BajaNomad - SternDrives in Baja

SternDrives in Baja

caj13 - 2-9-2020 at 07:51 PM

so you can pick up an inboard outboard for cheap! I suspect the issue is the sterndrives are where problems show up typically!

Don't see many of then in Baja - outboards are the way to go, thats what i've been told - I guess it's for launching & retrieving ease? at least thats what I've been told.

I'm thinking of picking one up in the states, put in at San Felipe, and make a run for Cabo (having a land based support vehicle mirroring the parts of the journey that it can.

20 - 22 footer, haul food, water, camping gear, spare parts, a zodiac tender, marine radio sat phone. experienced outdoorsmen / with boat experience, but on lakes.

time is not an issue, we can wait out wind and bad weather

I recognize it might not make it, don't care, leave it and head home, its the adventure we are after. we would leave it in cabo if we got that far!

so lets hear from all the sterndrive naysayers who are sure this is a stupid idea, any actual experiences with stern drives running along the coast would be especially appreciated.

mtgoat666 - 2-9-2020 at 08:29 PM

Quote: Originally posted by caj13

so you can pick up an inboard outboard for cheap! I suspect the issue is the sterndrives are where problems show up typically!

Don't see many of then in Baja - outboards are the way to go, thats what i've been told - I guess it's for launching & retrieving ease? at least thats what I've been told.

I'm thinking of picking one up in the states, put in at San Felipe, and make a run for Cabo (having a land based support vehicle mirroring the parts of the journey that it can.

20 - 22 footer, haul food, water, camping gear, spare parts, a zodiac tender, marine radio sat phone. experienced outdoorsmen / with boat experience, but on lakes.

time is not an issue, we can wait out wind and bad weather

I recognize it might not make it, don't care, leave it and head home, its the adventure we are after. we would leave it in cabo if we got that far!

so lets hear from all the sterndrive naysayers who are sure this is a stupid idea, any actual experiences with stern drives running along the coast would be especially appreciated.

Stern drives have been falling in market share for quite a while, for a number of reasons. For your purpose, a one-way boat trip of 1000 miles, any mechanically sound seaworthy boat should do. If you choose the wrong boat, you want care, because it only takes a week or 2 to get to your destination where you intend to sell or abandon your boat, eh?
Not much of an adventure driving a stink pot, the trip would be more adventurous under sail. Just saying.
You don’t need a sag car to follow you. There are plenty of towns along the way for resupply, and if you get in trouble at sea, the people in the car will be useless and you’ll need to look to yourselves or other boaters for aid.
A 20-22 ft boat does not need a zodiac tender. Take a paddle board or kayak and you’ll have a tender and something fun to use. Warm water - you beach to load/unload, and then anchor boat and swim back to shore.

JZ - 2-9-2020 at 08:34 PM

Get an outboard.

I've done the trip from San Felipe to La Paz by boat a few times. Let me know if you want some input.

msteve1014 - 2-9-2020 at 09:20 PM

The only problem with an i/o in Baja is the lack of people that know how to work on the outdrive. The engine any one can work on. I had one for 10 years. You need to do your own work, or haul it to a large city, or north, for repair. I had no problems I could not fix myself in that time. For your trip, if you can find what you want at a good price, go for it.

edit to add that an i/o will launch and retrieve as easy as an outboard boat of the same size.

[Edited on 2-10-2020 by msteve1014]

JZ - 2-9-2020 at 09:48 PM

I had an I/O for years in San Carlos, Sonora where there are thousands of boats.

Finding someone that works on out drives that is good is ridiculously difficult.

Don't do it. Buy an outboard.

msteve1014 - 2-9-2020 at 10:30 PM

He's making a one way trip in a throwaway boat. A bayliner with an i/o will work.

pacificobob - 2-10-2020 at 07:44 AM

I think that a inspection, and oil analysis should be sufficient to determine if an outdrive has 100 trouble free hours remaining. In this application it should be fine....I'd include a satellite phone or similar in my kit.

caj13 - 2-10-2020 at 01:09 PM

Right,
if we find the right boat for 500 bucks, with a trashed sterndrive, we could pick up a rebuilt unit for 500 or so, (at least thats what I am seeing on the internet) that ought to last the 100 hours or so - whatever we need.

we have a long history of buying junk and making it last - we ran in over 2o - "24 hours of Lemons" races, 20 of em with the same vehicle, over 300 hours of racing with a 500 buck toyota supra! never cracked upen the engine.

