jps wrote:
This is my first foray into diesel engines. I have a long relationship
with gas engines and figured that'd serve me well in keeping costs down.
It proved to be true.

Sure. Gas engines are more power for the weight but they
don't last as long and they don't get the fuel economy. The
savings of a gas engine goes away when you buy a new one.

I wonder if this familiarity with gas engines is why you
think a diesel is prime for replacement at 6k hours? Of
course you're very sensible to be concerned about the
condition of the engine(s) when shopping for a boat, no
matter what type.

... The big block Tolly I bought was $30K less than a
comparably equipped diesel model and I wasn't going to (and didn't)
cruise enough to justify the additional cost. Now, with fuel nearly 3X
the price, that's no longer an option.


Yep, changed the equation for considering repowering gas, too.




I'm skeptical of the whole boat, no matter the age, care, etc. One has
to be thorough when making these sorts of decisions.


Which is only right & smart... even with good care stuff on
boats tends to break down.



....plus the common
perception that a boat like this will be a fuel hog.


Please expound. Engine model? Hull design? Twins?


Combination of size, hull design, twins. This is a heavy
boat, not a slippery shape.


I also wonder if it's just beat-up looking and not
particularly well equipped. It could be a "bad first
impression" boat.


Probably needs cosmetic things. The equipment list is extensive.


And should be regarded in the same sceptical slant as the
engines. Was the equipment chosen well for the service, or
is it undersized (or skimpy in some other spec)? Was it
installed correctly? When my wife & I were boat shopping,
about half the boats we looked at had very fancy
charger/inverters & monitors that were fried (probably
within moments of when first turned on) and inoperable, with
installation problems that were obvious with very nominal
inspection.

For example, the air conditioner on our boat worked very
poorly until I ferreted out 3 problems with the way it was
installed... all of which were clearly spelled out in the
manual. Now it functions pretty well but it took me a couple
days worth of detective work. We got lucky on that one.

It can be satisfying work to replace/upgrade old boat
equipment, but it's an expensive hobby and it eats into your
cruising time.



Why would you not have diesels in a heavy inboard-powered
vessel?


As stated above. Difference in initial cost, deep knowledge of gas
engines, fuel costs not being the same factor. The Tolly gets approx.
1nm/gal at an easy cruise of 2650-2700 rpm with its BB 454s.


At what speed? What's the boat's displacement?

We burn approx a gallon every 3 ~ 5 nm but we're going
pretty slow (8 knots or less) in a ~10 ton 36 footer.



I met with Chuck before buying the Tolly in 2000. In fact, he showed me
a couple of examples but I ended up finding the one I wanted in a
boathouse in Canada.

After going through the process of considering how, where, how many,
etc. I thought I'd made a good decision. If fuel prices would've stayed
reasonable, my decision still would have held. Oh well.


You could always repower that Tolly with diesels. It's been
done, and brings some benefits like greater range.

Heck if you're really worried about fuel prices, get a sailboat!


Fair Skies
Doug King