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Old 09-28-2012, 10:39 PM   #14
Insequent
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City: Brisbane
Vessel Name: Insequent
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 50 Mk I
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,262
I don't see 15 kn as desireable. Either cruise efficiently at 8-10 or plane at 20. The latter is not sensibly achievable for most trawlers.

I'm playing the repower game right now. My fuel tanks leak and have to be replaced, and that means removing the engines. Stuff will get removed next week, so choices need to be made soon.

Given the cost of removal and reinstall of engines it makes sense to at least consider repower. The easy option is to replace hoses, recondition starters, pumps etc and put the old Cummins 555 back in. Trouble is, the list of things to prudently replace gets long, and cost mounts rather quickly. And I would still have old motors at the end, and the wrong size to boot. Way too much power for normal cruise, and only 15 knots (and 34gph) at WOT. And parts are expensive and perhaps will become more difficult to source when the inevitable R&M issues arise over the next few years.

So I've convinced myself. I think I'll go with new 6BT's, 210HP. JD would be 50% more for the engines and have higher install cost given the change instruments and wiring. Lugger is more pricey again, indeed downright expensive. I cant see that the ECU engines will be that much better given I'll likely run at about half rated/installed power. ECU really comes into its own when running at low power/rpm eg displacement speeds in a planing boat.

I figure the repower game is pretty rough. Make sure you are sitting down when you read the yard's price quotes. I'll do it only because the boat is a 10-15 year keeper.
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