Latest newsletter said it was still a few weeks away. Can't imagine what is taking so long but certainly they want to get it right as they are aiming to produce 50 boats a year.
Just PM me.
Info on the Suzuki DF60 outboards reveals oil change interval to be 100 hours after the 20 hour break-in oil change. Assuming a cruise speed of 10 miles per hour means an oil change every 1000 miles. To do the Great Loop is a 6000 mile or more trip. So won't that mean the boat will need to be hauled 6 times for the oil changes?
And at 8 knots would be 7 times. I'm not an outboard person, but can't you change the oil by pumping it out through the dipstick hole on those? I believe you can. So won't require hauling all those times if I'm right.
I take it that those engines are not the high thrust or big foot ones.
...Side deck steps look interesting. I hope there is a foredeck hatch you can use to access the foredeck.
That might get the oil out but you still have the oil filter to deal with.
The specs say they are the high thrust/lean burn engines.
You can suck the oil out with various oil removal devices (usually a manual vacuum pump) through the dipstick port. This can be done with the engine in the water if you can get to the side of the engine where the dipstick is located. Filter can also be changed with the engine in the water, no problem.
The boat may need to be hauled out to change the lower unit oil and impeller though. You may be able to remove the lower unit with the boat in the water and service it separately. But you would need a dock or a dinghy.
With an outboard you could also hook the motor to a hoist on the dock, unbolt it from the boat, and just haul only the engine out if it needed extensive servicing.
Often you can "rent" the marina travel lift for a couple of hours. Then haul the boat out and service the engines on the lift. With a little practice, you can probably change the engine oil, lower unit oil, and the impeller in less than an hour per engine.
You can suck the oil out with various oil removal devices (usually a manual vacuum pump) through the dipstick port. This can be done with the engine in the water if you can get to the side of the engine where the dipstick is located. Filter can also be changed with the engine in the water, no problem.
The boat may need to be hauled out to change the lower unit oil and impeller though. You may be able to remove the lower unit with the boat in the water and service it separately. But you would need a dock or a dinghy.
With an outboard you could also hook the motor to a hoist on the dock, unbolt it from the boat, and just haul only the engine out if it needed extensive servicing.
Often you can "rent" the marina travel lift for a couple of hours. Then haul the boat out and service the engines on the lift. With a little practice, you can probably change the engine oil, lower unit oil, and the impeller in less than an hour per engine.
Sure seems like an opportunity for someone to create a hydraulic/electrical/manual "gadget" - or an entirely new outboard bracket -
that would pivot 'up and over' moving the motor to a serviceable location - either in the cockpit or close(r) to the transom/gunnel.
Just dreamin'......
View attachment 69161
Saw this pic on FB. I'm a fan of this concept, but it's not a looker in this color configuration IMO. Slab-sided? Is that the phrase I'm looking for?
Maybe it just needs an emblem/sticker on the house to break up the white, or some kind of color contrast might help.
Saw this pic on FB. I'm a fan of this concept, but it's not a looker in this color configuration IMO. Slab-sided? Is that the phrase I'm looking for?
Maybe it just needs an emblem/sticker on the house to break up the white, or some kind of color contrast might help.
Could definitely use some color, emblems and other embellishments to break up the clorox feel. Maybe like auto detailing, eh? Wonder if any of the buyers will select awlgrip esmeralde?