Any outboard powered Uniflites out there?

[Sobie2]

I'd like to hear from any Uniflite owner who is running outboards,
what they have, how big the boat is etc.

I've got a 23' Sportfishermen with an old OMC sterndrive, and need a
repower.

There are 4 options:

1) repower and use existing sterndrive
2) repower with gas sterndrive
3) repower with diesel sterndrive
4) repower with an outboard on a bracket.

Thanks,

Sobie2

[jkellymcc]

Sobie2,

I also have a 23' Uniflite. I spent several years rebuilding mine.
Mine also started with an OMC inboard/outdrive but was completely
trashed. I converted mine to twin inboards. My boat works GREAT with
the twin inboards, but the conversion was so extensive that I wouldn't
recommend it for anyone else. I've also spoken to several other people
who have old 23' Uniflites. Everyone I've spoken to agrees that this
boat was underpowered with the original OMC drive.

I can't imagine that availability of parts for the OMC outdrive will
make use of this outdrive practical. That company is out of business
and parts are rare.

You could install a bracket and outboard(s), but I think it would
require substantial reinforcement of the transom. The OMC outdrives
were mounted solidly to the engine, not to the transom. These are
solid hulls, but the transoms were not designed to take the entire
thrust of the engines. Also, I find that the trim of my boat is
distinctly stern-down. I think hanging outboards off the transom would
exacerbate this effect.

Mercruiser and Volvo outdrives also transfer thrust to the transom and
would likely require serious reinforcement.

If I were restore and repower another one of these boats, I'd look
for a high-output 350 (or something similar) and a V-drive.

Cheers,
Kelly McCoy
West Texas

<http://www.wcc.net/~jkmccoy/misst/misst.htm>

[fishinfuul]

I don't have first hand experience repowering a boat of that size. A
buddy of mine went from 1989 twin volvo stern drives on a 30 foot boat
to brand new volvo duo props and he claims a huge performance gain in
fuel efficiency plus a much faster boat.


Let us know what you decide.



David.

> > Sobie2- Hide quoted text -
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[AJ]

A friend of mine in Everett Washington repowered his 23' salty pup
over 18 years ago with a 200 hp yamaha outboard. At that time, custom
brackets were not available, so he had a fab shop make one out of
marine grade aluminum. He also made a kicker bracket for a 9.9 hp 4
stroke outboard. As many of you know, the inboard version of that
boat cruises around 18-20knots. The outboard cruises at better than
30. He has since repowered with a 250hp yamaha and it really flies.
The downside was the center of gravity. It is now stern heavy but not
really bad, though the angle of attack changed also. He has had to
reinforce the fiberglass in the bow as it wasn't designed to take the
pounding it takes in that specific area of the hull. The stern was
also professionally redone for added strength as the transom of that
boat had little structural integrity on its own. The big advantage is
that he can store his dingy and bicycles in the old engine room, use
half the fuel of an inboard, get there quieter and faster and is a
real showpiece. At any dock he goes, it draws much attention. This
is a boat that gets a ton of use year around, and was a pioneer of the
early bracket mounts. JON

[Russ Hebert]

Sobie2, I have a 23 hardtop that I have been working on for some time and will be looking to repower(or sell if the economy does not turn around). I have a fresh reman Jaspers 350 and was looking at my propulsion options... Merc, Volvo, or maybe even a Hamlton jet drive. I could drive that ol girl right up on the beach!!   I looked at out boards and decided no because I would need to cosult with a marine engineer to make it safe and seaworthy. I also like having a swim step to get off and on my dingy and kayaks. I would like to know how your repower goes. good luck. Russ.

> Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:21:18 -0800
> Subject: [UnifliteWorld] Re: Any outboard powered Uniflites out there?
> From: jonma...@aol.com
> To: Unifli...@googlegroups.com

[Bohn, Steve]

any one out there with 28" sportfisherman mine has a solid back wall with stand up head most fotos i see are open in the back? there is also a plaque i found on bridge "custom built for HENRY G. CONKEY"???

[Don 23 Hardtop]

I have a 23 Hardtop Cruiser running 2 Volvo 245s with 280 outdrives.
This homemade project needs plenty of work. I especially need wiring
help , so if anyone has any wiring diagrams I would love a copy. Seems
every time I get an engine running the other takes a day off. I am
also looking for an engine cover for the deck, This redesign was never
completed so the engines are exposed above deck.
Sacramento New guy

[Sobie2]

It is still winter here and I have had some good feedback on ideas. I
am moving towards an outboard on a bracket but I don't know what it
will take to push me over the edge on a decision. Armstrong can build
me an outboard bracket with a kicker bracket and stuff for about
$2,300, a new hydrolic steering system (for an outboard) will be about
$1,000. I need to get the transom hole reglassed and covered up which
can cost upwards of $4,000 in my neck of the woods.

By far the cheapest option is to repower and use the existing drive
but that is only putting things off.

Sobie2

[Oliver]

Hi Sobie2,
was in the same situation with a 23 Bell Boy last spring.
I ended up to repower with the existing drive and that worked for me.
Realistically for all the money and effort to get an outboard or a
different
sterndrive on the boat you should be able to rebuild-remanufacture the
existing one and have some cash left over
for upgrades.
What really sucks on the old OMC for me was the steering but there are
ways to get around that and upgrade.

I had a 302 rated at 175hp which was enough power but having said
this, fully loaded a 225hp would have been nicer,
anyway the OMC were used in bigger boats as twin 225hp configurations.
Since the OMC is not putting any loads on the
transom you should be fine as long as your stringers are in a good
shape.
I wouldn`t be afraid of the OMC, in the end they lasted 20+ years
without to much trouble (propper service is a no brainer ;-) )

Sure in case of an outboard conversion it`s nice to gain the room
inside but at what cost. I ended up to just buying bigger boats
24 command bridge and finally a 31 uniflite command bridge. In the end
the inboard engines are cheap, easy to rebuild and if
fuel economy is an concern (lot of use, long trips) with a fuel
injection and ignition update the differences can not be that big. It
needs fuel to produce the power.

This is just an opinon or better the path I took. Good Luck. Keep us
posted.

Oliver