DIESEL OUTBOARD???

[Sea Wolf]

I hope this is not a great issue, but I wonder if a small company has the technology and money to develop a hi-tech modern diesel that can meet the emission requirements we have right now in the US, and particularly in California.

Consider the problems OMC had with the Ficht engines and that it's heir, Bombardier, has with the e-tech motors, and one wonders about how easy it is to develop new engines that meet these criteria and also run correctly right out of the box.

Granted, diesel technology may not appear at first to some of us to be as high-tech as that of gas motors, but the loads are much higher, and if the emission standards are not significantly different, the design and development costs to get to a marketable and reliable product could amount to a very high initial investment for a small beginning company.

Not trying to be negative, just playing Devil's Advocate to present an alternate point of view.

Joe.

[Byrdman]

Good Notes, comments and thoughts.
Going to poke about a bit... and I appreciate all the candid feedback and other issues.

It aint always about how fast, particuarly on some hull designs....that may be "semi-displacement" based, and heavier boats. Just think of all those I/O houseboats out there that need new power...and a swim platform..Grin.

Some interesting numbers when looking into it and seeing the actual cost of 1,000 hours of operation/maintenance cost....but,... like pointed out, no initial investment cost,

some controler issues unless you already have electronic,

and as usual...that ol EPA stuff....

But hey... we always need to keep our eyes open.

Who knows when that better mouse trap will pop out of a box.... and then again... with the power of the "big business'" that already have the halls of Washington covered with alligator shoes... and dinners, and hunting clubs, fishing trips, campain contributions and all... it will be very hard for a small guy to pull this off....

But, did not that Gates guy or what ever his name is start off in a garage?

Maybe too many folks are still boating...and not froze in yet for something like this post this time of year...

Byrdman...back on land.... and, as usual... thinking out of the box a bit.

[Sawdust]

Joe,

You know something I don't (for sure!!!), but to my knowledge and personal experience Bombardier had virtually no trouble with the eTec... I no longer have mine, but there are many of them in the local area and they are virtually trouble free. I would buy another in a NY second if I needed another outboard. Right now my Yamaha 90 (fuel injected, yep) does a fine job. I am aware of one eTec problem in AK, but there are many thousands of them out there... and few reports of troubles. Not nearly as many as some other brands.

Still kicking!

Dusty

[Sea Wolf]

Dusty-

You're right about the overall e-tech performance, record, of course, and I didn't mean to implicate the whole line of motors or products, either! Just thinking of all the problem they had sorting out Tom's cold weather operation problems and how much bigger that type of problem can become because it's so hard and expensive to test a new product throughout the range of situations it will be used. And trouble with introducing a new product can bring bad publicity that's very difficult to overcome, even though a product gets sorted out eventually.

Byrdman sure has a point about all the houseboats and other displacement boats that could use a good displacement speed replacement powerplant, bolt-on at that!

Best to just adopt a wait-and-see attitude, of course, but I guess I'm too prone to try to think ahead, sometimes too much along those "yes, but...." lines!

Take care, and see ya' at the SBS/CBGT in January!

Joe.

[thataway]

There have been big diesel outboards for a long time--since WWII, and maybe before. These are still occasionally advertised "for sale" in Boats and Harbors". These are called "Self Contained Diesel Proplusion units"

Basically they are a unit which is dropped on the back deck of a barge or boat. There is a diesel engine, and then a leg which drops over the stern from the deck level. All of the controls were on the unit, including steering. Some drive legs could be completely raised out of the water when not being used. As I recollect some of these were several hundred HP, but very heavy. They are not "clamp on the transom" type of motors, but neither are the large modern outboards. Consider half way between and I/O and an outboard. I believe that steering was by movement of the entire lower unit.

Here is a more modern twin screw one by "Thrustmaster". It was one of the few I could find an isolated photo of.




I had envisioned that these would be great for houseboats, or the other slow displacement type of loads--and not subject to the problems which the usual I/O has. I know that Perkins engines starting at 100 hp have been used with these type of units for a long time.