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can i put speed boat engine on 40 ft grp canal cruiser?


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hi iv bought a 40 ft by 9ft cruiser it needs an outboard on bk as there is no engine. im thinking 50-70 hp only for use on canal.needs controlls stearing petrol tank battery etc. iv found a speed boat for sale near my boat with 60 hp engine long shaft and im wondering if i can take engine and controlls steering etc of that and put onto my boat ? will this work? please help 

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If its 40ft x 9ft  I wouldnt have thought 50 hp was overkill (unless you are a bit throttle happy).  Id guess at a 40hp 4 stroke being usable. But its just that- a guess.Id still rather spend my money on an inboard though. And a boat better suited to a canal :-D

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Much less power for canal use. I have seen a bigger steel boat than that pushed by a 5hp Seagull outboard. Far from ideal, but it moved it. I would think an outboard of 50hp or so would be spending its life virtually at tickover which won't do it any good. Outboards also drink more fuel, and petrol is harder to obtain on the canal, so overall I think you need to consider a smaller engine. Our GRP boat was not as big as this (it was 27ft x 7ft) but a 15hp outboard was more than adequate on canals, I would think 10hp would have been more than enough for that boat, perhaps 30hp for yours?

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Dont forget the measure what leg length you need aswell, Is the transom height ok for a long shaft ?

 

transon%20height.gif

 

If need be and you have access then you could bolt a section of 18mm ply to the transom and then get a bracket fitted to that fo the new engine to sit on. This way you get a choice of what leg you can use as you can sit it any height.

 

Dont forget remote cable length also ;)     

 

Dotn know why flk are saying it is way to much for that size boat. I have had 15 foot boats with 60hp yammy on and flew along at 25 knots. So that engine cant be to big for the boat aslong as it is built strong enough as Phil says.  Being inboard it could have a weak transom for the outboard.

 

To push that along at 4 knots and and a bit more for the windy days i reckon a 30hp give or take will doto be safe but the 60hp will be ok, if its a good price see how it goes, you can always sell it to get a smaller one.

 

Just keep back on the revs ;) 

 

Nice boat ;)

hope that helps aswell.

 

wayne :

Edited by W+T
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15hp Honda or similar is the most popular equipment for such an application, assuming only inland waterways.  Think about how you will provide charging power for domestic use.

50hp if you want to race about in the bay on a calm day - it's a fast planing hull which will be much more at home on the briny.

 

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Once you've taken the biggest risk of spending hard earned cash on the hull without advice - I'm surprised you falter when simply adding an engine! :)  Actually, since you have already bought that particular boat, I'd be inclined to buy that 60HP outboard too now and use the pair of them on more appropriate waters such as a big river or in coastal waters. If you do really want a canal boat, flog the pair (quite possibly at a profit now it's a runner) and buy something better suited to the purpose. 

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thanks i cant believe iv recieved so much info/help i really appreciate it. im using this boat on 1 stretch of canal/river only. as i work in london. i dont plan on going anywhere else iv been up and down this canal all year and know it well. the ply on the transom is a great idea. i will def do that. i was going to fit a bracket then sit outboard on it. i really appreciate the picture and info thanks wayne. i think im now more inclinded to go for a 30 hp will also weigh less . the boat was cheap 1500 and is in great nick inside and out(except for not having a engine). so for sticking a few extra grand on it i think its well worth it. 

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My initial concern would be "long shaft", unless it comes with a massive tin of shear pins. Then comes the back end of the hull.

Beefing up the transom would be essential not only for supporting the weight of such an engine and bearing the thrust of its acceleration, but also to avoid it being ripped out when the bottom of the leg encounters its first trolley....... the warning being that the shear pin has just gone.

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5 hours ago, Phil Ambrose said:

Not sure that it is a fast planing hull, looks more like semi-displacement, only looking on my phone so maybe I've missed the clue to the hull type.

Phil

That's the real point, certainly not a planning hull (for which you 'need' a large engine) and not semi displacement either as the bows are too bluff and no real chine.

So a 15hp would be fine but  an old Seagull would be fine for pottering up the canals. The advantage of the 'gull is that it's got a solid bottom end and prop - needed for digging through the canal muck and hitting the occasional obstacle.

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4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

So after all that has been said you are still going for what most people would say is an engine that is far too big for the job

Still half the power of his original thoughts though. Also a few extra HP can make a huge difference to stopping and manoeuvring. That said I do believe a 15 hp outboard with proper shaft length etc. would shove the boat OK on the cut. Might struggle on rivers though if against the current, and I note the OP mentions some river use.

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im geting mixed opinions with regards to hp. i understand pretty much any hp will push the boat i just want the thing to stop.  im going to use the boat as a canal cruiser. only 1 canal. the lenght height and draft are fine for what i need it for. i understand it will not go down alot of canals . obv iv not made my mind up full about hp yet . i was just meeting in the middle of peoples opinions. i will def not be getting over 30 hp that i now know. thanks again everyone :rolleyes:

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1 hour ago, paulmag said:

im geting mixed opinions with regards to hp. i understand pretty much any hp will push the boat i just want the thing to stop.  im going to use the boat as a canal cruiser. only 1 canal. the lenght height and draft are fine for what i need it for. i understand it will not go down alot of canals . obv iv not made my mind up full about hp yet . i was just meeting in the middle of peoples opinions. i will def not be getting over 30 hp that i now know. thanks again everyone :rolleyes:

Mind you , even following my own comments, what horsepower do the Waxies on the Bridgewater have, they look quite big

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if you really intend to buy an outboard then I suggest you talk to a specialist dealer and get his advice.   As you noted in the OP, outboards are normally sold as 'speedboat engines' and the prop size and RPM will be less than ideal for canal speeds and stopping in a hurry.  You need a motor with a large prop and low RPM.  

2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

I am still trying to work out how a 9ft beam can legitimately be called "a canal cruiser". An inland, inshore or estuary cruiser possibly but only any good for the wide/broad canals. 

obviously designed for the Mon and Brec !!

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