I have been saying this for years. Soon it will trickle down to the smaller boats. Imagine a 32 Skater with 370hp yanmar and arneson drives. How about an Eliminator 28' cat with a diesel and a bmax drive. It's only a matter of time.

I think you're right marty. But the tragic thing in all of that is the reason why it will happen. It's because the technology which can make a gas motor a very powerful and reliable thing at the same time is not being used by industry leaders. Technology which is available right here and right now. If somebody came up with a gas motor that uses all technological advances available today, a big block would probably be around 750hp and be as reliable as a performance diesel like Yanmar. And they would actually make more sense for smaller boats because less weight means less of a need for big torque. As a fuel, I believe gasoline is superior to diesel, with better combustion characteristics and I think it would be sad to see people turn to diesels just because the gas engine development stalled somewhere in the 1970s. I think a 2004 technology gas motor would actually be better than a 2004 technology diesel but we're simply not offered that choice. We're currently forced to choose between a 2004 diesel and something like a 1970 gasoline motor. Not a fair comparison...

larry smith....

Wow,

Thinking of a diesel powered single on a 28' Pantera or a 30' Superboat. But how about the cost of the entire engine package of, say, a 350 or 370 with a surface drive or Bravo as compared to the cost of buying a gas powered and Bravo setup. Understandably, in the long run with maintenance and fuel consumpption I imagine the diesel setup is cheaper. But initially, what's the basic difference?

I'm not sure of the actual $ amount, but diesel will be considerably more.

not so sure. a yanmar 315 costs under 14K for a shipyard and a 440 will cost under 25K. A complete Trimax surface drive assembly is 5K. An Arneson ASD6 is more expensive but it's cheap compared to a #6 drive. Why are diesel boats so expensive then? Because manufacturers in general have the tendency to charge more when they do something different. Part of it is justified because of tooling-up costs, etc. Part of it is unjustified and done only because they feel that they can do it due to the fact that they're doing something new, catering for a fringe niche of the market which is more affluent, etc... But, with basic mechanics' cost the way it is now, there is no reason why a boat powered by twin Yanmars should be much more expensive that a boat powered by twin HP500s.

i'll go even further... if chuck wants a boat with 315 or 370 Yanmars and XRs, there is no reason why this boat should not actually be CHEAPER than an equivalent boat with 500s or even 496s...

So for about $19k I can set up a single 370 complete with drive, from top to bottom?

super termoli i am the one that owns that one off 21 hustler with the flame job, it is a wild ride let me tell ya...here of pic of my baby

I'm just curious about the subject, I'm looking to actually buy some thing much smaller.

Though it seems to me that a 22-24 deep vee (say 24 degree V) with a 300hp diesel would be a great boat. Sure it wouldn't do 70mph, but something like that could chug along at 50mph all day long. Or perhaps a 30ft sportboat with twin 300hp diesels. Same idea but for "bigger water."

Chuck