GMC V8 190hp with a VP duo prop leg.

[steve the farmer]

Finding a 25-27 foot decent grp towable cruiser on diesel is like rocking horse s..t. But I have tracked down a 1990 Bayliner 2655 Ciera Sunbridge with a single 190hp GMC V8 diesel on a Volvo duo prop leg and bow thruster.
I don’t want to get into the Bayliner V other makes as I know the Bayliner is not built to the same quality, but I am getting a lot for my money, well I think I am anyway.

But what I want to ask is about the engine, what is the GMC V8 like on this type of boat? Is it matched, I am assuming the boat did not have this engine and leg originally.

I am hoping it will be suitable for offshore and estuary cruising, and a rare visit up river. I am not looking for high speed sport cruiser, range and fuel economy are more important.

Thanks in advance Steve.

 

[CLB]

Personally I would be very wary, there are many very poor gmc v8 diesel conversions out there. Some may be good, but you won't know until you own it.

Why not look at something like this:

Don't know why the link is not appearing.
Go to watersideboatsales.com and search for hardy Seawings 254.

 

[steve the farmer]

Personally I would be very wary, there are many very poor gmc v8 diesel conversions out there. Some may be good, but you won't know until you own it.

Why not look at something like this:

Don't know why the link is not appearing.
Go to watersideboatsales.com and search for hardy Seawings 254.

Thanks I found it, and actually I had already seen that one. This is why I am asking about the GMC engine. I have been to view craft here in the South East corner, but I am going to have to travel to look at others now, so want to get feedback on good and bad. The Bayliner 2655 also has a good galv road trailer with extending launch/recovery arm, and that's included. Total £17500. I will still need to add £2-3k for a decent 2nd hand trailer with the Seawings. obviously there is dealer negotiation, but I expect a total package of about £20000.

 

[simonfraser]

unless you know what you are looking at you'll need some help.
ask volvopaul on this forum, he may travel for a fee to check it out

 

[Swordfish]

Please check the beam of this boat before you purchase, it is possibly 9' 6" as the US spec. making it too wide to tow legally here.
I have the 2450 Command Bridge, with 8' beam which I do tow here. Engine wise, I have change from V8 petrol to Isuzu diesel.

 

[steve the farmer]

Please check the beam of this boat before you purchase, it is possibly 9' 6" as the US spec. making it too wide to tow legally here.
I have the 2450 Command Bridge, with 8' beam which I do tow here. Engine wise, I have change from V8 petrol to Isuzu diesel.

Very good point, I had not considered width of beam. its 2.77m so still too wide to tow legally here with a width limit of 2.55m. Thank you for that.

 

[Chris_d]

Very good point, I had not considered width of beam. its 2.77m so still too wide to tow legally here with a width limit of 2.55m. Thank you for that.

A lot of these were imported from the states on their US spec trailers too, so that may not be road legal either, and a 2 inch ball hitch!

 

[dpb]

Very good point, I had not considered width of beam. its 2.77m so still too wide to tow legally here with a width limit of 2.55m. Thank you for that.

As far as I am aware...
The width limit applies to the trailer, not the load.
Load can over hang 305mm each side up to maximum of 2.9....after which yo get into abnormal load territory.

 

[steve the farmer]

As far as I am aware...
The width limit applies to the trailer, not the load.
Load can over hang 305mm each side up to maximum of 2.9....after which yo get into abnormal load territory.

OOH that's put a spanner in the works, lol. I will need to look this up. Thank you.

 

[Mr Googler]

I had 2 x 6.2 gm v8’s. Parts are super cheap but they are usually a conversion, not a proper marine spec engine.

If they are painted blue and have stickers saying samurai on them walk away.

Mine where OK but they are noisy and juicy when you open them up. The marinisation is of top importance. Mine had custom stainless water cooled manifold, Bowman heat exchangers and oil coolers. All worked well. A single engine on that boat probably won’t set the world on fire pace wise.

 

[steve the farmer]

I had 2 x 6.2 gm v8’s. Parts are super cheap but they are usually a conversion, not a proper marine spec engine.

If they are painted blue and have stickers saying samurai on them walk away.

Mine where OK but they are noisy and juicy when you open them up. The marinisation is of top importance. Mine had custom stainless water cooled manifold, Bowman heat exchangers and oil coolers. All worked well. A single engine on that boat probably won’t set the world on fire pace wise.

Its like a Roller coaster this one. One minute all looks like its a good deal, next there are concerns. The boat is in Ireland, I calculated the cost of my getting it back to Kent £600 -700 allowing for ferry and fuel. see https://www.apolloduck.com/boat.phtml?id=513797
I negotiated a price including trailer subject to a survey of £1750. I was arranging a survey to be done before I got ferry tickets, survey cost £300. The additional photos of the boat and bespoke trailer appear to make it a reasonable deal. But I have just found out the trailer was never EU plated and so it wont be legal here unless I take it to a VOSA testing station and pay for it to be looked at and plated. But I cannot see how I can do that before purchase and getting it back home. I can negotiate to buy the boat on its own, but then I have to buy a trailer £5000 ish and take it to Ireland.
Grrrrrr

 

[Mr Googler]

The engine bay looks a bit heath Robinson imho

You have a lot of options for a trailable boat for sub 20k

 

[Mr Googler]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/boats-kayaks-jet-skis/bayliner-2655-diesel-sports-cruiser-boat/1294128677

Bit younger if you want to stick with Bayliner.

Whoops....sold I think but stuff is out there.

A sealine S23 is lovely if you could up the budget a bit?

 

[TQA]

Before I would even consider an early GMC diesel V8 I would want a good service history and would make a careful check that all the manufacturers suggested upgrades had been carried out. This is an engine with a very chequered past and many reliability issues. [ But at least it is not a turbo]

Oh yes unless their is clear evidence that it has had a new harmonic balancer fited you need to budget for a replacemnt. It is not IF it fails it is WHEN it fails it usually destroys the engine.