Auto Diesel (Yeah, again, but...)

[Filmdaddy]

Thanks, tom kane. How are things in God's (Other) Country?

[Frosty]

There you go thats you shaft support distances, Wooha on that shaf Dia there you've got to squeeze that into a prop. I am runnning 250 Hp through a 2.5 ratio with a 2 inch shaft. How big of a boat did you have in mind and whats the construction material and method. Tryin to get a picture in my head and some thoughts on wieght.

[Filmdaddy]

jack frost - yeah, thanks. I'll take that into consideration. I've got a little time still before I have to commit. so I can find the answers through research. The boat is a 54', double ended plywood stitch and glue barge-style hull. It is intended as a long-term liveaboard, built relatively lightly, since it will never be off the hook in bad weather. (When you don't have anywhere particular to be, you can take your time getting there.) It will never cross an ocean, never even come close. It will loaf along close to shore, seeing sights and smelling whats out there.

[PowerTech]

A stuffing box is not like a cutlas bearing.the stuffing box is to seal the water from leaking into the boat were the shaft exits the hull.the cutlas bearing suports the shaft out side of the hull it is held inside of a skeg or strut there are more than one some times depending how long the shaft is.inside of the boat the shaft is suported by the transmition and on long shafts it is held some times with a pillow bearing for aditional suport.they do make a bronze shaft port that has the stufing box and a cutlas bearing built into one.It is used on displacement hulls.

[Frosty]

54 feet????? I thought we were talking under 20. Oh well yeah 2 inch shaft then, and you will be looking at how much HP then? I would say a min of 80.
You say 'barge style'-- you mean not pointed like a sea boat? A flat bottom that rises to the deck? Can you post a picture of some thing you have in mind. If its what I have in mind you will be lucky to get this up to 6 KTS.

[tom kane]

Originally Posted by Filmdaddy

Thanks, tom kane. How are things in God's (Other) Country?

New Zealand..one word..great.Few private boating regulations,30 miles as far away you can get from the sea and a kind climate.We need trades people,medical doctors and workers,and technological sector,and many people from UK,Europe,South Africa,and a few from the Americas and other countries decided to live here,because we trained our own but they look for greener fields.Costal land is selling fast so you had better move fast if you want a good life style block.Something like 4 million people,60 million wild possum eating our forrests,about 60 million sheep.Horses cats and dogs and others we have lost count.Millions of autos and hundered of thousands of boats.We do have quite a few politicians,but a fairly reasonable political system,with high taxes.

[Frosty]

Mad-Mad-Mad New zealanders are--as sailors any way, I am not joking those guys are puting up spinakers when every body else is reefing. If theres not 30 KTS across the deck they dont go out-- not enough wind. This very tough attitude to the sea has made new Zealand boat stuff very robust and capable. Well that seems to be the generall opinion that I hear.

[Filmdaddy]

jack frost - Sorry for the confusion I created. She's not a barge. She's long and skinny and sleek, flat bottom, both ends pointed, topsides gently flared, moderately low freeboard, standing headroom throughout, basic, simple, comfortable for a couple. I'll see if I can dig up some photos, but, for now, think of a Bolger Wyoming or similar, a turn-of-the-last-century power cruiser.
tom kane - For many years, I had a map of New Zealand on my office wall. I used to read about the place, and trace the highways and try to pronounce the names of the towns and figure out where I would like to live. North Island was a little too warm. South Island seemed pretty close to perfect.
And you Kiwis and us Canucks seem to have a lot in common. But things never seemed to work out, and NZ remained a pleasant fantasy.
And, if what tom kane says is true, that's probably a good thing. I'd probably get invited to go sailing with somebody!

[tom kane]

If you are looking for a simple,easy to build and install DIY propulsion for such a craft have a look at the thread Liftable propulsion sistem.Page 8, 9, 10 of my photo album should show what you can do with it.

[Filmdaddy]

tom kane - found the thread, but I couldn't enlarge the pictures. Could you post them here, bigger? From what I read the concept is interesting.

[tom kane]

MK1 model about 45 years ago.Shows drive lifted,drive goes down 20 degrees.Easy trailering of boat and can go anywhere.drive rides behind the boat and does not need to be locked down.Drive is deflected up going aground or hitting an obstruction.Advantages are many and is simple to build.The 2005 model is a cracker.I tried to post image with drive down but slight problems.

[Filmdaddy]

tom kane - that is so neat. How much power can it handle?

[tom kane]

That model was built as a feasibility study for a Patent Application (granted).It can be built to any scale from a dingy,hydroplane,tow boat,to a super tanker.There is not just one way of desiging or building and using it and the drive has many applications from a jet,prop,tunnel or pod,kort nozzle.A very versatile application.Would fit a Thai longtail boat jackfrost.

[Frosty]

The Thais have already perfected thier engine installations,---or so they believe. Myself--I would not argue with that theory, but to try and get then to do something else when theres nothing wrong with wot they got,----- well it would be like trying to teach them how to cook rice.

Actually it would not fit a Thai long tail -most are canoe sterns with no engine bearers, no floors,--- well just planks thrown down and the occasional plank for a seat.
Although they have no reverse gear they have reverse thrust by swinging the engine right round till its nearly touching the hull , a quick blip of the throttle and its reversing. same with maouvarability full thrust at 90 degree. Perfect.

[AlaskaFisherman]

350 truck Chev has powered my commerical fishing boat for 13 years. Most years it is only in the water for 6 weeks, but I will put 200 to 300 hours on it in that 6 weeks. When I start a day of fishing the motor does not stop for 20 hours or longer on most days.
I am switching to diesel because gas engines are a lot of work to keep them going for this many hours.