Gas power for sail

[mackid068]

PowerTech, don't ever underestimate the weekend warrior. He or she can do more than we all think

[ErikG]

We and they can do a LOT, But our funds are limited, that was one of my reasons to look into this from the start.

[mackid068]

Ah, then a small diesel or a small outboard at 2-3 hp/2,000 lbs is perfect unless you have some sort of speed machine or are a "sailor" who buys a sailboat and only uses it for motoring around (I think you're not, hopefully.)

[mackid068]

(I may be reiterating what someone else said, but here it goes) In the short term, a gas inboard is cheaper than a diesel, yes, but in the long term, a diesel is MUCH MUCH cheaper than a gas. Simple math: if c=cost of engine (2 seperate equations, 1 for diesel and 1 for gas) and x=cost of diesel or gasoline per liter or gallon (I assume you'd use metric, but go along with gallons for now) (depending on equation), then (figure out how much gas/diesel you'd use in an average length trip, for your boat and put that as x's coefficient)
(Sample Diesel equation, engine price is $4000 and per gallon is $2.25) Total cost after 250 gallons=4000+(250*2.25)
(Sample Gas Equation, engine price is $2500 and per gallon is $2.50) Total cost after 250 gallons=2500+(250*2.50)
Simple, especially if you remember your Algebra 1...

[Raggi_Thor]

If you are a sailer, it goes like this:
The gas engine costs 1000$ while the diesel engine costs 2000 or more.
The interest, 5% of the difference (1000), 50$ is much, much more than you spend on gas the whole summer!

[ErikG]

I never mmeant for this to become a gas vs diesel disscussion...

We all know the benefits and drawbacks for each system.
I got a quote from NZ on a complete Tohatsu (gas ob) powerhead that they have converted to go with a small saildrive. The price IIRC was around one quarter of a diesel (import tax and freight not included though).

Most relattively small racers dont use their engines for other than relatively short transports. Why spend all that money on a diesel.

But comparing the concepts of gas vs diesel is not what I asked for initially. I know I can't control the discussion, it leads it's own life...

So I restate the oroginal basic question:

Sportboatz.com [aus] sells a modified tohatsu (if I remeber correctly) that is used on the Thompson 870. It is a "powerhead" direcly connected to a small saildrive. Sounds like an inexpensive and clever solution at a low price. But Spoboatz are in Aus and it wont make any sense shipping one to sweden as guarantees and such will probably be useless, so...

Anyone have any kind of idea what kind of saildrive that they are using and who might make it?
I know its a bit smaller than most saildrives.

I know diesel is safer but I have an outboard with a standard plastic tank today so it won't be worse than that anyhow.

A sibling to it seems to be the more widely used Honda derivative http://www.saildrive280.com, but it's to big and way more expensive than the aus version.
Maybe I should start bringing the aus ones to sweden...

So I'm looking for SMALL saildrives that could be used to do this.

To again commment on the gas vs diesel debate :
Outboard engines are WAY cheaper than diesels, and I use perhaps 30 (tops) litres of gas in a summer. Price difference between gas and diesel in scandinavia is tiny, so with a summers use of gas I'd pay a few dollars more than I would have if I had a diesel.

Not even during the full servicelife of that engine would I have to spend as much as I'd have to do initially on a diesel.

Also, service would be dead simple, just dismount from the saildrive leg, and bring it to your ob service dude. Try doing that with a diesel...

[mackid068]

There are lots of small saildrives available.

[Raggi_Thor]

Erik, I agree with you, I think :-)
Never put an expensive heavy diesel in a small light sailboat, use a converted outboard, if you think www.saildrive.se is to costly, make your own with tha smallest engine you can find....

[Raggi_Thor]

And of course, we have electric outboards....

[ErikG]

Sigh...
Well That IS the point!

WHO makes small sleek saildrives that are (semi) affordable?
Dont say VP and the other big name brands, there has to be others as well, I'm looking for thoose :-)

[mackid068]

http://www.sillette.co.uk/first.htm, seems relatively inexpensive. http://www.saildrive280.com/ (has Honda motor, seems nice but is $6,300 USD). http://www.yanmar.com.au/marine/sail...ail_series.htm (Yanmar Diesel saildrives, a 14 hp is available). Otherwise, Google works wonders, folks.

[ErikG]

sheez anyone can google... but heck first hand knowledge and personal contacts beat google hands down every time.

Thanks for the links though.
Anyone else?

[Raggi_Thor]

Do you know the swdish Z31?
www.Z31.se
It has a Honda 10-15HP, is that a saildrive280 or a "custom conversion"?

[Raggi_Thor]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.p...7/an/0/page/19
on the bottom of the page:
"Beware of the fact that in official Volvo stocks wordwide there are only a mere 300 rubber rings for the saildrive available. These 300 will became very rare quickly, because in scandinavia, there is some guy tat converts Modern Honda outboards to saildrive engines. And he also buys from the same 300 rings stock!!"

[mackid068]

What in hell? 300 rubber rings for saildrives IN THE WORLD? That's a scary thought...though I'm not in favor of saildrives.