what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I have never heard of one. i know people sometimes call evinrude OMC. but I have never seen a outboard with OMC on the cowling. the outboard in question is a 1988 OMC Sea Drive 225

thanks

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

no don't buy they are junk only thing good is the lower unit's and power heads

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

actually they aren't outboards they are stern drives.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

my goodness skools. i just replaced a 1.6L '86 Sea Drive with the original VRO still pumping well. it was running reliably when i put my Johnson 150 on this summer after 19-yrs. that ain't no "junk". and they sea drives are most certainly outboards (check my gallery)

deshet - the sea drive motors were the first bracket set up out there and one of the first with oil injection. they definately don't get any respect from service shops so be prepared to service it yourself for the small stuff. I had a friend who ran the service department at a marina i worked in during high school who would still take mine when I had a big job (i.e. i had to replace a head gasket in '04) for me. i bought my service manual on ebay. the lift mechanism parts can be tough to get, so keep that in mind. there is a shop somewhere in the the SE that specializes in the sea drives and keeps parts, but i don't know much about it, only that it exists.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

yeah they are outboards kind of just the power head and the lower unit are the same but the tilt part is the junk part. had 2 OMC 140's i got to part out for the power heads and lower units but to me go bracket.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

From what I understand, the fact that no one will work on em and nobody has parts is the reason they are junk - other than that I've heard they are strong running reliable motors. I wouldn't buy one.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Thats the facts Jack , got one guy down in the highlands been running an original sea drive since new. Loves it. But he is a mechanic Skools kind of guy and bought spare parts years ago for it so not a problem. For me the parts availability and the fact that most mechanics are to swamped around here to be bothered with it closes the deal. But I believe they would make a good bracket and repower candidate. Then you get the full transom and new power ;)

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

If the boat is in good shape offer for the boat only Then run the boat with the idea the seadrive is going to die soon!! Put very little in the motor and run to the ground!!

After that get a bracket and a good used new motor and repower, You will never want anything better then a full transom boat!!

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

MJ got it!!... ;)...

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I WILL be keeping my eyes open for a former omc-drive, to get that full transom. I know a former I/O conversion is not that difficult, although it is beyond my capabilities

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

the sea drive models in all boats are the nicest to bracket cause not holes to fill. and usually not a spec of rot due to they are sealed up top to bottom never had any water in them.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I think Old School was a sea drive originaly. It has the area filled and glassed professionaly but it appears smaller than the I/O holes I have seen in other boats and the boat has the orignial in floor round bait well where a engine would have sat. It's a 1985 and that is my guess anyhow, don't know for sure if they were making sea drives that year or not. But you guys are right the sea drive boats make a excellent bracket candidate. I looked at over 20 V20's in person for a year and a half before I bought this one. Strongest transom I found and very dry.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

not 100% positive but CapeCodV20 can help us here I don't think they made a Sea Drive till late 1986 or 1987. The boat wouldn't have had any thing other than a small 3 inch hole in the transom up high for a sea drive.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I thought they made them earlier than that Skools but not sure. Now you got me wondering, I definetly have the factory in floor bait well, the one that is round inside like I have seen on other boats on this site. And it definetly is a original transom. The hole appears smaller than some of the standard I/O holes I have seen but it is not a three inch diamater hole. ???

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Skools did some research, earliest reference I found was to repairing 1983 OMC Sea Drives on boats, definetly a bunch of 84 - 89 apparently

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Hey Skools got the boat tarped up good so could not look but went into Fillet1's gallery and looked at the before pics, blew them up you know what don't see any hole there, I think it was a small hole up high come to think about it but now I'm going to have to crawl under the tarp and see tommorow cause it is driving me crazy I can't remember. But you'll see the in floor live well I'm talking about

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

here's CT's Sea Drive shy the motor.

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/..._023.sized.jpg

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Thats what I think I had on my 1985 Skools.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Yea thats it Skools, went into CT's gallery, his is a 1985 also. So thats what mine looked like huh. Like it better now ;D

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

why the two holes in the transome with the sea drive outboard.

thanks

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I dunno

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

looked her up ones for the tilt pump motor, other for controls.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

so can I take a good sea drive and mount it on a bracket?

Is this boat worth spending $6500 on


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1988-...97431654QQrdZ1

I am not broke but I am also not rich. Seems like a good deal to me but you guys have me afraid of these seadrive outboards.
I currently have 2 boats one has a 1984 evinrude 70hp that has never given me any serious problems.
I hope to get at least 3 years out of the seadrive before thinking bout repowering.

Also do the make a manuel trim and tilt bracket for this engine?

or should I gather a few more dollars and by this smaller boat with a nice yamaha

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/5/0/81352150.htm

The question is if you had $6500 what would you buy. Looks are very important to me. *

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Deshet you are comparing two really nice boats, one bigger than the other, you have to weigh what you want in a boat, size, whether you will be trailering or docking in a marina. I rode in a v20 CC and it was a sweet boat but a few extra feet ain't nothing to sneeze at, usually makes a substantial difference in ride and dryness. As far as engines I don't believe you can use the sea drive on anything but a sea drive mount if that is what your asking. The point both I and MJ made was to use that sea drive until it is finished and then take it off and put a bracket on it and new/rebuilt outboard of your choice. What you will have then is improved performance and economy, and because it is a sea drive the transom should be very dry strong and most importantly FULL.
So it all comes down to what you want/need both look to be excellent boats. ;) Tough to beat a V20 in any configuration near as I can tell, but that 23' CC with a bracket and newer power would be as fine a boat as you are likely to ever fish from.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

personally i'd go for the 23' CC with sea drive. Ride till she dies then part out on ebay and find a good used bracket. I'd go twin on a 23 with either 140's or 150's. good size for a small twin set up.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

