How shallow should I run my drive?Bravo-->TRS (now)--->option for Konrad later...

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

B & M introduced a shiftable marine trannie in the mid 90's. Its intention was to have a low gear to make a big propped boat more manageable around the dock. It had a 2.2 reduction in reverse. I installed a pair of them in a 32 Hustler with 572 tunnel ram motors and #3 speedies. Seemed to work OK. Boat ran a little over a hundred. Must have been in 1995.

Never saw or heard about them ever again. Seems they never caught on.

 

[Faster7]

You will definitely have a bunch of time in it.

Well, if you're proceeding, we will definitely be interested in following along and trying to help with any issues you run into.

Best of luck.

Much appreciated!!! Yes, I'll post here as it progresses.

Pinging an engineer friend to look at some material/strength numbers for me.... I'm ok with building part of it as way-overkill strength, but of course if 15+lbs could come out of it by aluminum VS steel and thickness of some of the materials, it's certainly an application where I'd save the weight if I can!

B & M introduced a shiftable marine trannie in the mid 90's. Its intention was to have a low gear to make a big propped boat more manageable around the dock. It had a 2.2 reduction in reverse. I installed a pair of them in a 32 Hustler with 572 tunnel ram motors and #3 speedies. Seemed to work OK. Boat ran a little over a hundred. Must have been in 1995.

Never saw or heard about them ever again. Seems they never caught on.

It will certainly be able to make a bunch of thrust on demand in reverse. I'll have it rev-limit pretty low in neutral and reverse once I see how it acts. I won't be on the controls if I'm at the end of a rope back there somewhere....

 

[rschap1]

I don't see any way that you would not have way more $$$ into conversion than replacing the Bravo already in place.
All the little details add up.
Let alone the time and effort.
Then even if it were a vast improvement, resale is out the window.
Whatever you could sell the boat for as is, or repaired in stock fashion is now near zero.
Sounds like you are just looking for a project for the sake of a project, but keep in mind your heading nearly exactly opposite of what the majority of the boating world would or does do.
I enjoy day dreaming about projects, but this seems just like an exercise with no pay off in any way.
I can't imagine adding all the weight and upsetting balance (like said) will do anything good.
And have to believe by the time all the details are worked out it will be a WAY bigger waste of funds than originally estimated.
Sorry to be a black cloud, but it is the way I see it.
Would enjoy seeing it happen if it turned out a success and wish you luck if you just have to go down that road.

 

[Ratickle]

This will certainly be interesting.