How fast is your Californian?

[Per]

my neighbor a few boats down has the same boat as me, 38' LRC but his is 2 years younger, from 84 and has the 300HP 3208s.
he says he gets it up to 24 knots no problem... pretty fast.
wondering what others in the group have experienced?

 

[chc]

I have a 1984 34 LRC with Detroit 8.2's Normally I cruise at 8-9 kts.* When needed I can get 22 to 24 kts at WOT. Not comfortable pushing these older engines hard, but it is there if we need it. When we first got the boat we could hit 25 kts easily, but we have added batteries, cabinets, etc as the boat is set up for criusing. That has cost us a bit of speed. Not important fgor our usage style

 

[FlyWright]

1977 34 LRC with 4.236 85 HP Perkins. Although sometimes I think it's got 2 speeds, on and off, I use an 8 Kts cruise, WOT is 10 Kts.

 

[Brbdwire]

Cruising speed

2 ft. Swells, no wind, twin 300hp 3208T, 38’ LRC Sedan gives me 20 mph @ 2400 rpm

 

[tenforward]

My 38 Sedan with 300HP CATs topped out around 20kts @ 2800rpm before adding a 1000lb gyro. I suspect a bit under that now with the added weight but I really haven't checked it.

24kts sounds like performance I've heard out of the 375HP CATs on a 38.

 

[FlyWright]

I've been aboard CHC's 34 LRC with Detroit Diesel 250HP 4-stroke twins. We opened her up and saw 23 Kts on the Chesapeake Bay a couple years ago!

The bow rose so high that the lower helm was unusable...had to drive from the FB.

 

[boomsurf]

Our 42 LRC will supposedly do 12-14kts with the Cat 3208NA at 210hp. We've never taken it past 9.5 but it felt like there was a lot left.

 

[Raaf]

I have seen 22 Kts on my '79 Californian 34 with twin Perkins Turbodiesels in smooth conditions. That was before improved cooling and rebuilt turbos - hope to retest soon.

That said, at that speed, you are fighting against all of nature and the laws of physics. It's fun, but truly unnatural. The wake is something to behold - some jet skiers personal bested that day.

 

[Art]

Twin Mercruiser 350 cid / 255 hp.

With trim tabs correctly positioned... to have boat reach highest GPS speed at a particular rpm.

Engines were doing 3300 to 3500 rpm [tacs never match]. However, at any speed... I always make engines run in sync [i.e., same rpm] with strobe-light diode synchronizer. In this instance [photo] don't know SOL for sure because don't know speed of current... didn't even take notice of its direction! GPS read 16 +/- knots.

Wake would have looked cooler if bimini had been up or sheathed.

 

[Jetwag03]

Our 38 Sedan powered by 300 hp CAT 3208’s likes 8-10 kts, I ran up to 3000 rpm and made 19kts, with a clean bottom but that creates a lot of heat and I assume burning tons of diesel so probably not good for these 40 year old beast.

 

[FlyWright]

Twin Mercruiser 350 cid / 255 hp.

With trim tabs correctly positioned... to have boat reach highest GPS speed at a particular rpm.

Engines were doing 3300 to 3500 rpm [tacs never match]. However, at any speed... I always make engines run in sync [i.e., same rpm] with strobe-light diode synchronizer. In this instance [photo] don't know SOL for sure because don't know speed of current... didn't even take notice of its direction! GPS read 16 +/- knots.

Wake would have looked cooler if bimini had been up or sheathed.

Not a Californian...

 

[Art]

Not a Californian...

No kidding! Just a comparison...

When I get bored with some of wife's TY shows - I sometimes post on TF for no qualified reason!

Please don't be mad on me! :lol:

 

[FlyWright]

no kidding! Just a comparison...

When i get bored with some of wife's ty shows - i sometimes post on tf for no qualified reason! :d

please don't be mad on me! :lol:

lol!

