New Trawler Build: Introduction and First Question

[Donsan]

We drove by the facility about 4 weeks ago and saw 4 boats in production. Hull #2 had outboards on and looked like it was real close to completion. We got there about quitting time and didn't get to talk to anyone. I have since had a medical procedure and haven't had a chance to go back. Will be having PT in Melrose next week and will try to drive by again if conditions permit it. It is interesting the boats are being completed on their trailers.

Suspect main issue is owner options.

The last Great Harbour newsletter indicates Ken plans to take ownership of one of the boats.

[Carriage Guy]

For those not on Eric Kraft's email list, he has been posting daily factory pics of the final efforts being made to complete the unit for the US Powerboat show. 60+ initial pics from Tuesday plus folders for Wednesday thru today. Here is the dropbox link.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c2pmc4bz0...k1_Mdz5ya?dl=0

[Plane Nauti]

Thanks for the pics!

[Donsan]

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?

[Scratchnsaw]

Nice, I wonder if someone can tell me what size prop is on those engines? I take it that those engines are not the high thrust or big foot ones. I have just installed the DF 60A and in the process of getting close to the wheel. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Of course I know that the wheels can vary with different boats of course.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Donsan

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.

Is it March, May, or July yet? Oh, sorry, now the date is October. When will they actually deliver one to a customer?

[Donsan]

Originally Posted by BandB

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.

That might get the oil out but you still have the oil filter to deal with.

Originally Posted by Scratchnsaw

I take it that those engines are not the high thrust or big foot ones.

The specs say they are the high thrust/lean burn engines.

[sean9c]

Look like great cockpit seats.
Interesting they hung the o/b's on brackets instead of extending the hull and had the motors bolt to the transom. I'd gone for the extra waterline length.
Side deck steps look interesting. I hope there is a foredeck hatch you can use to access the foredeck.

[ssobol]

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.

[ssobol]

Originally Posted by sean9c

...Side deck steps look interesting. I hope there is a foredeck hatch you can use to access the foredeck.

Appears to be a fore deck hatch, but it is probably over the bed. I wouldn't want to use that as a regular means of access to the front.

My boat is arranged the same way (small cabin boat). Making your way to the front along the side "ledge" is easier than the hatch (IMO).

The only thing I would change is that the side ledge sweeps up sharply as you approach the steps. It would be better if the bottom "step" was flat especially when coming off the foredeck. It would be easy to add a piece to the "ledge" at the front to make a third step that was flat.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Donsan

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't get the filter in the water? Sorry but I have zero knowledge of the engine so may be a dumb question.

[Nomad Willy]

Originally Posted by ssobol

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.

Also Donsan these rules aren't absolute. I think if you talk to the Suzuki people they will probably tell you to stretch the change intervals without any unusual circumstances. Day after day of mid-load running may not stress the oil nearly as much as typical usage. Many people run outboards hard, don't warm them up and otherwise shorten the life of the oil. The oil change intervals were probably based on these average users. One or two changes may be all you need.

[boathealer]

Originally Posted by ssobol

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'......

[ssobol]

Originally Posted by boathealer

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'......

They are generally referred to as "jack plates" and are designed mostly to adjust the motor height when running. However, you could use one to raise the engine for servicing. It would depend on how high you wanted it to go.

I think some people are over-thinking this a bit.

Most servicing is on the power head which is under the top cover. If you have access to both sides (maybe by turning the motor) you can pretty much do everything but the impeller and lower unit oil with the motor on the boat and in the water. Just be careful not to drop anything.

You can use something like this to get the oil out:
https://www.amazon.com/Mityvac-7201-.../dp/B0002SR7TC

My outboard is a Honda and I have a swim step on both sides of the motor, so servicing is not a problem. You'd have to look at the specifics of the engine and the layout of the boat. In the case of the TT35 you may only have access to one side of the engine when the boat is afloat.

BTW, an outboard takes way less work to maintain than any inboard engine.

The twin 60's on the TT35 are probably not working all that hard and should need minimal maintenance.

You may not be allowed to service the engine (like change the oil) on the water because of environmental laws or marina rules than because of the engine setup.

There is a couple doing the Great Loop right now with an outboard powered C-Dory 25. Some of the same questions raised recently in this thread arose on their journey. You can find out how they handled them here:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php...aeb2dbaefd36f9
http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php...er=asc&start=0
https://daydreamsloop.blogspot.com/

P.S. I would be overjoyed to have an outboard powered trawler-type boat. If I could swing the money I'd already have a TT35 on order. Unfortunately, I don't have $250K lying around right now. Maybe I should look into that GoFundMe thing I've heard about.

[cardude01]

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.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by cardude01

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.

Well, the hope is they'll actually finish one and then it can be looked at and tested.

[Donsan]

Originally Posted by cardude01

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?

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Donsan

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?

I would think the boat is quirky and unique enough it would be an excellent boat to play with colors and paint and details on.

[Carriage Guy]

I read on the Great Harbor Facebook site that the OP's boat is now receiving it's finishing touches and so should be delivered soon. I hope they rejoin this thread or start a new one on the Great Harbor forum to share their experiences with their new boat.

[ssobol]

Don't know if this has already been mentioned in this thread, but

https://oldmanriverandcoco.blogspot.com/2017/12/

I was hoping that they would have one on display at last weekend's MIBS, but NSL.