Boat RECYCLE

I am no enthusiast of putting the required work into any boat that had sunk , esp if the interior was trashed.

However there are HUGE bargans out there with boats that are currently unloved due to the fuel price.

Boats4sale.com** is a local rag with an internet site.

There are dozens more that do not require a broker to list (as Yachtworld does) saving another 10%.



A quick look found a number of big gassers that would be great cruisers.

A conversion to diesel would ONLY pay for someone that was going to keep the boat cruising a long time, or someone with the skill set to do it on the cheap.

I believe $10 ,000 would get 2 smallish* diesels ( Used marinized truck takeouts) in for the good scrounger , with a wrench and a trailer to lower shipping costs.

41ft* is about as big as two rated 300hp car conversions could ever be expexted to push so this doesn't work if you need a roomaran 65.

At disp speeds these hulls are not efficient , but happily gas engines are , so the first question would be an assement of the cost of just cruising it AS IS.

Figure 80 hp will be needed to go SL x 1.1 or so, so 8gph total* of gasoline to cruise.* Figure your annual or projected 5 year cruising .



The same 80hp would be 4 gph total in a diesel.

Found were 41 Hatteris aft cabin $22,000

another Hat 41 with better T/440 chryslers at $36,000

35 Chris Craft convert** $25,000

36 Uniflite sedan repowered* $29,500

*34 Mainship trawler diesel, $39,990

*37 Lang Trawler 6-71 $30,000

The Hat's were great built boats as is the Uniflite .

Something to think about* is these boats are far more common on the Great Lakes , so selling competition would be higher than in New England area/

And if a recession does come , the price of* oil will be $40.00 a BBL so gas should go back under $2.00.And these boats AS IS will be desireable once again.

An engine can only be de-rated so much .

Its not just the injectors and turbo , the compression ratio of an ex turbo engine would be too low.

Far simpler would be to actually measure the fuel flow at the desired speed , and SELL the 8V992 , but keep the SAE 1 tranny.

Then install a 2-71 or 3-71 and have a quiet cheap to keep boat.

The swop might even pay for it self , labor excluded.

A 2-71 noisemaker and 2,,2-71 engines would sure be EZ to service.

A 1973 Chris Craft Roamer 60 w/rebuilt 12v71TI engines and a newish Imron paint job sold on ebay for $60,000 a week or two ago. It almost hurt to see that one go.

Rather than swapping out good running Detroits, a better option might just be to put large props and small injectors on and then toss pyrometers on the exhaust. There's a fellow who's done this with a 60' Hatteras w/ 12v71TIs and has managed 3nmpg at trawler speeds while his exhaust temps are spot-on where they're supposed to be.

The DD are frequently run as gensets at 1200rpm , with a really hard load at that speed they will be reasonably efficient.

EVERY engine gets far better efficiency and longevity when fully loaded at cruise speed .

For more lightly used lakes boats,

GREATLAKESBOATSEARCH.com may be of interest.

Regarding repowering the gassers:

Would you typically have to replace fuel tanks?* I seem to remember that a lot of the older gas boats have galvanized steel tanks, which wouldn't work with diesel (unless you could be certain of nothing but ULSD fuel).

Would you typically have to replace fuel tanks?

Maybe , but almost all the GRP tanks have been replaced already.

A custom bladder is a simple but fast way to solve a problem in a tank that is structurally sound.

Who makes bladders for diesel tanks? My tanks are aluminum but they are 25 years old now even though I'm not having problems I would like to have some options if I ever do.

I think you may be confusing galvanized with GRP.* GRP is glass reinforced plastic or simply fiberglass, which is still commonly used by many manufacturers.

-- Edited by OkSkipper at 08:51, 2008-10-10

" GRP is glass reinforced plastic or simply fiberglass, which is still commonly used by many manufacturers."

Rifgt! BUT , none have been able to use GRP to create gasoline tanks.

The new 10%= alcohol disolves GRP resin.

AS soon as I run across the contact info for the bladder tanks I will post it.

Gave a pile of mags to the marina , yesterday , but the commercial mags come frequently.

May also be in Boats and Harbors.

FF

Bladder tanks made by Turtle Pac here in Australia but think they are an International Co.
I have just purchased a 500 lt onas a deck tank for extra range on long trips to the boonies.
I carry 3000 lts (750 gal US) and the 500 lt (125 gal US) gives me an extra 27 hrs steaming at cruise (8 Knots).

Petrol tanks can be cleaned for diesel just using hot water with reasonable pressure and through pumping, drying and venting.
Product tankers do this all the time to carry changes in cargo and must meet stringent requirements even to the change over to carry LO where we would hand wipe the last of a 500 Tonne capacity tank.

Benn

www.aitfuelcells.com

These can be installed thru a small hole and removed to clean .if necessary the same way.,



FF

FF, I couldn't get the link to work.

OK try 800-526-5330

Aero Tec Laboratories Ramsey NJ 07446

http://www.atlinc.com/

Or google Aero Tec Laboratories and you will get to the site.

Simple enough for the simple folk?

-- Edited by FF at 05:53, 2008-10-16

http://www.hsmarine.com/Cummins6BT.htm

If you have a copy of Boats and Harbors you can find new OEM engines fairly cheap.

Or off to the junk yard for a good runner , and a kit from these guys.

WWFFD? No I prefer dry stack and a keel cooler , but for folks that need their hands held, it may be a good source for a cheap to keep engine.

FF