Bayliner 2670 Explorer Pop

[Slowboating]

Hi! I’m new here, but not new to boats. I’m building a pod for my boat because 20 years ago, someone took out the I/O, covered the hole for the leg, took some pressure treated boards, and built a swim grid/ outboard bracket, and installed a 50hp highthrust outboard on it. While it didn’t look pretty and it’s backyard engineering looked back yard, the design actually worked well enough, that the boat was enjoyed, and passed between two other owners, since it was refit in this configuration. Everyone that has had the boat has loved the boat, and it really shows.

Some would say a 50Hp outboard isn’t enough but the leg swings a 14” highthrust propellor, so while it’s not going to win any races, it actually pushes the boat along quite efficiently and effectively till it hits 5100 rpm at 10 knots. I run it at 3500 rpm for 7 knots and burn about a gallon an hour. It’s not a speed boat hull anyways.

It’s time to build a proper pod for this boat and give it what it really needed from the very start. I’m going to keep the outboard as I love it’s trawler like nature in how it pushes the boat. Slow and efficient. The pod design I’ve come up with is definitely a compromise but I think it’s the best solution to a problem that has no perfect answers anyway.

The pod will span the entire width of the transom, have 18” of depth with a 2” lip across the back to hang outboards off of. It will extend the boat by 3 feet and be flat bottomed. The pod will start at transom width but be tapered narrower. I’m hoping this will reduce some of the suction while underway.

Yes the pod is flat bottom and the boat hull is a very shallow vee at the stern. This will create a 4” step from the hull to the pod at the Center of the boat. It will need to be vented. The research I’ve done suggest that this will have a similar effect as an SRD hull, though the transition won’t be as smooth. At least the water coming off the bottom of the hull will be given something to do, instead of immediately being turned into a back eddy that sucks you back all the time. The flat section will also grab the water and in the three feet it has to travel, it should be a lot cleaner when it gets to the prop, when compared to the previous configuration, which gave turbulent water the prop.

The pod will have skegs welded onto it to help with tracking in a following sea, which is not one of this boats strong points.

Internally the pod will be reinforced, and when bolted to the transom, will provide the strength to carry a larger outboard in the future. The bolts going through the transom, will also attach to brackets on the inside of the transom that are bolted to the stringers of the boat, providing lots of strength and rigidity.

I have the resources and skills with aluminum welding so that’s what I’ll build it out of. If something doesn’t quite work, then I just cut and weld and change things without any hardship.

Some of you are probably wondering if it’s even worth it? Well, if I had to pay someone to do this, it would not be, I’d just go by another boat. I just feel that this boat represents a sweet spot in the boating world. It’s easy to maintain, easy to trailer, comfortable on the water, cheap on fuel, comfortable (for me) to live out of for a couple weeks while cruising and there’s space for a few buddies to come along too. So yeah, it’s worth building a pod for it, to get many more years of use out of it.
I’m curious about other people thoughts

 

[Mr Efficiency]

You have an opportunity to reduce the drag at the transom, by being a little bit judicious here, assuming you have no intention of reverting to a planing hull mode, by having the existing bottom lines sweep upward a bit, still having a transom that is immersed, but not to the same depth.

 

[Slowboating]

Yes, I had planned on that, and if I ever wanted to revert to a planing hull, I could rework the bottom of the pod, and put a 25” outboard on instead of the 20” that is on it now. I forgot to mention that the pod design is meant to work around what I currently have for an engine. I do like the slower speeds though.

 

[Mr Efficiency]

Well, I would say any sudden or non-gradual ( I think I made that term up there) transitions will be little better than what you have now.

 

[goatman]

Hi! I’m new here, but not new to boats. I’m building a pod for my boat because 20 years ago, someone took out the I/O, covered the hole for the leg, took some pressure treated boards, and built a swim grid/ outboard bracket, and installed a 50hp highthrust outboard on it. While it didn’t look pretty and it’s backyard engineering looked back yard, the design actually worked well enough, that the boat was enjoyed, and passed between two other owners, since it was refit in this configuration. Everyone that has had the boat has loved the boat, and it really shows.

