Diesel engines on a Sunseeker Thunderhawk 43???

I

ibz2013

New Member
Joined
24 Nov 2013
Messages
10
www.smartcharteribiza.com
Hi,

So I am going to see a Thunderhawk 43 next week. The boat is 20 years old and has 20 year old Volvo Penta diesels. I am not 100% sure, but from what I can see from photos and the adverts, the engines appear to be AQ41s with 197 HP. They have 1200 hours.

The boat has had one owner, who claims to have maintained the boat and engines fanatically and has invoices to back up his claims. He says the engines are in great condition.

I have a couple of questions:

How much life have these engines got left in them after 1200 hours?

Are these engines powerful enough to get a 43 foot boat going when fully loaded with 10 people on board?

I would be really grateful for any advice.

Thanks!
 
I have these engines in a slightly older Portofino 31.
I believe that 1200 hrs would be considered low but it is all subject to the quality of the servicing.
The bits that get missed are those that are hard to get to so find out what the service regime is and then see if you can get to the items concerned.
On mine its the rear of the engine that is very hard to access making it very awkward (but not impossible) to get to the grease nipple for the steering helmet.
Hence I had a big bill to replace mine 6 months after purchase.
 
ibz2013 said:
Hi,

So I am going to see a Thunderhawk 43 next week. The boat is 20 years old and has 20 year old Volvo Penta diesels. I am not 100% sure, but from what I can see from photos and the adverts, the engines appear to be AQ41s with 197 HP. They have 1200 hours.

The boat has had one owner, who claims to have maintained the boat and engines fanatically and has invoices to back up his claims. He says the engines are in great condition.

I have a couple of questions:

How much life have these engines got left in them after 1200 hours?

Are these engines powerful enough to get a 43 foot boat going when fully loaded with 10 people on board?

I would be really grateful for any advice.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Not quite sure why you have asked the same question in two different threads?
 
dpb said:
I have these engines in a slightly older Portofino 31.
I believe that 1200 hrs would be considered low but it is all subject to the quality of the servicing.
The bits that get missed are those that are hard to get to so find out what the service regime is and then see if you can get to the items concerned.
On mine its the rear of the engine that is very hard to access making it very awkward (but not impossible) to get to the grease nipple for the steering helmet.
Hence I had a big bill to replace mine 6 months after purchase.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, I will keep that in mind when I go to see it.

What about power? You say you have the same engines on a 31, but I´m looking at a 43!

I don't need the boat to be fast and I really don't care about top speed. I just need it to be able to cruise comfortably with 10 people and a full tank. Should I be concerned with these engines? The boat will be out of the water when I go to see it, so won't be able to test drive it for a while.

Thanks
 
ibz2013 said:
Thanks for the advice, I will keep that in mind when I go to see it.

What about power? You say you have the same engines on a 31, but I´m looking at a 43!

I don't need the boat to be fast and I really don't care about top speed. I just need it to be able to cruise comfortably with 10 people and a full tank. Should I be concerned with these engines? The boat will be out of the water when I go to see it, so won't be able to test drive it for a while.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I've KAD43's with nearly 1100 hrs and they haven't missed a beat. As far as performance is concerned I'd imagine a 43' boat with 10 people on board and 'only' twin(?) 200hp's won't be lightning to get onto the plan, it may even struggle. But once going given the sleek design, should be ok.
 
KevB said:
I've KAD43's with nearly 1100 hrs and they haven't missed a beat. As far as performance is concerned I'd imagine a 43' boat with 10 people on board and 'only' twin(?) 200hp's won't be lightning to get onto the plan, it may even struggle. But once going given the sleek design, should be ok.
Click to expand...

my thoughts too.... its not going to be a flying machine...
 
Depending on MAINTENANCE, 1200 hrs is just run in!

However, 400hp ain't going to cut it on a 43' boat.

My boat is 39' with 600 hp (twin TAMD61A, just shy of 3000 hrs run) and I max out at 25kts.

If it's really only 400hp, I don't think it will even plane with 10 people and full tanks...
 
A Thunderhawk 43 is a very VERY different boat to a Princess 385 though. It's a high performance sportboat not a big flybridge cruiser.

Lighter, sleeker, much slimmer, and outdrives not shafts and rudders. So a whole lot less weight and drag.

To answer the question, I think it would plane with 10 people on board, but I wouldn't want to bet the farm on it. You need to try it.
 
Agreed, however, I would expect a sunseeker to be quick, and 400hp feels underpowered to me. Shaft driven cruiser it is not, but that's still quite a lot of boat!!

Absolutely happy to be proved wrong, but if I was buying it, I'd want to see the performance first! Surely there's Thunderhawk 43's with bigger engines? Nb - no research done yet. I feel a google coming on..:)
 
Well, I´m going to see the boat tomorrow, so will know for sure if it really does have just a pair of 200s.

Anything in particular to look out for on either the boat, hull or engines? If it looks good I will see it again with a mechanic to have a good look at the engines.
 
Not a sunseeker specialist, but with any fast boat, check under and behind internal fittings for stress cracks on the interior hull mouldings. Particularly around bulkhead, stringer and any other structure glassed to the hull itself.

Outdrive boots and gaiters. If you can, pop out the dipstick (volvo drives) and check for clean oil. Milky oil = expensive.

Either way, budget c£2k to have major drive service done as soon as you buy the boat (assuming you do buy it, of course!!)
 
http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/856136/
Is this it ?
200hp will be fine -diesel should do 35 + knots
These are long and thin V deep Vee = great sea boats
400hp will be petrols - 40 + knots -avoid thirsty and think about resale?

As Volvo over the years have developed Sunseeker reacted building wider heavier boats in line with ever increasing Hp and customer demand ( market maturity )
This one 200 hp @ 6000kg @ 3.3m beam
Mine 285 hp@ 8000kg. @ 3.55. Beam
Latest P40 370 hp @ 10500 kg @ 3.87 beam All Unlaiden
All cruise 28-30 knots easily 26 -27 all day
As you say second viewing take a mechanic - ideally then progress to sea trial - somehow? .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

Stampede
Volvo Penta DP-H steering hydraulic Hose Replacement
Replies
8
Views
310
Stampede
Stampede
boatmike
Merry Fisher 695
Replies
3
Views
225
Bouba
Bouba
J
Volvo Penta MD5a
Replies
2
Views
179
JohnBeck
J

Share this page

Top