Repower/refit

[skycheney]

I get the bug every so often to do a repower. This year I had more compliments than ever before on the boat. I guess since many of the older boats are not maintained well, you just don't see as many nice examples as you used to. But, I have around 5000 hours on the 6v92s that really do not push the boat where it needs to be for a legitimate fast cruise. My Allison transmissions turn the shafts in neutral with the oil cold and should probably be rebuilt as well. I also need to refinish the parquet floor in the pilothouse and we need new carpeting in the salon. SO.........what a great time to do all of that by repowering.

I have tried to look at what I could replace this boat with that would have the same room and amenities but cruise a little faster. All that I can come up with is a 49, 53 or 57 Marlow for between 1 and $2M used. And that ain't gonna happen. So why not repower?

I know I would never get my money back out of a repower but after 17 years of ownership, I think I could be happy with this boat for another 17+ years so I guess that doesn't matter. And at some point I would still have rebuilds to contend with anyway. This would be a huge undertaking though. I would have to tear out my pilothouse seat and bar area so I could cut in an engine room hatch for extraction. Then cut out the bulk heads in the hallway between the engine rooms to get the other one out. Then there is the clean up and fabrication of new mounts and new exhaust. The voltage issue too which I think I would go with 24v and convert everything over so I would use the original battery cable and switches and such.

I keep coming up with reasons to convince myself like: DD parts are getting harder to come by. No one makes a 32v inverter anymore, etc, etc. But the overall scope of the project continues to deter me, especially since everything still works great on the boat as is right now. So, I guess maybe I'll just start to investigate the options. I had always thought QSM11's would be great, but I have read that they have issues with the dry manifolds and turbos getting too hot and warping mounting surfaces resulting in exhaust leaks. So maybe Cat C12's or Volvo D11's would be a better choice. Then there is the shafting issue. I'm pretty sure my 2" two-piece shafts won't handle the extra horsepower, so I will also need all new struts and shafts and props. Wow, maybe its just too much to tackle. But it sure would be nice when it was complete.

[Avenger]

That's one of those "only you can answer that" questions. But I have to admit I'd like to see what a Motoryacht would run like with sportfish kind of power.

You might get away with Volvos in freshwater. Everyone here has problems with them and the parts are gawdawful expensive.

[yachtsmanwilly]

WOW!! What an undertaking. Consider going in from the side?? Look at Big Bill's boat with those JD 6 bangers... A TON of extra space, much less weight, farm tractor reliability, re-sale on the DDs and gears as well, and so on. Imagine a breakdown in say, Escanaba and having to wait a few weeks for parts? With all that sailor talk of old with penisis and pispal "stuffing the bow and having to break out", then "run for shore to beat the weather", do you ever really need to outrun a friggin' hurricane? Sheesh. How often honestly do you need to run faster than a light planing speed? I actually had a deal lined up for a pair of antique GM 6-110s naturals. Those were 1800 rpm motors at about say, 150 HP each, but enough torque to spin a bigger wheel.
I also think that unless ya need to make that run out to the canyons for an overnighter because the tuna are running, your 2" shafts will serve you well. The subs had some crevicing from sitting in low-ox seawater for years at a time. Still just hunky dory.

Hell, with your boat?? Id build two bulkheads for a dedicated engine room with man-doors on both ends and then with stairs aft to the master. As nice as your boat is SKY, who's really gonna give a shit when yer 6 feet under? Thats right around the corner too. Dont overthink it, KISS, and have it your way. I wouldnt hesitate on an easy repower! ws

[banned]

The last pair of QSM11's we bought was around 85K for the pair. I'm thinking you would not want to keep the Allison gears kind of goofy to have modern power and obsolete gears so another 25K for gears. I would get a trusted pro to quote the complete job. Then get a trusted pro to quote a rebuild of your engines and gears both quotes should be complete with you doing none of the work. Then you've got numbers in front of you and that might make it an easy decision. The re power the PO did on our 77 was more than I bought the boat for.


Brian

[krush]

You might can buy a 2000's 63' raised pilothouse or soon a 64 motoryacht for what likely will cost in money and time to repower and refit. The prices have gone up the last few months, but a 63' "raised pilothouse" probably could be had for around 400-500, lower after the coming crash.

Sell now with boats getting top dollar and buy in a year when everybody realized this stupid KungFlu response destroyed the economy and people are now poor.


edit: Just repower it with little 4 cylinder kubota engines and go hull speed everywhere LOLOLOL. You'll be able to carry the engine down through the existing doors.

[banned]

That may happen but it won't be from the kugflu it will be from putting sleepy Joe and his entourage of nit wits in the white house.



Brian

[skycheney]

Bill,
I don't need the extra speed/power, but it is nice to have. I'm not going to butcher up the boat to do a repower; no cutting of the hull. I can do carpentry work and no one will ever know that I took out the bar and pilothouse seat.

Krush,
I also don't need a wider beam. Its tough to get a slip for an 18' beam boat up here. I like being able to stern into a 40 x 17 slip if needed. Plus the 63/64 are just ugly.

Brian,
Good points on the pricing of both options to see where they come in.

[krush]

Ahh, ok. Beam limitation really cuts down on the choices. How about a sea-ray? (joking).

If you went from 32v to 24v, I doubt you would need to change much wiring, and possibly need to change none. Lights will all be low current LED. Any other devices will see negligible increase in current draw. I do wonder if Hatteras used the same wire gauge for the 32v that they used for the 12volt boats.

[skycheney]

Aug 18, 2020 20:27:46 GMT -5 krush said:

Ahh, ok. Beam limitation really cuts down on the choices. How about a sea-ray? (joking).

If you went from 32v to 24v, I doubt you would need to change much wiring, and possibly need to change none. Lights will all be low current LED. Any other devices will see negligible increase in current draw. I do wonder if Hatteras used the same wire gauge for the 32v that they used for the 12volt boats.

I don't think wire size would be an issue at all.

Now instead of a newer 63/64 Hatteras, I'd rather have this:

www.yachtworld.com/boats/2006/alaskan-56-pilothouse-3657889/

[rsmith]

Quit thinking and run what you got. My MH gears have been spinning in neutral for more hours than you have total. Worried about parts? You can probably but a set of 6/92 with gears for peanuts and stick them in a warehouse some where. I’ve been dickering with a guy with a set of 12/ns and MH gears for less than 3k I just need Krush to go get them for me.