 

[RalphU]

I'm currently looking at an 85 Californian 35' Convertable. really like the layout. Very mu h like a trawler. Draw ba k I see is it has Crusader 350 gas engines. Anyone have any info on this type of boat? Anything I should watch for?

 

[Art]

I'm currently looking at an 85 Californian 35' Convertable. really like the layout. Very mu h like a trawler. Draw ba k I see is it has Crusader 350 gas engines. Anyone have any info on this type of boat? Anything I should watch for?

Hi Ralph... Welcome to TF.

Gasoline engines, tanks and lines are not bad if you really know how to properly handle them - because - gas fumes can suddenly explode if that fluid is not cared for correctly! That explosion could maim or kill you and others.

That said, properly handled [if a boat owner is secure in doing so] gas engines can be a joy to own due to reduced costs on many levels as well as what I feel is reduced maintainance needs compared to diesels. Not that diesels are bad at all to have in a boat. I've had both.

Cheers! - Art

 

[mvweebles]

Hi Ralph... Welcome to TF.



Gasoline engines, tanks and lines are not bad if you really know how to properly handle them - because - gas fumes can suddenly explode if that fluid is not cared for correctly! That explosion could maim or kill you and others.

Yep. A friend's boat a few years ago. I forget what happened. His family had owned the boat since new, about 10 years old. He's a small plane pilot and pretty fastidious with maintenance.

My biggest gripe with gassers though is resale. More difficult to sell.,

Good luck with, whatever you decide
,
Peter

 

[Art]

Yep. A friend's boat a few years ago. I forget what happened. His family had owned the boat since new, about 10 years old. He's a small plane pilot and pretty fastidious with maintenance.

My biggest gripe with gassers though is resale. More difficult to sell.,

Good luck with, whatever you decide
,
Peter View attachment 132796

Gas powered boats are only more difficult to sell to persons that are affixed to "diesel only" boats because they think diesel boat's engine/fuel doesn't burn!

What is scavenge fire in diesel engine?
A scavenge fire can occur when the accumulated oil in the scavenge spaces are ignited by blow past from the combustion space. The oil within the scavenge space is present due to the drainage from the piston ring area, and should flow out of the engine under constant “blow down” into a drain tank.

How do you stop a scavenging fire?
Prevention of Scavenge Fire
Clean scavenge space and drain at regular intervals.
Keep scavenge space drain open at regular intervals.
Excess cylinder lubrication must be avoided.
In case of timed lubrication, the time has to be checked as per PMS.
Piston rings must be properly maintained and lubricated adequately.

Scavenge Fire - Marine Diesel Engine

Yacht that caught fire Saturday continues to leak diesel fuel

Boat fire breaks out at Portsmouth marina

 

[mvweebles]

Gas powered boats are only more difficult to sell to persons that are affixed to "diesel only" boats because they think diesel boat's engine/fuel doesn't burn!

Not intending this to be a gas vs diesel thread. The strengths and weaknesses of each are well discussed elsewhere. Suffice to say that the buyer perception is that diesel is strongly preferred in trawler-esque boats generally owned on this forum.

Perception is reality. Rightly or wrongly, selling a gasser will severely limit your market. With possible exception of a full-bloom crop of topside blisters, I can't think of anything else that would have a similarly market-narrowing effect that selling a gasser where 99% of the sisterships are diesel.

Peter

 

[Greg QS]

Cheaper to buy. Gassers don't last that long. You will pay for it in fuel consumption. Gassers simply uses considerably more fuel.

Had a 34 sf gas went to a 42 sf diesel used 50% less fuel!

 

[Art]

Peter - How much you want to bet the photo you placed in post #16 [with no reference to any article listed] is diesel powered? It's surely looks big and heavy enough to be so.

Which brings up this point of interest for inexperienced boat buyers.

Gasoline engines are very different that diesel engines due to virtually no limit to the size and horsepower as well as the increased torque that diesel engines can be designed to turn out [which basically = the diesel engine being enlarged].

