i/o vs mid engine..input please

[oops!]

ok my friends....need input....

as you know i am extending the hull on a 69 searay srv 190...
the hull is now 23.8 feet......its in the restoration forum
just a little bit more to go and its stringer transom time...

the hull is a bare shell...totally stripped......

heres the question...
how about putting in a mid engine....
i was told that mid engines are simpler....
but i know nothing of the drives...!!!!
im asking here first before i go running out and looking.

what kind of transmissions are avalible...
and how are they??? ie...v drive ....straight drive......
i was told last night that a mid engine design is cheeper than a i/o......

i currently own a 4.3...but i want to go 383.
because the hull is raw...at this point i can do anything i want.

thanks guys...
any input helps

cheers
oops

 

[QC]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

I am currently installing a mid-engine (AKA Direct-drive Inboard ), but that is because this boat was built for one. The fact is they are slower, less efficient, cannot be trimmed, almost as heavy and there's holes in the bottom. Other than that they're great . . .

The only real benefits are simpler design and great hole shot. Stick with an I/O or go outboard. Direct drives are quickly becoming useful for big cruisers only and tournament ski boats. They have been kept alive by Wakeboard boats in the form of V-drives, but I personally think they are nothing but an attempt by the tournament boat builders into making you believe they can simply switch things around and make a boat designed for no wake magically good for a mega-wake. I have never understood that switcharoo . . .

BTW, they shift really smoothly

 

[Bondo]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

because the hull is raw...at this point i can do anything i want.

Ayuh,.... That's actually Not True.......

You extended an I/O Hull.......

There are Alot of differences in hull bottom designs for different drives,....
Some of the more radical would be the Arnson drives being talked about elsewhere at iboats...

There's more to it than mounting a shaft, strut, propshaft, rudder,+ prop under the barge.....

Besides that,.....
Moving the motor forward, shifts Weight forward,+ the boat will be naturally Slower.........

 

[oops!]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

Ayuh,.... That's actually Not True.......

You extended an I/O Hull.......

There are Alot of differences in hull bottom designs for different drives,....
There's more to it than mounting a shaft, strut, propshaft, rudder,+ prop under the barge.....

yeah....im beginning to get that idea......


it would have solved a weight distributition problem i keep thinking im going to have......

thanks guys

 

[oops!]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

I am currently installing a mid-engine (AKA Direct-drive Inboard ), but that is because this boat was built for one. The fact is they are slower, less efficient, cannot be trimmed, almost as heavy and there's holes in the bottom. Other than that they're great . . .

thats funny

 

[JustJason]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

exactly how did you "extend" the boat???
Do you happen to have some before and after photo's we all can look at??
I'd love to hear about your construction techniques, and how you adheared new work to the old glass.

 

[oops!]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

exactly how did you "extend" the boat???
Do you happen to have some before and after photo's we all can look at??
I'd love to hear about your construction techniques, and how you adheared new work to the old glass.

the work is still on going....however its at the finishing touches stage.....

man i wished i knew how to post a link.....

but go to the restoration page......(iboats)

and look for "hull extension in progress, with picks


cheers
oops

 

[wire2]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

the work is still on going....however its at the finishing touches stage.....

man i wished i knew how to post a link.....

Just go to the post, left click the URL field, right click, copy, then paste where you want to show it;
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=234392

 

[dcg9381]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

My suggestion is to go drive a comp ski boat vs an I/O... They drive very differently and perform very differently.

 

[Bondo]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

it would have solved a weight distributition problem i keep thinking im going to have......

Ayuh,...... Weight to the Aft,... Isn't a Bad thing........
And,...
Your Controls,+ Helm are stil in the forward position aren't they,..??

 

[oops!]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

yeah....gas tank too.....

im worried that the thing will sit bow high in the water......five feet longer and bigger block in it........actually im expecting to add about 500 lbs to the back when all is said and done.....

i was going to go to three batteries and put them in a sealed compartment just behind the gas tank......

a mid engine would have layed the boat level in the water when sitting

but as you said....its a different kind of hull......

any thoughts?

 

[Bondo]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

Ayuh,....

In my stalled out Old Town Atlantis project,....
It's getting an 18"/24" jackshaft to move the SBC forward......

It'll allow a Better fishing set up, with full walk around at the stern,+ the motorbox will be a baiting station aft,+ seating forward.......

That MonsterBoat I'm been working on uses a 42" jackshaft to put the center motor forward enough to clear the outside motors.......

It may not be Plug,& Play,...... But it's all off the shelf Mercruiser Parts......

'course,.. Your proposed New Seating Arrangement would work nicely with the motor more Aft.....
Batteries forward, with Bigger Cables,..??..??

 

[oops!]

Re: i/o vs mid engine..input please

hmmmmmm

ive got room for that.....

gotta start reading