Engine Hours

[Tucepi]

I am looking at buying a 1989 Birchwood 37 supersport (similar to a TS37)
The Volvo 200HP engines have about 1,900 to 2,000 hours.

Although they have supposed to have been serviced and looked after, would you experienced folk say that this is excessive.

Or in car terminology high mileage and reaching the age of money spent overhauling etc?

Thanks in advance for what I know will be worthwhile advice.

 

[KevL]

Think you will find some guidance here.

http://www.yachtsurvey.com

KevL

--
It may be the early bird that catches the worm but its the second mouse that gets the cheese.

 

[adarcy]

I am afraid this comes round again and again, you could do a search on engine hours.

Anyway, there are 2 schools of thought.

1 (because I belong to it) 2000 hrs in a lorry say average speed of switch-on time as 25 MPH = 50,000 miles = hardly run in. More of a prob is the 13 years, not because of excessive hours/year (anything but) but the length of time for it to rot/rust. Lack of use is the great killer of boat engines but if it has been properly serviced by TIME not by hours run then you should have no fears.
Our Cats have >1450 hours and seem, fine fingers and all else crossed.

2 In the view of the other group anything that is newer (ie used less) is less worn out and is therefore automatically better.

Its exactly the same argument of buying a high mileage rep's car versus low mileage car that granny only ran to the shops once a week.

As there are more buyers that hold to view 2 you will pay less for a high hour boat but get less and maybe have more difficulty selling it with even more hours on it later. If you plan to keep it long enough you may have to/ want to re-engine it eventually anyway and you've paid less.

Yer pays yer money and makes yer choice.....

 

[kimhollamby]

I agree with all of this; sadly the point 2 people (low hours best) clearly haven't seen the inside of an engine that's only done 50 hours in three years; often not pretty.

As long as the price is right (purely because of the market) I'd take the high hour engines. Probably you'll find other bits of the machinery on the boat working well too because it has been used.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[byron]

I would be more concerned about by a Birchwood than the engines that are in it. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

http://www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[BarryH]

I would,nt worry about the engine hours thing too much. I've got a 14 year old boat with avolvo petrol. It gets used 12 months of the year, thrashed all over the place, gets 3 oil changes a year and it loves it. Earlier in the year it threw a valve. Head off and it was as clean as a whistle inside. Thats from a marinized car engine. The engines your looking at are marinized lorry lumps. As long as they've been looked after and the oil kept clean I wouldn't worry too much. How many hours a year does the average truck run, pulling how many tons!

 

[stuartw]

Stick to the point.

I think comments like that, are not exactly helpfull.
Perhaps you could offer, a more constructive guidance, after all most people seem to perceive, rightly or wrongly, YOU have great experience.

I personally feel that those sort of engine hours are acceptable, no matter what hull they are in.
The price will also determine if it is worth the "risk".

2000 odd hours is not a lot over 10 - 15 years

 

[Tucepi]

Glad I asked, thanks, this certainly proves to me that forums can help the less experienced.

 

[BarryH]

Just an aside, if you want to be really sure about the engines. You could always take a sample of the engine oil and have it analised. They can tell you how much metal is in it and how long it was since the last change ie if its past its best and not affording protection. It won't give you an exact picture, but enough to give an idea if the 'regularly serviced' bit in the ad is true.

 

[tcm]

Re: he did stick to the point tho?.

Easy, stuartw!? the original post mentioned the birchwood first and then the volvos. Everyone bouced in on the volvos. Byron commented adversely on the boats itself, seem very much to the point , no? I understand byron has had birchwood which he reported a while back had real Sellotape holding together the wiring loom.

 

[byron]

Re: Stick to the point.

Sorry if you don't like my opinions Stuart. The plain fact is I would be more concerned about the boat than the engines in this particular instance.
Incidentally I am one of the "I prefer well used engines" brigade.

http://www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[Chris_d]

Re: Stick to the point.

