Aquador 25 Ce with VP D4/300 - performance ?

[JAH]

I'm hoping to buy one of these (a 2011 boat) and have so far taken her out for only a brief run at sea. My brief test run, with a fouled bottom (last scrubbed in May 2022) gave a WOT speed of 29kt and the engine wouldn't go more than 3000rpm, and she wasn't happy cruising above 22kt. It was also very slow to get onto the plane. All in all, rather disappointing.

I'm finding it hard to pin down the expected performance of this boat / engine combination. The only test review I can find is by Motor Boat Owner, which says that with the largest available engine (VP D4/300) she has a cruising speed of 28kt and WOT speed of 38kt at 3500rpm. I chose this boat because of that speed potential. Flipper Marine only quote a max speed of 34kt for the 27ft/3600kg Aquador 27 DC ( the 25ft boat in question is 2900kg).

She'll be lifted and scrubbed this week for a full survey and sea-trial; my question for you is what would be a reasonable target for cruise speed in kts and WOT speed in kts, when she will have a clean bottom and propellors ? The D4/300 engine shows 250 hrs runtime. VP's spec for the engine shows 3500rpm for WOT under load, so I would want it to achieve that.

Thanks in advance for your advice and views.

 

[chillee]

I'm hoping to buy one of these (a 2011 boat) and have so far taken her out for only a brief run at sea. My brief test run, with a fouled bottom (last scrubbed in May 2022) gave a WOT speed of 29kt and the engine wouldn't go more than 3000rpm, and she wasn't happy cruising above 22kt. It was also very slow to get onto the plane. All in all, rather disappointing.

I'm finding it hard to pin down the expected performance of this boat / engine combination. The only test review I can find is by Motor Boat Owner, which says that with the largest available engine (VP D4/300) she has a cruising speed of 28kt and WOT speed of 38kt at 3500rpm. I chose this boat because of that speed potential. Flipper Marine only quote a max speed of 34kt for the 27ft/3600kg Aquador 27 DC ( the 25ft boat in question is 2900kg).

She'll be lifted and scrubbed this week for a full survey and sea-trial; my question for you is what would be a reasonable target for cruise speed in kts and WOT speed in kts, when she will have a clean bottom and propellors ? The D4/300 engine shows 250 hrs runtime. VP's spec for the engine shows 3500rpm for WOT under load, so I would want it to achieve that.

Thanks in advance for your advice and views.

Hi, there are some quite active Aquador facebook groups, you would probably get some good input from those.
Search for 'Aquador boats' and 'Aquador tips and tricks'
Might be someone has re-propped her if you are not getting the performance your expecting.
My 26HT (1999), which I believe is the same length as yours, with KAD44 cruises at 20kts'ish at 2900 rpm. Can't remember WOT,as never both to go there.

 

[gordmac]

I would think a 28kn cruise speed would be about right.

 

[JAH]

I would think a 28kn cruise speed would be about right.

Hi Gordmac - what's your basis for thinking that ?

 

[gordmac]

I had a look at the Aquadors when I was looking for a replacement boat. I got a Botnia Tarfish 820 which is slightly bigger with 310hp, it will cruise at that.
When you sea trial the boat make sure it reaches 3500rpm and temp and oil pressure remain steady.

 

[SC35]

I would think a 28kn cruise speed would be about right.

Because a D4-Series engine cruise RPM is around 2900-3100rpm, and you managed to hit 28kts even with the fouling.
I don't see how you can resolve this without having the hull and props scrubbed and trying again ... there could be other things causing the loss of speed.