Seafari 25 Conversion Thoughts on Power?

[McGillicuddy]

Originally Posted by GameOnSalmon

Mcgillicuddy, Thanks for the input... The debate between Twins and Big Singles and the so called Flotation brackets vs non flotation is beat dead.

I for one just look at the math... In a so called flotation bracket you need One Cubic foot of Air to float 63 lbs... Add a 150 lb bracket you need 2.5 cubic feet... Now try and float a 495 lb engine on top of that and you need 10 cubic feet of Trapped air for balanced flotation...

I guess IMHO and it's only an opinion that Flotation brackets cannot create positive flotation...

This should be interesting to See what happens... can always add some kind of balanced Ballast to the Front as Needed to Level her out...

Thanks Robert

Robert,
Like I said I've not done the math, & not poo-pooing yer project. I thought the the intent of the bracket was to offset the weight of the shift aft, rather than to wholly float a motor. Which as you mentioned, offsetting the weight can also be done by shifting weight around in the boat. Obviously plenty of room to move batteries fore and store a bunch of Cannon balls up there for your salmon drops.

I'm curious about the effect of moving the 500 lbs aft 2 ft after also removing 1200 pounds of iron from the belly... seems like the vertical CG would rise some, too. I look forward to your build out thread and ensuing results.

Are you still thinking about the Tsunami? Or do you think you'll give this boat a go for the salmon and tuna excursions?

Cheers,
McGill

[GameOnSalmon]

Originally Posted by McGillicuddy

Robert,
Like I said I've not done the math, & not poo-pooing yer project. I thought the the intent of the bracket was to offset the weight of the shift aft, rather than to wholly float a motor. Which as you mentioned, offsetting the weight can also be done by shifting weight around in the boat. Obviously plenty of room to move batteries fore and store a bunch of Cannon balls up there for your salmon drops.

I'm curious about the effect of moving the 500 lbs aft 2 ft after also removing 1200 pounds of iron from the belly... seems like the vertical CG would rise some, too. I look forward to your build out thread and ensuing results.

Are you still thinking about the Tsunami? Or do you think you'll give this boat a go for the salmon and tuna excursions?

Cheers,
McGill

Mcgill,
I am definitely giving the 25 a go for salmon/tuna runs this season. I have a sneaking suspicion this is gonna be a "Different Kind of Project" then things I have tackled in the past. Normally a guy can gather some field data to base some decisions on....

Today as we both noted it's nothing more than pure Theoretical Speculation on my part. I am 100% convinced a Notch Out with a 30" shaft and Splashwell conversion will work Great. But I have always used some form of Hydraulic/Electric transom jackplate and the performance has always been steller. In fact I installed a 20" Gil bracket with a Transjack a few years ago on a 22" starcraft Islander when Guys said i was nutz... Was one of the best performing aluminum boats i have ever owned for big water... But it wasn't no Seacraft...

At the end of the day... I am doing all this work with the hopeful intention of keeping this 25' til i Keel over and then be buried in it. Now that I am committed its gonna be pretty cool to see what happens... I mean Hell, I think a 250 Single should push this monster 44mph to 48mph at WOT but I could be wayyyyyyyyy... Off on that. I think a lot of guys get engine mounted and prop and call it good. I am a fanatic about engine height and Prop Selection and amazing things can happen when you get the 2 dialed in correctly for any give boat.

Thanks again for the input always appreciate the fact that anyone takes time to reply on a forum thread. Will start the Build Thread as Soon as I get the Seacast, Mat, resin ordered and of course the Porta bracket...

Regards,
Robert

[HeadHunter]

Merc 250 EFI's are about the thirstiest engines made in the last 20 years. Solid engines, but you will not be happy with the fuel burn.

Notch the transom, put a small splashwell in it, run a 30" motor. 25 degree hulls are harder to get right but pay it back when it gets snotty.

[77SceptreOB]

What about an Arneson surface piecing drive mated up to a built 454 or 496 big block. Low VCG. CG still stays forward. 4 stroke efficiency with very low drag and excellent performance to boot! Low draft and No out drive headaches either. Trying to "think outside the box".

[gofastsandman]

Congrats on the website! Are you over on TST, cough cough, the spurious truth?

Outside the box indeed.

I`m not an I/O fan either, but in this situation, it works very well.

I see a gal in a 20 seafari IO with 2 kids a lot and she walks by me in the slop.

[cdavisdb]

" hopeful intention of keeping this 25' til i Keel over and then be buried in it."