Have to agree with you there, although Byrons has had some bad experiences with Birchwoods, but the 37 was one of their better boats.
The fact that it has clocked that many hours is a good sign in my book, it means the owner had the confidence in it to put all those sea hours on it reguarly, sign of a good boat.
More suspicious is the unusualy low-houred boat, why hasn't it moved, did it keep going wrong? was it scary in a big sea? I'd much rather have the well maintained and much used boat anyday.

 

[pheran]

Sorry Byron - just gotta pitch in on this one. As you well know, I have run a Birchwood (Viceroy) for the past 9 years and its been 'everywhere' at home and abroad. If it had been a bad boat I would have got shot of it years ago (only sold now because of change in boating plans) True - the interior fit out lacks the quality of some so-called better makes but you pays yer money........And if appearance was a real issue, I wouldn't have you as a mate/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

 

[byron]

.......And if appearance was a real issue, I wouldn't have you as a mate
Shot yerself in the foot there Chris, you must therefore be a man of bad taste though very brave to admit to knowing me personally. There's many here that do but not many that will 'fess up to it.

http://www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[ChrisP]

I confess. I'm one of Byron's mates.

ChrisP ;o))

What do you mean the sea gull in front's walking !!!

 

[NorthernWave]

Bought a Birchwood TS37 1988 supersports in August and think it is a superb boat, give us a pm if you'd like to see it or ask me anything about it.

Chris

Buy my Fletcher please!!!!!

 

[Divemaster1]

Not excessive hours...

A well used engine is better than a badly stored one.

Get a proper engine survey and get the oil alalysed. Check Turbo and Intercooler (may have been replaced). The engine handbooks should state when a major overhaul is / was due, and if it is done, there should be proof of that. Cooling system is important, so have that inspected as well. During sea trial, run engines on full load for a while and check heat gauges, which should rise some, but not too fast. Check engine handbook for operating temperature ranges and compare....

There are a lot of people in this forum with experience with both Volvo engines, and kind of vessel, so listen to objective advise given.



AHM

 

[tcm]

Re: Engine Hours detective work

I did 210 ish hous this year, so 200 for that age of boat seems okay?

It also shows that the boat hasn't been unused for long period (lets pretend that they didn't lay up from 1994 after doing 500 hours per season...) but most importanly it shows that the owners could
1)afford the loot to burn up 200 hours worth of diesel, and all associated costs so points toward liklihood of other stuff being maintained/replaced and so on without run-out-of-money syndrome and
2) stayed interested in boating, again pointing towards liklihood of more rather than less maint.

Of course, engine cd be knackered at 300 hours as well as at 3000 but oil analysis should show major probs?

Finally, if you are a bit techno, it's good if you can get the owner to show you around. This will show what maint has been like. Did you see a post by jfm when he's been shown round a boat by some ole gimmer loony in Northern Ireland?- practically interviewed by the guy to see if he was a suitable owner, and then went on about how he was widening the black between the teak planks to make it look smarter, cripes. That's the sort of thing you are looking for, in my humble opinion. 2000 hours - there must be loads of stories, many of them jolly good - at the moment, it's just a worrying Big Number. If your serious, ask to speak to the owner on the phone. Or even...gettim to join in here?

 

[pheran]

Hey ChrisP - theres an opportunity here. Perhaps we should form a MoB self-help group (no no no ....it stands for Mates of Byron!). You know, for mutual support and comfort, sort of a DIY Samaritans. And perhaps we should go around calling ourselves Mobsters.

ps notice SteveH already has a Birchwood, a TS31. Glad I didn't slag off the marque /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

 

[boatone]

BarryH and I stood on the pontoon in my marina a week or two ago looking at a Birchwood......without word of a lie we both looked round furtively to see if anyone else was listening, turned to each other and simultaneously said......Dunno wots wrong with em.....I quite like it " !!!!!!!!/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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