Inboard to Outboard conversion

[Crishinor]

I currently have an early 70's ski boat with a 4 cylinder inboard (mercruiser?). (Open hull, two seats behind windshield) The inboard is pretty much toast. I'd like to take it all out and replace it with an outboard. I already know I will have to get some kind of specialized bracket, and seal the hole for the transom, along with devising a way to actuate the thottle and steering controls. But is there anything else really involved? Is it possible to do this project while keeping the budjet under $1,000 dolars? Thank you in advance for any and all help and advice.

[PowerTech]

you can do it for under a grand if you allready have the engine and control box,fiberglass ,wood,helm and cabble or ram.If not junk it and buy a old bass boat or speed boat set up for an outbored.pepole sometimes will allmost give you a old boat that needs a motor and transom if you will haul it off.Go to a few marinas that do repairs and see what you can scrounge up.Shops have piles of helms,cables,control boxes all kindes of crap.allot of pepole are repowering with 4 stroke outbord's so there is load's af used 2 stroke engines and controls up for sale,around here any way.I traded a locked up 3208 CAT for a rebuilt 130 yamaha and controls,it dident cost me ****.If you want to do it cheap you got to scrounge around and do it slow.

[marshmat]

The patience it takes to scrounge around for deals is well worth it.

As PT says, you'll only come in under a grand if you already have all the new gear. (I take it this is a sterndrive, which can be switched to o/b with only a few months of fuss; if it's a mid-engine shaft drive inboard, then converting to o/b would totally screw up the trim and balance.) If you like this boat, perhaps look at rebuilding the existing engine? If you're mechanically inclined and patient, you might be able to do a lot of the work yourself and save some money.

[Arrowmarine]

I have performed this conversion several times with great results. Not as hard as it sounds. But listen to the other posters. You will most likely have to adjust the weight, balance and trim characteristics. Be careful!!! I usually get about $800 to $1000 to rip out the old powerplant and seal and restructure the transom. The new motor install and re rigging is extra.
If you already have the outboard and can do the wok yourself, you can do it under a grand.

[Crishinor]

Thank you very much for all your informative posts. I think at least for now, though, I might hold off on the project. I only spent $400 dollars on the boat, and I'm just not sure it's worth it. Perhaps I can sell it and cut my losses......
Thanks guys.