Sabre 28 Repower

[smb]

I am considering repowering my 1980 Sabre 28. It has a left hand turning Volvo MD7A and a starboard offset prop shaft. Have heard that installing a normal right hand engine makes handling under power difficult. Is this true? Any suggestions?

[pirateofcapeann]

Just a thought: I removed the Volvo MD7A inboard engine from my 28 footer several years ago. I replaced it with an 8 hp Mariner extended deep shaft outboard on a pick-up bracket hung off the stern. Although my boat is a heavy and beamy beast, she still makes 5.5 kts. under power at cruising throttle.

Some of the benefits are: Maneuverability is 10 fold over an inboard. Way less heat, noise and vibration below. More room/storage space below. Way less problems to worry about and the spare parts needed to fix them. Less holes in the hull. Removing the engine from the hull for maintenance is a snap. Clearing a fowled prop does not require a proficiency in swimming and, in an emergency, I can get the outboard motor up-right, down, started and pulling in less time then it took the inboard to reach the same state.

The only two faults I found are the outboard’s lack of a high charging rate for the batteries. This requires me to use a gen-set, and my boat tends to hobby-horse in a seaway which tends to nosily pull the prop out of the water until the stern wake has built up and form stability calms her down.

In my opinion, there is no reason for an inboard engine in any sailboat under 30 feet. I would recommend though, that you go with 15 hp for the extra kick when needed. Good luck!

[paulk]

If changing the rotational direction of the engine/prop has any marked effect on boat handling, moving to the Southern Hemisphere may solve the problem. ;^) Essentially, the "prop-walk" that helped you turn one way faster than the other should now work the other way: no big deal IMHO.