Soooo as a general rule of thumb [this is my choice of words]: Gas engines about reach their limit of HP and torque for being able to sufficiently power boats when the boat reaches about 45'. Larger than that size boat... diesels are the powerful engines that are usually substantially needed to be utilized.

Happy Boating Daze! - Art

 

[mvweebles]

Peter - How much you want to bet the photo you placed in post #16 [with no reference to any article listed] is diesel powered? It's surely looks big and heavy enough to be so:

As mentioned, its a friend's boat. His father purchased it new about 10-years prior. So I know for a fact it is a gas powered boat. I think it was in the 32 foot range but I really don't remember. He replaced it with something similar - gas and all.

To circle back, someone upthread asked about a Californian gasser. Frankly, I didn't think they made any but I don't know the brand well. Gas engines are lighter and in older models, had a better power to weight ratio so you could get more oomph in them so the boat would actually plane more easily. I recall doing a sea trial on a Bayliner 3288 with a pair of small Hino diesels and it just wouldn't plane. The buyer who hired me really, really wanted diesels which was not common for this boat. I liked the boat but recommended he consider gas - a boat like that is a planing boat (similar to thr Molatov Cocktail boat pic I posted) . He bought it anyway.

So a couple things. I'm not afraid of gas. And there is a strong market perception that diesel is vastly superior. Art, in the end, I suspect we agree on much here - pretty sure you're saying there's a place for a gasser but requires additional caution. My only point is that while I agree with you, the market perception is much more tenacious against gasser than that, at least in this segment.

Peter.

 

[Art]

Peter -

 

[RickyD]

My 65,000 pound Cal 55 CPMY with Cat 3208 425 hp engines will hit 17 knots at 2650 RPMs. I know it does not hit stated max RPMs of 2800 but I normally run at 10 knots 1750 RPMs.

 

[Art]

My 65,000 pound Cal 55 CPMY with Cat 3208 425 hp engines will hit 17 knots at 2650 RPMs. I know it does not hit stated max RPMs of 2800 but I normally run at 10 knots 1750 RPMs.

10 knots is about your boat's "hull speed" [53' WLL calcs in at 9.75 knots]

What nmpg do you get at continuous 10 knot cruise speed and what nmpg difference occurs if you cruise at 9 knots rather than 10?

As comparison... what nmpg do you figure you'd get get at a continuous 17 knots?

 

[RickyD]

10 knots is about your boat's "hull speed" [53' WLL calcs in at 9.75 knots]

What nmpg do you get at continuous 10 knot cruise speed and what nmpg difference occurs if you cruise at 9 knots rather than 10?

As comparison... what nmpg do you figure you'd get get at a continuous 17 knots?

I get about 1 gallon per mile at 10 knots. When you look at the torque curve for these engines they really start to shine at 1800 RPMs so 1750 is a good sweet spot for me. One stat that had me very confused but I confirmed it over and over, I average 7.78 gallons per run hour. But that includes idle time and putting around the marina.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Talking 25 or 26 knotts in a trawler forum? I think you are in the wrong place.

When I am cruising at around 8 knotts I tell my friends the only way this boat could go faster is to drive it over a waterfall!

pete

 

[jclays]

I had a 1966 Californian express with twin 350 gas. Very easy to work on and very safe. Vent before you start up or after getting gas. No different to fix or run than a 1970 pick up.

 

[Art]

I had a 1966 Californian express with twin 350 gas. Very easy to work on and very safe. Vent before you start up or after getting gas. No different to fix or run than a 1970 pick up.

Ya gotta luv them grand ol' quad carb equipped 350 cid Chevy engines. Bet you got decent mileage and good performance too! Sync those baby's in at just below hull speed and it's a magic music hum!

 

[Island Time]

my neighbor a few boats down has the same boat as me, 38' LRC but his is 2 years younger, from 84 and has the 300HP 3208s.
he says he gets it up to 24 knots no problem... pretty fast.
wondering what others in the group have experienced?

Our 30' only gets up to about 7-8 kts, but very economical.