One good long ride when it is really nasty will make that certain, not just hopeful.

I don't know if you have read some of my comments on what the boat "feels" like, but it instills an amazing sense of confidence in its ability to handle anything that is thrown at it. Different from any boat I've experienced and in ways that are hard to explain.

[gofastsandman]

Originally Posted by cdavisdb

" hopeful intention of keeping this 25' til i Keel over and then be buried in it."


One good long ride when it is really nasty will make that certain, not just hopeful.

I don't know if you have read some of my comments on what the boat "feels" like, but it instills an amazing sense of confidence in its ability to handle anything that is thrown at it. Different from any boat I've experienced and in ways that are hard to explain.

It`s been a blowin` 15-20 here for a couple `o weeks here now.

That is where they shine.

My short thoughts.

That hull reminds me of skiing the bumps while following masters. Get on top and let her dance. She is a dancer of high order. She likes understanding and skill.

Balance. Need to think about the ballast tank again...

[GameOnSalmon]

Originally Posted by HeadHunter

Merc 250 EFI's are about the thirstiest engines made in the last 20 years. Solid engines, but you will not be happy with the fuel burn.

Notch the transom, put a small splashwell in it, run a 30" motor. 25 degree hulls are harder to get right but pay it back when it gets snotty.

Headhunter...Thanks for the heads up on the EFI's. I finally decided today I am on the Hunt for a 225 Johnson Ocean Runner not the pro or a Johnson 225 HO 1999 - 2001 those are hard to come by. They are all under $5,000 now and within my budget for this year. Am seriously considering the notch with a 8" Bracket connected to a E6 Powrtran jackplate.

Decisions decisions...
Thanks Robert

Originally Posted by 77SceptreOB

What about an Arneson surface piecing drive mated up to a built 454 or 496 big block. Low VCG. CG still stays forward. 4 stroke efficiency with very low drag and excellent performance to boot! Low draft and No out drive headaches either. Trying to "think outside the box".

Sceptre I looked into a surface drives but the cost was insane and still back to the dam engine inside the box. Got to say LMAO here since your handle states Sceptre Outboard... Love It... Just a die hard OB fan here I guess...
Thanks for the Outside the Box...

Robert

Originally Posted by cdavisdb

" hopeful intention of keeping this 25' til i Keel over and then be buried in it."


One good long ride when it is really nasty will make that certain, not just hopeful.

I don't know if you have read some of my comments on what the boat "feels" like, but it instills an amazing sense of confidence in its ability to handle anything that is thrown at it. Different from any boat I've experienced and in ways that are hard to explain.

Connor, You have been awesome my friend with the input and I truly appreciate it knowing your running the same boat. It appears I need a friggen Mechanical Engineering Degree to own one of these 25's, in the long run gotta think you hit the nail on the head... Am seriously considering the notch with a Powrtran.... See post above... Any more Amazing thoughts on your end?

Robert

Originally Posted by gofastsandman

It`s been a blowin` 15-20 here for a couple `o weeks here now.

That is where they shine.

My short thoughts.

That hull reminds me of skiing the bumps while following masters. Get on top and let her dance. She is a dancer of high order. She likes understanding and skill.

Balance. Need to think about the ballast tank again...

Sandman totally agree on the balance... My first order will be getting the OB on the Hull either with a Porta bracket or a Notch with 8" of setback plates mounted to a Powrtran 6" jackplate... I am having a hell of a time making a decision... Mapped out a notch with the pencil tonight... If i go that route I only need a 12" deep Splash well and its 17" from top to bottom... Working my Hiney off on this end... I want to splash this Big Girl by June 15th then fix the little stuff...

Robert

[Blue_Heron]

Originally Posted by McGillicuddy

I ain't doing the math, but I once used a teeter-totter at a Holiday Inn...

Gillie,
The IO is the fat kid that sits closer to the fulcrum on the teeter totter to make it balance, the bracketted single is the skinny kid sitting out at the end. Bracketted twins are the fat kid sitting on the end of the teeterr totter, and a non starter for balance.

Dave

[DonV]

Yes Sir Headhunter is almost 100% correct. I own a 225 Merc EFI and my brother owned a 250, both very solid, dependable and thirsty. However there is only one other engine I have owned that can top the Merc and it was my 1995 225 hp Evinrude Ocean Pro......those carbed engines were the very, very worst for fuel burn!!!! I never knew you could run that much gas through a 3/8" hose in that short of time!!!!!!!