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Car motor on 12 ft deck over possible?

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BackwoodsJ1991

Member
Well I bought my first boat hull set up for a Lycoming 160. I can not find any aircraft motors right now and have never really gotten into them. I’ve been told my boat is too small for a car motor set up… I plan on taking the front second seat off the boat. Any options on if a 5.3 could possibly fit? It’s a 12 ft deck over. I just wanted my first boat to be a fun little boat so that’s why I went with the deck over. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
J

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From my response to your post on "Newbie."

Do you own the "Backwoods" boat? White with purple flames, skulls and swamp scenes? If so, that's an 11 ft Don Davis and it did have a 160 on it. You'll never be able to put a car engine on that boat. Let me know if that's the same boat you own or not. I can give you some more info on it. BTW, my avatar is me sitting on the boat I'm talking about.
 
digginfool said:
From my response to your post on "Newbie."

Do you own the "Backwoods" boat? White with purple flames, skulls and swamp scenes? If so, that's an 11 ft Don Davis and it did have a 160 on it. You'll never be able to put a car engine on that boat. Let me know if that's the same boat you own or not. I can give you some more info on it. BTW, my avatar is me sitting on the boat I'm talking about.
Click to expand...

Sorry I didn’t see you respond to my thread. No that is not my boat. I just recently got my set up it’s aluminum deck over painted Tiffany blue and aluminum cage. Set up for 160, I only have the boat and rigging
 
OneBFC said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH4RKCIW1mA

12 ft Car Motor boat :toothy7:
Click to expand...

Thank you! I watched some of it, I’ll watch the rest a little later. I have a deck over though, do you think the weight of everything will be a problem? I think that boat was a little heavier than mine. I’m thinking I have to extend my cage a little bit too. I’m new to an airboat, so I may sound dumb I’m sorry. I’m trying to do this build by myself
 
Alright, so I need to not mislead you here given that you are new.

My boat is a deck over and in that video not light for a 12ft boat at 1750lbs unloaded with no fuel, battery or passengers, etc.

However, reproducing my setup is not advisable for new airboaters given the difficulty in getting the particular engine I use to run properly in a boat.

That said, the mods we did to that boat after that video cut the weight down to 1400 or so lbs. That means even though its 12ft, a 5.3 setup would probably be totally fine as long as the total weight doesn't exceed about 1800lbs unloaded.

Keep in mind this boat isn't a low side deck over.

I say look for aluminum LS setup and give it a shot. A friend of mind just finished a 5.3 setup on his 12ft palm beach hull so I bet you can make it work.

If you have a super low sided sled style hull, you may be a little sketchy in deep water at low speeds.

Good luck!
 
OneBFC said:
Alright, so I need to not mislead you here given that you are new.

My boat is a deck over and in that video not light for a 12ft boat at 1750lbs unloaded with no fuel, battery or passengers, etc.

However, reproducing my setup is not advisable for new airboaters given the difficulty in getting the particular engine I use to run properly in a boat.

That said, the mods we did to that boat after that video cut the weight down to 1400 or so lbs. That means even though its 12ft, a 5.3 setup would probably be totally fine as long as the total weight doesn't exceed about 1800lbs unloaded.

Keep in mind this boat isn't a low side deck over.

I say look for aluminum LS setup and give it a shot. A friend of mind just finished a 5.3 setup on his 12ft palm beach hull so I bet you can make it work.

If you have a super low sided sled style hull, you may be a little sketchy in deep water at low speeds.

Good luck!
Click to expand...


Ok I understand what you are saying! I was really hoping to do a 5.3 so I’m going to start going back to that plan. Thank you so much for the help!! I wish I could put a pic of the boat on here but I don’t know how to I just joined this forum. It is a sled style for sure. Ive never driven one like this, just a big deep sided hull. I’m hoping to not hit much deep water I live in southern okeechobee area most of it is grass. And the glades. I really appreciate your advice and pointers!!
 
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