The 1.6L SEA-DRIVE was a factory option, I have one sitting outside. Yes it was only a 115HP flywheel rated engine, roughly equivelant to a 100HP engine today as we now rate at the prop. You could find a 140 SEA-DRIVE assembly as they do pop-up from time to time and swap it over to it. Or you could find a 25" shafted 150 or 175 cross-flow(there a bit thirsty still, but light weight compared to a looper) and take it loose from it's mounts and swap the powerhead, mid and lower as an assembly over to your SEA-DRIVE set-up.

Since you're in the great white north, that most likely means your boating season is coming to an end right now. I would sit back and watch craigslist and ebay for a used bracket and a used outboard. With the way things are going right now you could find a bracket and outboard in good condition for under $2K and just re-power it. Also watch that SEA-DRIVE assembly. If something breaks on it you would be money ahead to re-power it. Parts for the SEA-DRIVES are almost impossible to find when you need them, cost an arm and a leg, and will most likely not be in much better condition than your broken parts. You have to remember that the newest of the SEA-DRIVES out there areabout 20 years old. And these things were put on boats that were meant to be run in saltwater. They are getting all used up for the most part unfortunately, and OMC has long since left the scene with any new parts.

Thats interesting stuff to know that Wellcraft had a power option of a 100hp motor. Here I am worried that when I hang my 150hp on mine that I'm gonna be lacking in power. I know alot of guys on here run 150's but I still have that worry.

I'm runnin' a 17P prop on my 150 and toppin' out just over 40 mph (GPS)...it's plenty of power, but just once I wanna punch a V-20 w 225 hangin on her tranny...Oooooeee:beer:

Runnin a 200 johnnyrude w/a 15 x 17 prop, tops out at 5600 rpms 45.7 mph on gps

Thanks for all the responses.

How big of a project is it to do a bracket repower job?

What would be a good bracket/motor combination to keep an eye out for?

You want a flotation bracket and anything from a 140 to 175 will be fine!

I did mine as a few others here, I use too run a 175 with great results! My 23 Sea Ox is also a old sea drive bracket conversion!

One thing we've talked about here when converting to bracket/outboard is be sure to use a 25" shaft motor as a short-shaft has a tendency to flood the motor when trottling back to a stop...

Another consideration is motor weight and these days the E-Tech has 'em all beat in the power-to-weight ratio department...an Armstrong aluminum flotation bracket and an E-Tec 175-200 would be my choice

thats bad
 

I have the 2.0 model sea drive and i hit 55 mph w/ 225hp via GPS in 1-2 foot seas. Its gotta be the prop. go to the prop shop and get a new higher p prop or buy my seadrive and motor and slap it on there and hold on, ill take 1500.00 for the whole drive and motor and its already off the boat, i had a bad transom. Jason 1-757-724-8686

WOW,....fo' real??? that's a deal. :clap:

(Chris,... look into this.)

I will definitely keep that in mind if I decide to go that route. Right now I am looking at some other boats, but still haven't decided totally against a repower. Thanks for the offer!