bertram31.com

I have been reading along the topics and gotten a lot of information. At times it is conflicting as with anything everybody has their opinions on things. I just purchased this 25' engineless and tankless pit and am trying to get ideas on repower pro's and con's. Firstly, I do "know" what I got. with all the good and bad connotations attached. I also have a 1974 40' Cheoy Lee Midshipman's ketch and a 1971 21' Dusky bracketed with a new optimax 200 . My dilemma is really this: twin 200 optis outboard with bracket as I already have one engine, or twin 3.0 I/o's. I am very hesitant to go single as I plan on fishing the gulf coast grouper grounds 25m+ and would love to try further for snapper etc. and even though twins do not guarantee a self powered return they do increase it. On the posts there is a lot of discussion on weight placement. I want the best riding at 18-25kt cruise. I am worried from some of the posts that the outboards will make me ride bow high and that the I/o's and inboards perform better. I personally prefer the look and easy self maintenance of the I/o gas powered but I also put enough gear and people on my boat in lobster season to bog any under powered boat down. I need the wisdom of people who have been there. I do not have a limitless budget I have a serious boat problem, my wife has the patience of a saint but, this is our boat # 11 in yard and it will be finished but not fully restored as many I see in blog.

Welcome!

You are facing the same challenge that all of us face with the 25. All power options will work, pick one! There are plenty of B25s out there with Armstrong brackets and twins that run great. Twin optis are fairly light so these might be a good choice. Put extra fuel tank in the drop down area if you need a little fore and aft balance.

I get they all work, I just don't want to mess up such a great boat. Is the 25 sluggish with the 3.0's

I have a 25 1966 hard top with1/2 tower
Have a bracket with twin 150 merc 4 strokes

Love it great fuel economy for trolling and 4000 rpm
Is around 25 knots

One fuel tank 180 gallons

Those are numbers I can live with. I guessing my optimax idea with 200's would not be too far off from those.

You refer to your 25 as a pit. I assume you mean a money pit. No different from any other boat or a house for that matter.

What you really have, once redone to your liking is probably going to be the best 25 footer out there if you build it right. By that I mean think it all out, make it functional and make sure it balances out. Probably the best ride you will get out of a 25 footer. The Bert is really a big 25 when you think about the beam and weight of the boat.

Yes, money pit is what I meant. I love the boat and do want to do it right. I am curious about new fuel tanks. If the i/o is not there has anybody increased fuel capacity by adding a couple of feet of tank aft? I'm hesitant to go forward into the recessed deck area.

http://s1113.photobucket.com/user/drspe ... t=3&page=1


Use this link and check out pics and ideas
It will help

Spencer

Sure is pretty. I like the clean deck from the outboards. The Armstrong bracket is not cheap but to get the you feet of deck is worth it. The starboard bench is a good way to go, my wife is asking the port side be done like in the old photos with a dinette.

As Cam stated, the "what to power it with" is the .50 cent question for many B25 owners. The boat's seem to work well with just about any of the power options and the hull form combined with broad beam keeps the boat's from needing a lot of power. Cruising along at normal speeds seems to be easily accomplished with almost any level of power.

Q: How was the boat originally powered?

Maybe I missed this answer in your original post? This drives time, money and effort expended to end up with a usable boat. I/O boats are easy to add OBs to, or go single 454 or 502 I/O.. which is really fast from what I have read. V-drive, inboard boats can easily go OB, or can go single 454 (or diesel) V-drive without too much modification, but require considerable water under the hull once you center the wheel under that deep V. Shallow pocket is a whole different story (read: mucho glass work)

As you can see, OB is the easiest conversion (other than direct replacement re-power) with either type original set up. But the OBs are expensive these days. Sounds like you do your own engine work? In that event, automotive type engines (3.0 - 5.7 -7.4) in any configuration will be much cheaper for you to acquire and operate. I'm currently rebuilding a Mercruiser 454 and it will finish out around $3,500, which barely buys you a junk OB... but get's you a fresh big block if you are your own mechanic.

Good luck, post pics!

http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/Knotm ... iew=recent
I think this will work for pics.
I was thinking about buying a guys 27' grady with twin I/o's for a few grand, redoing them and dropping them in but the outboards seems to make the cockpit clean. Thank God I have all my other boats which will make me take my time on this one.

We have a 25 mop pie with 3.0 liters she is not sluggish at all cruises at 22knts and at wot she will hit 30 knots we carry one hundred gallons and she will take us anywhere we want to go great engines

25" outboard legs will work for a pair, but on a single I found 30" was required. To get back home "no matter what", I used a high thrust 9.8 Yamaha 4 stroke, but it only pushes me along at 5.5 knots, 4.5 against a stiff breeze. The single 150 merc 4 stroke long leg with 5" extension gives me 32 knots wide open, so a decent 20 knot cruise.

Steve

Howesounder wrote:25" outboard legs will work for a pair, but on a single I found 30" was required. To get back home "no matter what", I used a high thrust 9.8 Yamaha 4 stroke, but it only pushes me along at 5.5 knots, 4.5 against a stiff breeze. The single 150 merc 4 stroke long leg with 5" extension gives me 32 knots wide open, so a decent 20 knot cruise.

Steve

Whats your fuel economy on the single 150?

Hello, not sure of my fuel burn yet. I am at 6400 wide open 32 knots, so still slightly under propped, and was doing about 4750 at 20 knots. So using the published fuel burn on the internet,......that suggests I would be burning 9 gallons per hour, but only if I was fully loading the engine at all speeds including wide open. So the real number is probable closer to 8 U.S. gallons per hour Cory.

Steve

You sure you don't want a 496 I/O in that boat.. :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef69ogopLQk

Wow, that boat moves nice with that engine! I think my wife just made the decision she likes the clean aft deck afforded by the out boards. She also used the point of not wanting me spending all my free time in another engine room covered in grease while the family is sitting around on the dock on our vacation. Hmm. wisdom I believe. I now need to move forward slowly. Redoing the aft cap and re designing the deck I will post my progress.