boat

[k15n1]

How to re-purpose a GM 305 engine and boat trailer?

I have a Larson boat with an inboard-outboard motor. These things go on craigslist for 800-1200. Crying shame. The trailer itself costs more than that, new. If I wanted to replace the engine or lower unit, it would cost lots. But put it together, no one will pay anything for it.

The current plan is to sell the lower unit because that's the part people need to replace when they hit a log or something. I'm also planning on touching up the paint on the trailer and selling that, if I can. But what to do with the engine? Any SS thoughts? I suppose I could sell that, too. Not much of a market for the stock engine, at least that I can see.

 

[Wannabefree]

Could you make some sort of generator out of it? Seems it would serve better purpose that way....I dunno. I have no clue about boat motors, so I'm just tossing out an idea

 

[~gd]

AHOY MATE but you nrvrt mentioned the morst important part, Is the hull sound with no leaks or major dings? if it does leak or need lots of repairs. Run don't walk away sell the trailer and there is amost always someone that thingks they are engine wizzards. huls are P.I.T.A,

 

[the_whingnut]

x2 What gd said!

the engine can be repurposed for about anything you want if you have the $ or time to retrofit it. but its about what you want to do with it. your time or money. i wish you the best!

 

[k15n1]

The generator was my first thought, too. The 305 is about 200 HP, which seems like a lot for the application. I'm not sure what I would do for the generation side. Permanent-magnet motors are one way to go but they're 100 $/HP or something. I guess I don't have to be running the motor at full blast. Still, I might have to rig up a bunch of alternators, get an inverter.... It would be fun but it's another gas engine to take care of. I wonder how hard it would be to convert it to a gas-karosene engine. It's got a single-barrel carb, so it'd be easier than in injected engine. But I might as well use propane, right, if I'm going to the trouble of converting it.

The distributor cap was left off and there's a line of rust on the dip stick, right above the oil. So I assume I'll have to go through it and take care of some light rust in the cylinders and elsewhere. But that's the kind of thing that I think I would enjoy.

Also, it's set up for marine applications, so the cooling would have to be thought through. Shouldn't be a problem, I don't think. If anything, I'll be adding a radiator.

The boat is fine but the furniture and upholstery is shot. And the gel coat is foggy. Also, the instrument panels are wrecked, wires hanging out, corroded, and generally in terrible shape.

 

[k15n1]

Ask and ye shall receive. Here's an article about using a 350 (slightly larger brother of my boat's engine) as a combined-heat-and-power type setup.

http://www.microcogen.info/index.php?topic=1182.0

For more on co-generation, see the article below. That's where I learned about this idea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cogeneration

 

[Wannabefree]

 

[k15n1]

Apparently Lister-type diesel engines are a popular choice for co-gen/chp applications. Low speed, long lasting, etc. Perfect for the SS crowd. Downside is that they're heavy and expensive. Like, 3,500-5,000 $. Of course, if you buy a real generator with a Honda engine (the cat's meow, from what I've heard) the cost is in the same range.

 

[Fastfood]

this is very nice post