Diesel powered sport boats?
#21
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.
#22
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...
#24
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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?
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?
#26
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.
#27
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...
#30
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Originally posted by super termoli
i'll go even further... if chuck wants ...
i'll go even further... if chuck wants ...
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