Some would say a 50Hp outboard isn’t enough but the leg swings a 14” highthrust propellor, so while it’s not going to win any races, it actually pushes the boat along quite efficiently and effectively till it hits 5100 rpm at 10 knots. I run it at 3500 rpm for 7 knots and burn about a gallon an hour. It’s not a speed boat hull anyways.

It’s time to build a proper pod for this boat and give it what it really needed from the very start. I’m going to keep the outboard as I love it’s trawler like nature in how it pushes the boat. Slow and efficient. The pod design I’ve come up with is definitely a compromise but I think it’s the best solution to a problem that has no perfect answers anyway.

The pod will span the entire width of the transom, have 18” of depth with a 2” lip across the back to hang outboards off of. It will extend the boat by 3 feet and be flat bottomed. The pod will start at transom width but be tapered narrower. I’m hoping this will reduce some of the suction while underway.

Yes the pod is flat bottom and the boat hull is a very shallow vee at the stern. This will create a 4” step from the hull to the pod at the Center of the boat. It will need to be vented. The research I’ve done suggest that this will have a similar effect as an SRD hull, though the transition won’t be as smooth. At least the water coming off the bottom of the hull will be given something to do, instead of immediately being turned into a back eddy that sucks you back all the time. The flat section will also grab the water and in the three feet it has to travel, it should be a lot cleaner when it gets to the prop, when compared to the previous configuration, which gave turbulent water the prop.

The pod will have skegs welded onto it to help with tracking in a following sea, which is not one of this boats strong points.

Internally the pod will be reinforced, and when bolted to the transom, will provide the strength to carry a larger outboard in the future. The bolts going through the transom, will also attach to brackets on the inside of the transom that are bolted to the stringers of the boat, providing lots of strength and rigidity.

I have the resources and skills with aluminum welding so that’s what I’ll build it out of. If something doesn’t quite work, then I just cut and weld and change things without any hardship.

Some of you are probably wondering if it’s even worth it? Well, if I had to pay someone to do this, it would not be, I’d just go by another boat. I just feel that this boat represents a sweet spot in the boating world. It’s easy to maintain, easy to trailer, comfortable on the water, cheap on fuel, comfortable (for me) to live out of for a couple weeks while cruising and there’s space for a few buddies to come along too. So yeah, it’s worth building a pod for it, to get many more years of use out of it.
I’m curious about other people thoughts

 

[goatman]

dont know if you are still on here but did you ever complete this project?
i did a 3 foot pod with a honda 25hp o/b that i converted to a 7.4kw electric on my 2670.
it brings the waterline back up to remove the transom drag
waterline went from 23' to 26'

 

[Chuck Losness]

Interesting concept. I wonder how it turned out. I have thought of doing something similar when I downsize from my Gulfstar 37. The transition off of the current transom to the pod would need to be well thought out to reduce drag.

Goatman could you share a picture of your pod?

 

[goatman]

yes, this forum has the build on it
Bayliner Conversion https://endless-sphere.com/sphere/threads/bayliner-conversion.107045/page-2
but that was just slap something together and see how it floats
even this video is out of date, ive put syrofoam inside the pod and built a new swimgrid

im about to beach the boat to prepare some styrofoam to shape the pod to the hull so it looks like it is part of the hull and not a pod

 

[Chuck Losness]

I noticed a Yamaha 9.9 high thrust outboard in one of your posts. How did that push your Bayliner? I have liked the look of the 2650 since I saw one in a yard years ago. They are pretty rare. There is a 24 saratoga hardtop for sale close to me but way overpriced for a beater boat needing a complete restoration.

 

[goatman]

the yamaha 9.9 did ok but it was sitting way too high, i only used it to get up the river from the boatyard to the marina and sold it
any 25hp high thrust motor like a bigfoot, honda or yamaha with a 4 blade prop is more than enough
you only need 10 hp for hull speed but its not enough for stopping/docking in a current
theres another guy that put a 115hp on his explorer for about 12 knots and wound up putting a 200hp on it to get 18 knots

Should I put a 200hp on my boat? https://sportfishingbc.com/threads/should-i-put-a-200hp-on-my-boat.82588/