I haven't been working on the boat much for a couple of weeks. Mama wanted the back deck replaced. Almost done with it. I'll get a measurement for you soon Gary. The hull is pretty wide but that trailer is built like bass boat trailer and it has as least 4 inches of clearance on each side. I think you are aware, but I'll mention anyway that this hull is pretty heavy and a vintage inline 6 will be on the low side of power required. On the other hand, it would look extremely cool!
Actually the motor is one of the last Merc 115s from the 80s. Its back when Merc was doing alot of this derating and renaming the inlines since they had introduced the V-6 150 hp and didn't want competition from one of its own motors. It's my understanding that the inline 150 became a 140. Then later it became a 115. The existing 115 became a 90. Confusing huh ? Got a friend with a similar 115 to mine that will keep up to my 150 inline. Been told they rejetted the carbs so it doesn't quite have the takeoff or top end of the old 150 inline, but its not far off. So I think it would do just fine and they are good motors. Just need to find me a boat and get rid of the tahiti. G-
It will be fine. That is the motor the shows used back in the day. Here is a Tommy Bartlett boat at the worlds fair in the 60's I believe. jim
The reason they de-rated the motors is because they started rating them at the prop shaft instead of the crankshaft. This was an advantage to the boat manufacturers since outboards 18 feet and under have a max hp rating determined by the boats dimensions. This got a bigger motor on their boats since it was de-rated. The engine manufacturers were also allowed to have 10% more hp than the rating. Both of these issues allowed bigger motors on the outboards while still complying with the coast guard ratings. My 150 Johnson is actually 164+ hp. jim
Boy that Tommy Bartlett boat is vaguely familiar. Its a Hydrodyne correct? Did they not also have Crosbys with twin inlines ? They and another show used to come to Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT where I had a job as a kid driving triple cockpit ChrisCraft mahogany boats for our friend who owned the park. Got to drive their boats a little bit when they needed help, mind you this was for no $$$$$. Even got to go along to do other shows they did in the area. Boy did I feel special. In any case I do seem to remember twin inline on Crosbys or some other boat. A Crosby was the boat I wanted, back in the old days. Gary
I only saw Dynes at the Bartlett shows. Some had twin inlines. The early 18's were a little different and there were several versions. The boat in this video may be the one you are thinking of: http://www.hydrodyners.com/movies/kenwhitemovie.htm
Bernie, Got to thinking back to when I worked for a place called Axel's Marine Service here in CT as a summer job. We did some Mercruiser I/O retrofits. Some guy left my boss a Hydrodyne that had a blown up Volvo in it. Disgusted, he just walked away from it. Can't remember if it was one of the older boats with the moulded side fin in it or an Imperial(not a ski boat) Kinda remember we thought it was ugly (sorry) with the big, bulbous engine cover. But it was free so we decided to put a used Mercruiser I/O with a 6 cylinder motor we had. Found out the boat was pretty nice and Axel kept it. I moved on with life but kept in touch with my former boss and visited often, with him giving me motors for my boats at "discounted" prices for my boat. He came across a 4 cylinder Mercruiser 470 w/ 4 barrel and installed it. Nice lightweight alum block/cast iron head 190 hp motor. Motor was plagued with problems because of the dissimilar metals and other idiosyncracies, but it did go real well in the boat. Actually he had no problems and the same with the one I had in a Wellcraft. New alum heads available today and I have an old 80 yr old hotrodder friend who has addressed some of the flaws in the engine for use in a car and says it is a little powerhouse. Great for fresh water not salt like me. Just food for thought. Gary
Gary, I looked at some 4 cylinder aluminum motors but anyone who had a good one for sale liked it too much for my wallet and a bad one looked like a money pit. I read somewhere that it was the 1st purpose built (non-automotive) I-O that Mercruiser ever built. Produced more torque than the 6 cylinder and weighed a lot less. Btw, it was the engine cowl and the instrument nacelle that I thought was cool when I was a kid. Each to his own I guess.
OK so listen to this Bernie. I was told that the engine was initially being developed by Mercury as a diesel during the fuel crisis in the 80s and when it eased up they made a gasoline engine out of it instead. Besides the dissimilar metals of the block and head, the water pump ran off the camshaft and when the seals leaked, water got in the oil. The alternator ran off the crank and the regulator was on the side of the block near a water line. If that leaked, there went your electrics. Solution was to use a remote water pump and separate alternator. My friend is doing that. Then with the aluminum head you have a real good little powerhouse, if you stay in freshwater or have an enclosed freshwater cooling system. Plus people either had a real good 470 or a real lemon. G-