From bassbarn.com "Originally posted by barnaclebillsmarine:
"This is a very bad topic to start with and I know I should of keep quiet but its true. You must keep up with a bracket outboard or it will fall apart. The only outboard that was ever made to hang from a bracket and breath all the salt was the OMC Sea Drives. They had duct work that pulled in air from the inside of the boat. The had flapper drains that only let water out and not in. They were made to hang out there and take waves halfway to over the motor cover. However they still allowed salt water to enter the lower cylinders when the exhaust ports were open in a heavy sea. 9 times out of 10 when a bracket ouboard failes it the lower cylinders. Some people love brackets and some hate them."

Thought this was interesting info

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I am leaning towards the 23'' CC but I have a question on repowering.

How much should I expect to pay for a used bracket?

It seems like you guys look out for deals all the time is that 23'' CC for $6500 a deal or is that something that is found pretty often. I am not looking forward to driving 9 hours there and probably 12 back if this is not a really great deal. I know that boat would be at least $3000 more here in Virginia Beach.

thanks

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

M80 I had heard those same things when I was looking at different boats and was considering a bracket boat. Spoke with mechanics and engine reps at two boat shows and they said it may have been true at some time many years ago with certain engine designs but any outboard made in the past 30 years would be perfectly matched to a bracket configuration. There would be little if any difference mounted on a transom or a bracket. They said it was more important to match engine weight to hull design, and the boat I just sold was a Robalo 18.5 CC with a Merc 150. That combo bobbed up and down in the water so much it it scared me. My V20 with a bracket and a 115 doesn't come close to it. In big waves it is not even a concern and I know a 150 would not be a problem either.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I'd have to disagree 100% on the sea drive being better than a Bracket. If that were true they wouldn't have stopped making sea drives and the boat mfg. would build 75% to 80% of the new offshore CC boats with brackets and twins. They put and average of between 300 and 500 HP on brackets with twins now and even seen brackets with triple and quad set up. I've see brackets with 1000 to 1200 HP with four 250 and 300 HP outboards.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I did what MJ mentioned. I assumed I was buying the hull and figured the period that the Sea Drive stayed alive was gravy. Like I said, it was still running when i had it removed, may she rest in peace.

Mulv, I had no flappers on my Sea Drive. It was rigged just like any other outboard on a bracket.

One thing I will say though is that the Sea Drive was much dryer as it was mounted so much closer to the boat. My Johnson on the 30" Armstrong definately gets dunked when coming off plane or when drifting stern-to. Hasn't been a problem though as "dunked" so far means just to the bottom of the cowling.

Frankly, after having a bracket and a Sea Drive, I don't know why they stopped the Sea Drive mount as the boat handles better with the Sea Drive, the motor is less subject to dunking and you pay less for a slip because the boat is shorter (less set back w/the Sea Drive). If I could choose between the two set ups, I'd take the Sea Drive (not the motor, just the configuration).

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

New , they are very expensive, unless you can find one like below that will work for your application.


http://classicmako.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6892

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Hermco does great work (from what I've read). They are in FL though and are not cheap. Check out link below, then scroll to bottom for prices on brackets......take a seat first :)

http://hermco.net/bracket.htm

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I paid $1,100 for my 30" Armstrong with no platforms

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

those brackets are extremely expensive. I hope I won't need one for a long time. They look like they are simple to make. The complete front end for my 1979 corvette was less then that and it all fiberglass.

Does any one know some one that can make a bracket like that ?

thanks

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Deshet they are expensive that is why you see posts on here whenever someone finds one listed used, that is the best way to do it IMHO. I wanted to put one on my V20 whichever one I ended up buying but I was going to shop used and run whatever it had until it was done meanwhile shop around. I was lucky because I found a v that had it done professionaly and bought that boat

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

Funny, I have a bracket, but no boat to hang it on. ::) 8)yet.

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

what is it CB? and what ya want for it?

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I have one of these Gil Drive I brackets;

http://www.gilmarine.com/products/gb.../brackets.html

without the side platforms (which can be added) I picked this up several years ago and recently was going to use it on a project 23' Formula that was going to be converted to outboard. Ended up with very little time to work on it and lost storage facility. Bailed out of the project and sold it, but kept the bracket. I honestly don't know if I want to sell it right now. I'll give that some thought and depending on what I end up with for a new (to me) boat for next year, it may end up in the for sale forum. I'll give youz guys first crack at it for a good price (because I got a great deal on it) if that happens.
I just don't want it to end up like other things I've sold and later wished I hadn't. Know what I mean? ;) 8)

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

let me know if you ever want to sell it

Re: what do you think of sea drive outboards
 

I sold one for $350 a year ago, you can find them used in the $500 range if you look hard.

Call your local Mariner they may have a take off just lying around??
Thats what mine was, came off a 23' Seacraft and the guy bought a new twin bracket.

You may have to shim it to fit the curve in the wellcrat? I did, and it has been fine for 3 seaons so far