Page 79: Sea Drive Conversion, Dec. 18, 2004

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Author Topic:   Page 79: Sea Drive Conversion, Dec. 18, 2004

jimh posted 12-18-2004 12:06 PM ET (US)
Please use this thread for comments or questions about Mark Bragg's fine Boston Whaler WHALER-27 appearing in Cetacea Page 79.
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/cetacea/cetaceaPage79.html
captbone posted 12-18-2004 02:06 PM ET (US)
Fine article, the info is alittle off, with the 3.0 liter hp being up to 235hp and the largest of the seadrives being the 3.6-4.0 liter V8 OMC Seadrive putting out 300hp.
whalerfran posted 12-18-2004 02:08 PM ET (US)
Beautiful work. I notice the engines are spaced apart a bit more than on other 27's and other boats this size. This will improve your ability to manuever the boat into a slip or at the gas dock.
jimh posted 12-18-2004 04:36 PM ET (US)
Capt--I cannot find any reference to "Seadrives". Please cite any OMC literature where they referred to the Sea Drive as "Seadrives". Thanks.
Could you cite any literature where Boston Whaler's were sold with the V-8 Sea Drives? I did not find any, although my research was by no means exhaustive.
jimh posted 12-18-2004 05:02 PM ET (US)
As far as I can tell, the horsepower ratings are somewhat sketchy, as the engines seem to be branded more with displacement ratings. From what information I have, the Sea Drive was made in the following configurations:
V-4 Models
1.6-litre Crossflow, 1983-1987, and 1988-1990
1.8-litre Looper, 1985-1987
2.0-litre Looper, 1988-1990
V-6 Models
2.5-litre Crossflow, 1983-1990
2.6-litre Crossflow, 1983-1990
2.7-litre Looper, 1985-1987
3.0-litre Looper, 1988-1990
V-8 Models
3.6-litre Looper, 1985-1987
4.0-litre Looper, 1988-1990
The Boston Whaler literature generally lists the 2.6-litre Sea Drive as the power option.
Also, all the price lists and catalogues from Boston Whaler always refer to the engine as "Sea Drive" , not "Seadrive", so again, if it difficult for me to accept "Seadrive" as the preferred spelling.
LHG posted 12-18-2004 05:03 PM ET (US)
It looks like a fine installation job, but as an owner of an Armstrong bracketed Whaler, purchased new as a Sea Drive Blank, there are two things I would have done differently. Since this website is all about discussing Whalers and their modifications, I assume this is acceptable comment, which might help others contemplating the same conversion.
First of all, I would have had Stainless make the bracket with concealed engine mounting top bolts, and have the vertical leg done in 5" height, for tilt clearance. This not only adds structural strength to the bracket, but eliminates the exposed web bracing. Secondly, I am a firm believer that on a 27 when fitted with a bracket, with that tall transom, the normal 25" twin engine shaft length should be increased to 30" CR engines. Not only will this look better, keeping the relatively small engines in better proportion to the overall hull, but this will keep the powerheads higher, which is needed when they are pushed back 30" and without the benefit of the Whaler Drive extended hull surface, which surpresses the wake. Nowadays, almost all beamier outboard boats use twin 30" engines, including the 320 Outrage. I did this on my 25 Outrage, which was designed for twin 20" engines, but I installed the bracket higher to accomodate the twin 25's.
jimh posted 12-22-2004 09:08 AM ET (US)
How do you determine the bracket mounting position vertically on the transom?
GAwhale posted 12-22-2004 09:29 PM ET (US)
Very interesting article.
The sealer 3M5200 which Mark used got me thinking.
Would a two part sealer for such an important application hold up better over time?
On airplanes sealer is very important. Each tube of sealer has a manufacture date and a shelf life. There are specific instructions for the temperature it should be stored and the mixing procedures.
Sealer is used to edge seal panels and for metal repairs before the fasteners are installed. Differenet sealers are available (thick or thin) which cure within an hour or over several days.

