Looking to purchase my first Grady and was wondering about the ride of a 1986 22 Seafarer 2.6 OMC Seadrive. Does anyone have any info on this power system like fuel consumption. or any thiings I should looking out for before my purchase :?:
looking for some info on a 1986 22 seafarer OMC 2.6 Seadrive
- Thread starter Chasing Rays
- Start date
I have no personal experience with a seadrive but I have heard they are very undesirable. extremely heavy compared to other comparable options, and probably not worth repairing if broken. I would keep looking if I were you. good luck with your search.
You are right about not repairing the Sea drive. If the motor goes then I would have to repower. I was hoping that the motor would run a few years then repower. The gas consumption maybe the deal breaker I was told that these motors are very thirsty to the tune of 15 to 20 GPH @4,000 RPM. I was hoping that the forum would have someone that has owned one or some info.
We used to own a 1986 23 foot sea ox with the 2.6 seadrive. They made about 190 hp and they did love the gas. Overall it was a fairly reliable engine. We kept ours 13 years and saw the transition from tcw-2 oil to tcw-3 oil. I noticed a marked improvement in fuel economy (it went from 1mpg average to about 1.3 mpg average) when that occured. With the motor being 24 years old and OMC out of business, I'd weigh the cost of repowering heavily into my price I'd offer on that boat.
I guess the upside is that if the transom is dry it should be pretty strong. I would think a sea drive was heavy and would have required a stonger transom than regular outboards. But maybe not - just a guess on my part. I would call Grady to see what you would be able to repower with before purchase and get a survey too for sure.
The seadrive outboard appears to be the same as a regular outboard, but the mounting bracket is different. the mounting bracket does not look like it wieghs more than 35 pounds. If I have to repower all the brackets must come off and have to mount a grady mount for a regular outboard. I wonder what the bracket will cost?
As I recall the sea drive hung on the outside of the transom rather than sitting on top of the transom like regular outboards did at the time. I was just thinking that being mounted on the back of the transom MIGHT create more stress than a cut out transom. More lever if you will because it is sitting back there and not on top. As I said I am not sure but a call to Grady would probably provide you with a lot of answers about what mods you may or may not have to do to hang a bracket and then account for the weight of modern 4 strokes or even 2 strokes for that matter. At any rate I would rather find out before than after purchase.
Nothing to see here, just move along, move along...I vote for seafarer with an outboard. Caveat though unless this hull is in really good shape and repowering, even with a used fuel injected outbaord, is way cheaper than other 228s, I would just move along (lol).... :wink: It seems repairing the hole in the stern and figuring out how to convert it to outboard power is more hassel than it is worth.
SmokyMtnGrady said:
Did sea drives have much of a hole in the stern? I would have thought the hole would be similar to todays outboards?
This motor has a ducted breather system. Which means there is a breather tube that run under the gunnal so there is a 7" oval hole though the top area of the transom. all the other holes are 1/2" drilled holes for mounting of the sea drive bracket
That doesn't sound like a deal breaker. What sort of condition is the boat in and how is the price?
I dont have a hole in the stern from the outboard? I am confused. There is the Grady drive bracket back there, but no hole. Did the older 228s have the motor snugged up like the 226 with a motor well and so forth? At some point in history the bracket was introduced, so I guess I answered my own question.
My borther's first boat was a SC brand called Renken and it had the OMC stern drive and that clearly had hole where the I/O unit came through the stern to mate with the motor ... is this the same general motor with an I/O unit? If not, then I am confused and I apologize. Then again, getting parts to keep her running may be an issue given OMC is long gone and the stern/sea drive is no longer made as others have clearly pointed out.
Ultimately, you know the boat and the condition of her. It is your call and if you go for it, enjoy her. Keep us posted on the choice.
My borther's first boat was a SC brand called Renken and it had the OMC stern drive and that clearly had hole where the I/O unit came through the stern to mate with the motor ... is this the same general motor with an I/O unit? If not, then I am confused and I apologize. Then again, getting parts to keep her running may be an issue given OMC is long gone and the stern/sea drive is no longer made as others have clearly pointed out.
Ultimately, you know the boat and the condition of her. It is your call and if you go for it, enjoy her. Keep us posted on the choice.
Hey smokey, use the force and you will see that a sea drive is an omc outboard on its own bracket. popular science loved them in in 1981. check out the article starting on page 66 it shows a seadrive on a 22 grady and the air duct protruding from the transom cap. I agree "thats not the grady your looking for,nothing to see here, move along" :wink: I placed a link to a 22 on craigslist in the for sale section. although for the right price anythings possible.
http://books.google.com/books?id=R1K_Dh ... q=&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=R1K_Dh ... q=&f=false
enfish
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Here's an OMC Sea Drive photo, not to be confused with the OMC stern drive, which is an I/O.
Here's a write-up on a OMC Sea Drive to outboard conversion. There are some holes to patch...
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/seaDriveConversion.html
To the OP, my advice is to keep looking unless the price is right and you really feel like re-powering. Turn-key boats should be available at good prices.
Here's a write-up on a OMC Sea Drive to outboard conversion. There are some holes to patch...
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/seaDriveConversion.html
To the OP, my advice is to keep looking unless the price is right and you really feel like re-powering. Turn-key boats should be available at good prices.
Gman25
GreatGrady Captain
I had an 84 24' offshore with a seadrive so heres a tip.......................RUN FORREST RUN.....Thats all I got to say about that....
2005 300 Marlin w/F250's
2005 300 Marlin w/F250's
Thanks NO PROBLEM for the article.The picture shows the exact boat. I have talk to numerous outboard dealer and they said that the Seadrive was over engineered and cost to much to manufacture, but they worked very well as what the article states. But the price of this boat still has to reflect a repower and it will. I dont really know what to offer otherwise the boat is in good shape and many extras. bottom has never been painted all ways stored on trailer never in water. But if any one can tell me about the fuel consumption that would tell me when the repower would have to take place.