233 Outboard Conversion

[Mosby West]

Well I finally did it... Hung a Suzuki 300 on the back with an Armstrong bracket.  I completed the project this past spring and I couldn't be happier with the results.  The boat performs remarkably well.

[James Waters]

What sort of performance are you getting? How much did the bracket set you back? Was you boat a center console originally or a conversion? I just bought a 1977 hard top that I'm planning to build a fishing rig out of. I'm eyeing up the Suzuki DF350A. 

[Mosby West]

The boat does about 52 mph in flat water with little weight.  I haven't checked fuel consumption except using the Suzuki fuel flow gauge.  I usually cruise around 25 to 27 mph burning about 7 to 8 gph.  Bottom line is, I'm thoroughly pleased with the results and I really don't care much about fuel consumption.  It's a lot better than the 233 sterndrive I had before all the way around.  The bracket was about $2,800.00.  I went with the full width platform and ran it past the bump outs on the transom.  I sent Armstrong a template for them to fab the bump outs, but I still had to do some minor cutting and grinding to get it to fit properly.  I'm very pleased with the bracket and the Suzuki 300.  As far as I'm concerned, it's a perfect match.  Too much speed and the 233 begins to chine walk.

My boat was originally a cuddy cabin.  I did the center console conversion back in 2004.  I've had my boat since 1984 and did a complete hull up restoration after running the boat for less than a year.  I put in new foam stringers and sole (no wood).  I've had this boat for a long time and there's not another boat out there I'd rather have, new or old.  I do all my own fiberglass work.  It's easy once you get the hang of it.  My day job has me in front of a computer so I enjoy the shop work.

[Darren WIlliams]

Nice Job

.

whilst were on the subject of outboard conversions

has anybody ever seen or done an outboard conversion on a 233 with original transom location in a dovetail-swallow tail transom arrangement??

understanding its a fair bit of structural re-shaping and you loose a couple of feet of deck space

[Mosby West]

I have never seen this done to the inside of the transom, but I have seen it done in several projects to the exterior of the transom to lengthen the boat.

[scott hill]

How did you fill in the bump out? i havent seen a picture of what the inside of your transom looks like. I would like my transom to be a consistent flat curve like the top and in order to do so I would have to taper and scribe the bump out so the top is to nothing and it gets thicker from center out and down. Then I can then sheet the whole transom with 2 sheets 3/4 coosa. ive looked into the air cell foam for the simple fact of how easy it would be to manipulate and alter to the curvature of the transom. I will have a similar style bracket and power set up. just curious to see how you filled the void. 

[richard]

Is this site still active??

[Mosby West]

Not very active.