert & All, I hope it is not too crazy, as I am considering do the same on our Cal29, which has never had an inboard. However, I am not considering a diesel or any other engine that (directly) uses petroleum fuel. I am considering installing an electric motorized system. I have successfully used electric trolling motors for maneuvering in dock areas, and simply sailed our boat once we were underway. An inboard electric system is not only affordable, but suits our lifestyle too. You may want to check out the electric boat group at this URL: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/electricboats/info It is possible to use electric propulsion to reach hull speeds too. Check it out when you have a chance! Brad Bates Play Mate

There are plenty of Cals and Catalinas and Coronados here in So.Cal with outboards as auxiliaries, and its all ocean sailing. The only time I can see an inboard being desirable is if you are trying to get to windward in a blow, where you are motor sailing with just the main up. My own feeling is if it is too windy to use the outboard in such conditions, you can make good time by just tacking upwind. I did that once sailing from Channel Islands Harbor to Santa Barbara for the Santa Barbara to King Harbor race. Other idea might be to look for an extra long long shaft for your T2. Jerry On Thursday, April 3, 2014 3:26 PM, Brad Bates <br… [at] gmail.com> wrote: >Hi Robert & All, > > >I hope it is not too crazy, as I am considering do the same on our Cal29, which has never had an inboard. > > >However, I am not considering a diesel or any other engine that (directly) uses petroleum fuel. I am considering installing an electric motorized system. I have successfully used electric trolling motors for maneuvering in dock areas, and simply sailed our boat once we were underway. An inboard electric system is not only affordable, but suits our lifestyle too. > > >You may want to check out the electric boat group at this URL: > > > https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/electricboats/info > > >It is possible to use electric propulsion to reach hull speeds too. Check it out when you have a chance! > > >Brad Bates >Play Mate > > >

My 1969 Cal 28 had an Atomic 4 gasoline engine when I bought her two years ago. It was seized up and my mechanic and I worked on it a week to get it running again. It ran great for two weeks and then gave up the ghost one afternoon and put me in a precarious situation from which I was able to escape without harm to self or boat. I debated pulling the engine and replacing it with a small diesel. However, whoever installed the A4 put a vee drive in it instead of a straight drive so that in order to get an engine into it on a straight drive, I was going to have to cut out a foot of the sole in the main cabin. In addition, by the time I bought the diesel and had it installed (some things I don't even attempt to do myself) it was going to end up costing me at least 8-10k. So I bought a new 9.9 hp 4-stroke Yamaha and a heavy duty, extended Garelick stainless steel bracket with a fairly long travel. I also rigged it to the cockpit so that I have ignition, throttle and gear right at my fingertips. The Yammy has a triple extended bracket with a big, high thrust prop that will move my boat along at hull speed against an incoming tide. My cockpit rigging also has power tilt and trim so that I can get the prop and shaft out of the water in a hurry if I don't feel like going aft and raising the bracket. When I'm serious sailing, I do both and even on a hard heel, my shaft and prop isn't in the drink. The only mistake I made was not connecting my steering quadrant for the rudder up to the outboard so that both would run in tandem. I was running on an engine locked into forward and using the helm for steering, which works fine once you start making way. But at slow speeds, it's a pain in the butt and there's no telling which way the boat wants to go next. Two weeks ago, my mechanic and I got a rack and pinion and ball joint and rigged it to a Teleflex cable out to the outboard and made a collar from a 1/4 inch aluminum plate off the steering quadrant. The results were spectacular. She's super responsive and instantly goes in whichever direction I point her. If you're going to go outboard, and I highly recommend it, be sure to do what I did. You'll never regret it and you'll enjoy your boat a whole lot more.

...That 9.9 High thrust is a great little engine. Mine has been pretty sensitive to ethanol, but other then that I love it. Jim East Coast cal 29 sailor.

X2! Had one on my previous Catalina 25. I don’t think ethanol was an issue then, so I can’t say. Harleigh Cal 31 From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of sa… [at] gmail.com Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2014 4:50 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: Inboard retrofit - crazy? ...That 9.9 High thrust is a great little engine. Mine has been pretty sensitive to ethanol, but other then that I love it. Jim East Coast cal 29 sailor.

It is a great engine, Jim. Fortunately, we have marine grade, ethanol free gasoline here from a few different sources. It costs a little more than ethanol gas but is well worth it. I run it in not only my Yamaha but in my lawn mower and chainsaw, as well. Joe Palmer S/V Adventure Cal 28

Use only marine grade, ethanol free gasoline in mine. Joe Palmer S/V Adventure Cal 28 Fernandina Beach, FL

On 4/7/2014 2:28 PM, jo… [at] yahoo.com wrote: > > > It is a great engine, Jim. Fortunately, we have marine grade, ethanol > free gasoline here from a few different sources. It costs a little > more than ethanol gas but is well worth it. I run it in not only my > Yamaha but in my lawn mower and chainsaw, as well. > My marina sells the real gas and I use it for the lawn mower too. It's stable and predictable. Chris Campbell