Making a mistake

[Daydream believer]

The 28hp VP2003 I put into Jissel weighed less than the deceased MD1 and the dedicated starter battery I fitted at the same time. Made quite a difference to the performance under power

The big prop it needed didn't help the sailing performance, though.

I would make sure that it was an efficient folder. I have a friend who designs props for a living.

 

[dom]

17 years, but 5000 hours on the engine & volspec say that they regularly see engines being changed with only 1500 hours on them. However, at the end of the season there was an almighty "bang" internally, followed by considerable rattling. Cannot find the fault but hope for the best & plan for the worse as Jack Reacher would say

Good grief, 1500 hours!!

I'm always suspicious of Volvo Penta and - assuming that many/most of these engines have been well maintained - that is an absolute joke.

Not to mention their ludicrously expensive parts along the way.

 

[mjcoon]

17 years, but 5000 hours on the engine & volspec say that they regularly see engines being changed with only 1500 hours on them. However, at the end of the season there was an almighty "bang" internally, followed by considerable rattling. Cannot find the fault but hope for the best & plan for the worse as Jack Reacher would say

Evidently not what happened to us on flotilla years ago. Not sure there was a bang, but the engine stopped dead while we were happily motoring and refused to re-start. The lead boat confirmed we now had no engine and towed us into the next port. Fortunately they had a replacement yacht to give us, so there was hardly a blip on the holiday. The last we saw of the old yacht the engine was being lifted out complete with its broken crankshaft...

 

[longjohnsilver]

Age 70? mere youth!
Ah! to be 70 again!
and there 's plenty of people older than me still sailing. Old sailors never die .... and they are ahead of you in the queue for the best moorings ..
Blackbeard, 77, still sailing

I bet your beard isn’t black!

 

[RAI]

It depends what you use your boat for. The more time in harbour/marina, the more the larger internal volume of a mobo plays a role. The more time underway, the lower fuel costs of a raggie play a role.
Of course, if you like racing .....

 

[Daydream believer]

Good grief, 1500 hours!!

I'm always suspicious of Volvo Penta and - assuming that many/most of these engines have been well maintained - that is an absolute joke.

Not to mention their ludicrously expensive parts along the way.

I was surprised, but the mechanic pointed out that some just sit corroding , unloved , unused & poorly maintained in a boat for years. As a result they just do not work, . The comment about the hours was repeated by 3 different people at Volspec, without prompting from me, so it was not just a single person being super critical.

 

[Tranona]

17 years, but 5000 hours on the engine & volspec say that they regularly see engines being changed with only 1500 hours on them. However, at the end of the season there was an almighty "bang" internally, followed by considerable rattling. Cannot find the fault but hope for the best & plan for the worse as Jack Reacher would say

5000 hours is a good innings. While I agree in principle that a bit more power is desirable - I chose the 30hp option for my boat BUT it displaces 5500kg and has a WL of over 9m compared with your 3900kgs and around 8m. 19hp is more than enough - you only need 11hp to get hull speed and with 19hp you should get 6.9knots. A 29hp would get you an extra knot at the top, but imagine the stern wave.

To achieve what you want, that is better performance in adverse conditions perhaps you need to focus on getting more use out of the power you have. The simplest way is to fit a standard Volvo 3 blade prop, but of course the penalty comes when sailing. However a 3 blade folder or a 3 blade feathering prop correctly sized would perform just as well. There is no substitute for blade area, if you have the power to spin it, in adverse conditions.

For a replacement engine suggest you look at a Beta 25 which can hook up to your saildrive. Good compromise on power and size/weight and the extra power will allow you to use a larger prop, but not have so much excess power. Also not a Volvo!.

 

[Daydream believer]

5000 hours is a good innings. While I agree in principle that a bit more power is desirable - I chose the 30hp option for my boat BUT it displaces 5500kg and has a WL of over 9m compared with your 3900kgs and around 8m. 19hp is more than enough - you only need 11hp to get hull speed and with 19hp you should get 6.9knots. A 29hp would get you an extra knot at the top, but imagine the stern wave.