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Author	Topic: Page 79: Sea Drive Conversion, Dec. 18, 2004
jimh	posted 12-18-2004 12:06 PM ET (US) Please use this thread for comments or questions about Mark Bragg's fine Boston Whaler WHALER-27 appearing in Cetacea Page 79. http://continuouswave.com/whaler/cetacea/cetaceaPage79.html
captbone	posted 12-18-2004 02:06 PM ET (US) Fine article, the info is alittle off, with the 3.0 liter hp being up to 235hp and the largest of the seadrives being the 3.6-4.0 liter V8 OMC Seadrive putting out 300hp.
whalerfran	posted 12-18-2004 02:08 PM ET (US) Beautiful work. I notice the engines are spaced apart a bit more than on other 27's and other boats this size. This will improve your ability to manuever the boat into a slip or at the gas dock.
jimh	posted 12-18-2004 04:36 PM ET (US) Capt--I cannot find any reference to "Seadrives". Please cite any OMC literature where they referred to the Sea Drive as "Seadrives". Thanks. Could you cite any literature where Boston Whaler's were sold with the V-8 Sea Drives? I did not find any, although my research was by no means exhaustive.
jimh	posted 12-18-2004 05:02 PM ET (US) As far as I can tell, the horsepower ratings are somewhat sketchy, as the engines seem to be branded more with displacement ratings. From what information I have, the Sea Drive was made in the following configurations: V-4 Models 1.6-litre Crossflow, 1983-1987, and 1988-1990 1.8-litre Looper, 1985-1987 2.0-litre Looper, 1988-1990 V-6 Models 2.5-litre Crossflow, 1983-1990 2.6-litre Crossflow, 1983-1990 2.7-litre Looper, 1985-1987 3.0-litre Looper, 1988-1990 V-8 Models 3.6-litre Looper, 1985-1987 4.0-litre Looper, 1988-1990 The Boston Whaler literature generally lists the 2.6-litre Sea Drive as the power option. Also, all the price lists and catalogues from Boston Whaler always refer to the engine as "Sea Drive" , not "Seadrive", so again, if it difficult for me to accept "Seadrive" as the preferred spelling.
LHG	posted 12-18-2004 05:03 PM ET (US) It looks like a fine installation job, but as an owner of an Armstrong bracketed Whaler, purchased new as a Sea Drive Blank, there are two things I would have done differently. Since this website is all about discussing Whalers and their modifications, I assume this is acceptable comment, which might help others contemplating the same conversion. First of all, I would have had Stainless make the bracket with concealed engine mounting top bolts, and have the vertical leg done in 5" height, for tilt clearance. This not only adds structural strength to the bracket, but eliminates the exposed web bracing. Secondly, I am a firm believer that on a 27 when fitted with a bracket, with that tall transom, the normal 25" twin engine shaft length should be increased to 30" CR engines. Not only will this look better, keeping the relatively small engines in better proportion to the overall hull, but this will keep the powerheads higher, which is needed when they are pushed back 30" and without the benefit of the Whaler Drive extended hull surface, which surpresses the wake. Nowadays, almost all beamier outboard boats use twin 30" engines, including the 320 Outrage. I did this on my 25 Outrage, which was designed for twin 20" engines, but I installed the bracket higher to accomodate the twin 25's.
jimh	posted 12-22-2004 09:08 AM ET (US) How do you determine the bracket mounting position vertically on the transom?
GAwhale	posted 12-22-2004 09:29 PM ET (US) Very interesting article. The sealer 3M5200 which Mark used got me thinking. Would a two part sealer for such an important application hold up better over time? On airplanes sealer is very important. Each tube of sealer has a manufacture date and a shelf life. There are specific instructions for the temperature it should be stored and the mixing procedures. Sealer is used to edge seal panels and for metal repairs before the fasteners are installed. Differenet sealers are available (thick or thin) which cure within an hour or over several days.