I understand JZs concern - but thats why we are going sterndrive - a big part of the adventure is buying some el cheapo run down boat and making it run to the end of Baja.

By the way, that's the first 1/2 of our stupid adventure, the second 1/2 gets way stupider - after we abandon the boat, the trip home - and potentially way past home headed north, that's really ignorant!

[Edited on 2-10-2020 by caj13]

JZ - 2-10-2020 at 01:26 PM

I've made that run several times. Wouldn't bet my life or anyone else's on a hunk of junk.

msteve1014 - 2-10-2020 at 02:00 PM

They don't REALLY need the trailer, now do they??

mtgoat666 - 2-10-2020 at 02:07 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan

jz is right...
stupid idea to think a piece of junk will run you down to the tip...

there is NO vessel assist in baja...you are on your own

you need a back up crew with a trailer and parts and fuel...
and someone watching your back with a SPOT

how did ferdinand magellan and those other crazy cats from the middle ages cross oceans w/o sat phone, backup crew, and shore crew with trailer/parts -- and not even knowing if the world was flat or round?

mtgoat666 - 2-10-2020 at 02:09 PM

Quote: Originally posted by msteve1014

They don't REALLY need the trailer, now do they??

they should sell the trailer for $300 usd, and use that money for scotch and Drambuie to fuel the cruise with rusty nails :lol:

caj13 - 2-10-2020 at 02:28 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

I've made that run several times. Wouldn't bet my life or anyone else's on a hunk of junk.

You think thats bad, you ought to see what we have planned for the second 1/2 of the adventure!

JZ - 2-10-2020 at 03:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

They died at a super high rate.

AKgringo - 2-10-2020 at 03:53 PM

A concern I would have with older outdrives, is that most of them were carbureted. The effects of time, and storage could generate a build up of varnish or corrosion in any or all parts of the fuel system.

Add to that the effects that some of the additives in today's gasoline have on the older systems, and leaks and/or plugged lines and jets are likely to occur.

A leaky line could turn the engine compartment or bilge into a bomb waiting for an ignition source!

I am not saying don't go for it, but old fuel systems plus old wiring harnesses could end your trip in a bad way!

vacaenbaja - 10-23-2020 at 05:50 PM

Caveat. Stern drives with a torn or leaky bellows can sink you if

the leak overtakes your bilge pumps ability to bail. This

includes the shift cable rubber. As can cracked through hull

fittings.

LancairDriver - 10-23-2020 at 08:17 PM

I got rid of my last stern drive a couple years ago when it became hard to find a mechanic to stick their head under the deck to work on the engine. I went to a boat with twin Yamaha outboards and now everyone is happier. Much more comfortable crossing the Oregon river bars with Twin Outboard power and backup.

pacificobob - 10-24-2020 at 09:11 AM

i used to avoid stern drives and opt for OBs only. later generation stern drives have solved the issues that caused the poor reputation. [ especially true of high HP inboard diesels] oil temp is the biggest issue. aftermarket oil temp monitoring guages,and drive showers [water directed from the area of the cavitation plate and sprayed on the areas around the upper bearings] make all the difference .
a inboard diesel with an outdrive is far more fuel efficient than OBs.
finding good technicians to work on them is usually a pia. i would use one in Mexico if i was familiar with the maintenance history and make/model.
a career in aviation has me convinced that machines rarely fail catastrophically without warning. an operator who pays attention is rarely taken by surprise.

advrider - 10-24-2020 at 06:34 PM

Super cool idea! I don't know chit about boats but I would be so in for the adventure! I have about five friends that are buying scooters from CL for no more then $2000 then ridding them to cabo from Nor cal. If we make it they get donated to a charity for resale.
I like land travel better then sea because I can't drown, hit by a truck maybe!

ondahrd - 10-25-2020 at 08:44 AM

One reason for the lack of sterndrives in saltwater is corrosion on the drive itself, think of slow burning Alka-Seltzer, they just did not last. Only drives designed for saltwater last, but still have issues, as stated above.

Get an outboard with a small kicker to get you to shore. you will be happy you did and your trip will be successful.

Bob and Susan - 10-25-2020 at 12:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by advrider

... I have about five friends that are buying scooters from CL for no more then $2000 then ridding them to cabo from Nor cal....

Tioloco - 10-25-2020 at 01:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan

Quote: Originally posted by advrider

... I have about five friends that are buying scooters from CL for no more then $2000 then ridding them to cabo from Nor cal....

Hahahaha!!! Priceless!