To those who want to convert a weed eater...

I agree. He's claiming 8.8HP at the prop!

 

Here's a better link

It has already been proven that the 8.8hp is bogus. If you are looking to make a weedeater mud motor, jump over to this link. I understand there is much to read but every question has probably been answered here. I've now built 3 of these motors and couldn't be happier. The 2nd motor pushed my boat and my butt 6.2 mph and has been a dream to hunt out of.

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/diy-marinizing/weed-eater-engine-conversion-1681.html

Mark

 

Here is a link to two old diy electric trolling motors that could be done with the weed wacker motor as well. one has a transom mount design as well
http://vintageboatplans.com/trolling/

Chuck

 

Thanks to Ripped Off & Others For Sharing Info

First off, I realize this post is about five years old, and probably a lot has changed in that time. I still wanted to thank ripped off, and others for sharing the information you have obtained through experimentation with various configurations. I had hoped I would be reading about some of the latest improvements to your "successful" modification of the weed eater engine shown in your pictures.

Me, and possibly others, are "just getting started" in this quest to put a modified shaft and prop on a trimmer power head, and have it push my Otter Stealth 2000 duck boat. What configuration/modification did you finally decide would do the job without further tweaking?

I'm not a designer, nor engineer, and just want to assemble the correct parts that will be an effective motor to push my duck boat. I'll be using it in a fishing mode in the summer and a duck boat in the winter.

Would like to see the "finalized" plans that you settled on. I've read your posts on this forum and have copied those plans. If you have the time, I'd love to get a PM from you so I can get an updated copy of your plans. I thought I saw a pic with a gear reduction bolted to the bottom of your power head, in one of your posts. I'd love to know the details on that, if you're willing to share that information. Again, thanks to you and others that have shared your "research" into these modifications.

Thank you very much. Please help with specifics on the shaft and prop, and any reduction gear box.

 

I was going to make an Alternator Charging circuit driven by the Little Weed eater motor.
All the Weed Eaters have a Centrifugal Clutch on the output. The big Cable fits into that Clutch. It's an easy thing to adapt to.

With a light boat, two batteries, a Charging system, a couple gallons of Mixed gas, you could spend a week or more in the Canadian wilderness.
How about the Atchafalya basin in Louisiana, hunting and fishing?

The only 'engineering' part you have to be aware of is the Torque of any heavy load will take out the Rod Bearing quickly.
Whatever you create, be sure the engine will keep singing 'hi-C' as it runs.
I saw a Long Tail Weed Eater powered boat on our Smith lake. Jeez, that was noisy and slow. Obnoxious is the word I came up with.

Your movie wouldn't play for me. Said I needed a password.