Thread: Repower Options
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Old 11-25-2015, 03:24 PM   #1
remwines
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City: Jamestown, Ca.
Vessel Name: Down East Yankee
Vessel Model: Defever 40 by Down East
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 122
Repower Options

I have ’79 DeFever Down East 40 with the original single Ford SSD 655M engine. The engine runs fine, smooth and starts quickly, but it is a very obscure and obsolete engine. I have run across only one boat shop that has even heard of this engine. It is the same engine as the Iveco Aifo 8061.04*05G made by Fiat, just marketed by Ford in the USA in the late 70's. Parts are nearly impossible to find today.

I keep the boat in the SF Bay area and if I were going to just cruise locally, I would probably leave that engine in place. But I plan on running it up to the Puget Sound for a couple of seasons, and making the inside passage to Alaska at least one time is on my bucket list. I just do not have enough confidence that this engine will make the trip. So my obvious question is; what are the smartest repower options. I can have a new modern engine dropped in, but I also have the shop and skills to rebuild a take-out marine engine. Here’s some of the current specs on the boat.
• DE 40: (same hull as DeFever Passagemaker), 30,000 lbs full displacement
• Engine: Ford SSD 655M, Inline 6, 117hp, 2300 RPM full throttle
• 6.9 knots @ 1900 RPM
• BW transmission (don’t know gear ratio, will check)
• 25x19 three blade prop
I am shooting for the same or a bit more speed. I have been reading posts from the Trawler Forum and DeFever Cruiser Forum. Cummins BT6 and John Deere variants’ seen to be popular. I like simple, so I am somewhat concerned with newer electronically controlled and turbo engines. They may increase efficiency and performance, but in my mind they have more things to fail. I’d hate to be stuck in a British Columbia fiord with a failed electronic engine component.

It will be a couple of years before I make the Alaska trip, so I am in no particular rush to repower. But getting it done sooner will allow more time for me to shake out the bugs. Any opinions or personal experiences will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Bob Mills
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