I/O to Outboard Restoration
 

Hey Guys,

I am sure this has been posted numerous time but I have a question. I am in the market for a project 23' Potter hull and have looked at a couple of boats. One was originally and outboard and the other currently has an I/O. I have seen numerous rebuilding from an I/O to an outboard and wanted to get some opinions on which I should be targeting. I without question want a bracket with an outboard. Are there any issues with buying on with an I/O and converting it? Even if I find an outboard boat, I will be replacing the transom as well. Any other obsticles I should be looking out for?

Thanks!

Thoughts on I/O to bracket conversion by someone who did it...

Advantages:
- storage gain from inboard engine removal
- easy access to inside of transom and bilge
- don't have to modify the hull cap

Disadvantages:
- you must repower
- have to repair deck and transom engine holes
- may have to rebuild transom anyway if in poor condition
- should reinforce and/or tie interior stringers to transom

It seems to me there is probably a comparable amount of glass work in converting either an OB or I/O to a bracket, it's just different. At my low skill level, deck repair and fabricating flat panels/hatches were within my abilities.

Conversion to a bracket for both OB and I/O seems to be more involved and expensive than just transom repair. (See the recent thread on transom repair with SeaCast. I think that's a game changer for many.) Having an OB engine on a bracket outside the hull was worth it to me, and the access and storage gained by inboard engine removal is really nice.

See this thread for images: http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...ad.php?t=23185

the gas tank on the i/o will be 28 gallons smaller. i/o =72 gal ob=100 gal something to think about.