This is accurate.
Lugger (NL) chose not to try and meet the new standards so stopped making Lugger brand engines. Lugger Bob was a mainstay on many forums (including Nordhavn Dreamers) prior to the decision and he confirmed their exit.
NL are mainly generators now, plus the Yanmars.
Because I have 2002 twin Luggers I really would like to understand why boats with singles - fishing vessels that ply the grand banks and recreational boats such as Nordhavns, swore by them.
What made the Luggers different from the JD, to an extent that these boats went Lugger rather than JD, or others?
Hello Mr. Menzies.
I have a single Lugger in our Nordhavn 62, so I have researched the topic a little bit. Mr. Bob Senter ("Lugger Bob" is a personal friend of mine). What makes a LUGGER so special is that they developed an engine which has the best-of-the-best concepts, all rolled into one propulsion package. For instance, they would take a Commercial Duty engine -one which is already familiar in industry, and adapt them into marine service, better than anyone else.
A typical lugger is a small package (around 20-30 HP per liter) which can withstand 40,000 hours with absolutely no issues whatsoever. Most people think DEERE when they think Lugger, but Lugger always chose the best commercial block available at the time. Our Lugger has a KOMATSU block, others have TOYOTA blocks, and many generators have SHIBAURA blocks. John Deere agriculture blocks are ofcourse iconic, so they were quite rightly used too.
Lugger engines were developed specifically for the Alaskan fishing fleet which many were designed as a single engine vessels - and therefore "reliability" was the foremost consideration. Of course they were expensive, so in the early years, the recreational market was not really considered. As recreational trawlers started crossing oceans with numbskulls onboard (like me) the Lugger found favour.
Ous is keel cooled, so never sees seawater, and the expansion tank is cupro-nickel so no anodes are required. It has proprietory filters which are superior (and more expensive) than no-name aftermarket brands. Fuel pumps, the best the industry had at the time, and so on with lubrication and breather aspects. I have a small carpet at the side of ours and I can often be seen 'praying' a debt of gratitude towards it. Our LUGGER will outlive me. no issues.
In recent years, as you have already said, Lugger chose not to chase the TIER engine exhaust game, and focused on where they CAN make a buck.
I personally have a love/hate relationship with marine diesel engines (being a sailor at heart), but I have spent the last 10 years studying every brand on the market. I learned a lot from BOAT DIESEL, and everyone on this Forum should be a member. So much great information there. There really is no 'bad' commercial grade marine diesel these days - as long as it's maintained of course, but I do find the Luggers very special.
If I was to do it all again though,,,, I would choose a YANMAR. Yup. Yanmar's are available in every country in the world, and come in every duty rating imaginable, and they do it with Japanese longevity. A Detroit Diesel specialist I know, who runs a MAN service business, confirmed my opinion. I asked him, You and your wife are crossing oceans, money no object, which engine would you choose, Gardiner, CAT, Cummins, Deere, Lugger, DD, MAN, Volvo, etc etc, ? He said Yanmar, confirming what I have learned over the past 10 years. Go find an independent marine mechanic and ask him his personal opinion. Those things just go and go. But in the meantime, I love LUGGER and will continue to wave the Lugger flag. Our boat has been one and a half times around the world, has over 10,000 hours on it, and the each cylinder compression tests as good as new. I can feel my body going into praying mode as I type this. Not one issue from the old girl, not one. (uhm,,, she does shed a little belt dust, but I'm learning to deal with that). I'm rambling now, but Yes, the LUGGER deserves the cult status that you sometimes hear about.