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Choosing The Right Engine
Choosing the engine (or propulsion system) for your boat is very
important. Both the weight and the
horsepower will have a major impact on the performance of your boat. If you have
a boat that's underpowered, the engine will work twice as hard, giving you poor
performance
Now, we will take a look at the motors available for boats and
vessels:
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Outboard motor
An outboard motor is very popular and very useful on small boats.
These motors are very light, powerful,
and extremely quiet. Normally mounted on the transom of a boat, there are boats
available that offer a
motor well or even a bracket to mount the motor to.
The entire motor will swivel about, providing easy steering as
the turning propeller pushes the stern
about. Outboard motors come in many different sizes and the horsepower can use
different types of fuel.
Stern drive
These motors are also known as I/O engines, and normally heavier than outboard
motors. Consisting
of an engine mounted inboard and a lower unit attached to the transom, these
motors offer power
and versitility. You can also tilt the motor up and down to help provide boat
trim while you cruise.
Inboards
On boats that are over 26 feet in length, these motors are very popular.
Similar to the stern drive
motor, the inboard motor is mounted inside the boat towards the center, giving
you good weight proportion. Inboards connect directly to the transmission, then
on through the hull of the boat. Then, the shaft is attached to a propeller
which will turn and propel the boat. The shaft is fixed and doesn't swivel
around. Therefore, a rudder is mounted behind the shaft and propeller to help
deflect the flow of water which provides your steering direction.
Jet drive
Jet drive propulsion systems have a big advantage -no propeller to cause damage
or injury to those in
the water, including marine life. Normally, they are inboard engines that will
take in water that
flows through a pump, powered by an impeller. Then, the water is discharged at a
very high pressure
through a nozzle that will propel the boat. To provide steering for the boat,
the nozzle will
swivel. For personal watercraft, a jet drive is the way to go.
Keep in mind that when power isn't being applied, jet driven boats will lose
steering, as the stream
of water that propels the boat won't be there. Therefore, always keep any part
of your body away
from the pump intake - and never operate these types of boats in shallow
water.
Recommended Resources:
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