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Date: 11 July 2024. A New Age in Boating (part 4)
© janice142
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I rambled on at the
fingertips. You might wish to pour yourself a cuppa caffeine.
This has turned into a multi-part series. What I consider a
revolutionary change in the boating world is occurring at
present. I'm ready for it.
The complete series is on this
page: |
For those that prefer smaller posts or who have a spotty internet connection, here are links to the four articles in the series. |
Visiting the St. Pete Boat Show is fun. As always the show featured a wide range of vessels, from larger motor yachts to high performance fishing boats, sailboats and lots of family fun center console boats. The variety was outstanding. Being able to introduce my neighbor Shelley to the boating world made the event particularly interesting. There is nothing quite like stepping aboard a boat to get a feel for what life afloat can be.
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Shelley was able to tour a Cutwater at the St. Pete Boat Show. She's a gem. |
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What I did see at the boat show was a plethora of larger power boats with outboard engines. The inboard turbo charged diesels so prevalent of late in the go-fast "trawlers" appear to be being in part replaced by large outboards. This was eye-opening to me.
Shelley and I stopped for lunch over at the Dockside
Bar in Goslings.
This is a great place to cool off in the shade while
have refreshing beverages and food.
I have an affinity for the sausage subs sold by one
of the vendors inside the boat show. Shelley opted for a sausage sub
too.
While relaxing Shelley and I chatted about boats. I absolutely LOVE
my Seaweed.
Prior to getting underway I always determine safe places along my route should I need a refuge. This preparation involves studying my charts. I look for protected harbors to stop if the weather turns foul.
Algae is secured to both the davit and a cleat.
This older photo has my Skipper on the swim platform.
She did love her outings in Algae, my dinghy.
At the St. Pete Boat Show my heart skipped a beat...
More information on
Skipper Powerboats can be found on their
http://skipper-bsk.com website.
More information on my Skipper
↓ First Mate
extraordinaire can be found in the
First Mate
article.
I was impressed by the number of large outboards on boats of all sizes at the St. Pete Boat Show.
The last time I was at the boatyard I had a motor
mount attached to my transom. I'm ready!
While at Salt Creek Boatyard in 2020, this
MOTOR MOUNT ↑
was fit to the transom of
Seaweed. The photo was taken while that process was ongoing. The
hole is once again covered.
The observant may realize that my motor mount is off center. This is deliberate. As described in the Tyranny of the Tiller (pre-purchase advice) article, Seaweed does not *track. I have had the best luck in getting her to steer relatively straight by towing my dinghy Algae off the port or starboard aft corner of the boat. The dink acts as an out-rigger of sorts, allowing me to maintain a relatively straight path. Sometimes.*Track: stay on course. When I put my rudder straight one would think that the boat would go straight. That does not occur. Seaweed wanders, which means I have to steer.
For the record, I
do realize that complaining about "having to
steer" my own boat while living in Florida is totally ridiculous.
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With age comes experience. For me the knowledge that I am not quite as young as I once was is a consideration. I do not have the stamina of a younger person. As much as I enjoy puttering along at 4½ knots I admit that having the ability to go a bit faster is tempting. Adding an outboard might be the answer.
That is one
reason why I went to a small trolling motor for Algae.
However after meeting Ted and Sarah, I began pondering
another option: a new, larger outboard. Ted's solution is
described in the
Manatee Moves article. My old can of carburetor cleaner→ |
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The problem
with Ted's solution for me was fear. Fear of owning yet
another unreliable outboard with the accompanying carburetor
issues gave me pause. I knew that would not work for me. ←Affiliate link |
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Fortunately a new age for outboards has arrived. Reliability has increased dramatically over the old-style outboards of yesteryear such as the Mercury shown above. Now, outboards have *EFI, and that is the most important improvement to come along in years.
*EFI: Electronic Fuel Injection basically means that there are no more carburetors.
There is one caveat: it is often recommended that an
inline Racor filter be installed between the fuel tank and outboard.
I wondered if a person could simply swap an inboard diesel for an outboard of the same horsepower or larger to propel their boat. Specifically, I am talking coastal cruisers versus those planning on crossing oceans. Having my heart almost set on adding a white long shaft Suzuki 9.9hp or 25hp, I called Brent of Suzuki Repower. When I save up enough to add an outboard to Seaweed, I will buy from him. Usually at boat shows there are special pricing deals, so timing is also in the plans I am making.
Brent Magsig is the Regional Sales
Manager of
Suzuki Repower in
Clearwater. He knows his engines. Brent's phone number is 727-639-1065.
Brent did caution that swapping out an inboard diesel for an outboard or two is not quite as straightforward as I had hoped. Due to the propeller and rudder placement he suggested a marine architect be consulted. For a boat such as Seaweed however, adding an outboard seems like a no-brainer PRESUMING the mount is installed properly. That means that the backing plate and structure is sufficiently strong to support not just the outboard but also the thrust from said motor.
With the introduction of Electronic Fuel Injection, outboards became much more reliable. No longer did owners of gasoline powered outboards wonder when the carburetor would become gummed up and fail. That simply could not occur because EFI eliminated the carb. The dependability factor has definitely piqued my interest. I want one.
Sailboats such as Gypsy
↓ have two means of propulsion: sail
and the internal engine.
Jesse's Gypsy has an inboard diesel and sails. If the
motor quits he can raise the sails and continue on his journey.
Seaweed has one 18hp diesel Kubota in her bilge. She runs fine. That said, I have been caught out on the bay with a fast moving thunderstorm heading towards me. It would have been better to have the ability to go faster than my 4½ knots. Adding a reliable outboard to my transom could be the answer I am looking for.
There are places to explore. Having a backup should my Kubota let me down has merits. Seaweed is a coastal cruiser. She is not designed for crossing oceans nor rough weather. Having the speed of an outboard in conjunction with my inboard diesel might be wise, if I can figure out how to accomplish all that on my budget.
Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee, FL on the 4th of July was a busy place when I was there.
In the meantime, I shall continue both using my boat and improving her. Life is good aboard Seaweed. I am indeed blessed.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate that.
Have you any experience with the EFI outboards?
And, what is your opinion on them? Are they as good as I have read?
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Regarding the Comments Section, found at the end of every article:
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COMMENTS:
© 2024
Categories: Boat Talk, Boats, Characters, Gear, Locations, Pets, Security,
A New Age in Boating (part 3) ~
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The Cruising Kitty is what boaters refer to as spending money. There's never enough aboard Seaweed!
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