To achieve what you want, that is better performance in adverse conditions perhaps you need to focus on getting more use out of the power you have. The simplest way is to fit a standard Volvo 3 blade prop, but of course the penalty comes when sailing. However a 3 blade folder or a 3 blade feathering prop correctly sized would perform just as well. There is no substitute for blade area, if you have the power to spin it, in adverse conditions.

For a replacement engine suggest you look at a Beta 25 which can hook up to your saildrive. Good compromise on power and size/weight and the extra power will allow you to use a larger prop, but not have so much excess power. Also not a Volvo!.

I would certainly have another Volvo. . I would also change the saildrive whilst at it. I am sure that the clutch must be well worn by now after endless trips in & out of almost 1000 marina & over 300 lock passages. As for power, the engine rarely managed to give max revs with the current 2 blade prop. Whilst I could do 7 kts in a windless dutch canal by revving really hard, I could not do anything like that in the slightest of chop.
I would never have another feathering prop due to the amount of weed & nets etc that I have picked up over the years.. I certainly would not countenance a fixed blade either. I average about 4 encounters a year. I am getting too old to go over the side to remove nets & polythene.
You made the comment "There is no substitute for blade area, if you have the power to spin it, in adverse conditions.". Exactly my feelings. That is why I want the power ; so I can spin the prop. I am not asking to exceed hull speed just get a good 6kts in rough water with a head wind.

 

[Tranona]

If you can't get the 3600 or close then your prop is wrong. With the correct prop that demands the maximum hp you should find an improvement. . There are feathering props - and feathering props, so choose carefully. They can be better than 3 blade folders for what you want. 6 knots is ambitious as it is not just power (or lack of) that is holding you back. You are right to think of changing the drive as well. It is that which failed on my old 2030 at 3500 hours whereas the engine was fine. I think you will find that although the D1 30 will fit on the same aft mount, the engine is longer and does not fit om the same forward mounts, and may give you clearance problems in the engine box.

 

[Momac]

I have a F33 and have gone sailing with friends a couple of times including a week in the Ioian Sea.
I would give up the motoroat for a yacht but the chief officer doesn't like it when the boat leans over.
I have considered getting a new chief officer but that's too much trouble.

 

[Stemar]

I would make sure that it was an efficient folder. I have a friend who designs props for a living.

So would I, but the prop would probably then be worth more than the rest of my aging Snapdragon!

 

[mjcoon]

I would give up the motorboat for a yacht but the chief officer doesn't like it when the boat leans over.
I have considered getting a new chief officer but that's too much trouble.

I believe they are rarely a direct plug-and-play replacement...

 

[Daydream believer]

So would I, but the prop would probably then be worth more than the rest of my aging Snapdragon!

But if you enjoy your snap dragon & it does what you want then the cost of my prop is irrelevant

 

[Daydream believer]

If you can't get the 3600 or close then your prop is wrong. With the correct prop that demands the maximum hp you should find an improvement. . There are feathering props - and feathering props, so choose carefully. They can be better than 3 blade folders for what you want. 6 knots is ambitious as it is not just power (or lack of) that is holding you back. You are right to think of changing the drive as well. It is that which failed on my old 2030 at 3500 hours whereas the engine was fine. I think you will find that although the D1 30 will fit on the same aft mount, the engine is longer and does not fit om the same forward mounts, and may give you clearance problems in the engine box.

Current prop is a Brunton 2 blade

 

[Fimacca]

Going back to the question, My father is still sailing (well, more likely motor sailing) at 85 years old. He has a colvic countess mid 80's with a big dog house for cover and good heating system. Not very pretty, but very utilitarian and comfy.
He has asked me to send him off when he goes in a viking burial in a flaming ship, likely to be the colvic.
Not sure the coastguard will be too happy with that one!

 

[Tranona]

Current prop is a Brunton 2 blade

Exactly.

 

[Quandary]

Whatever you do do not give up sailing and buy a mobo just because you think you are too old, you need to really fancy motorboating. I made the mistake in 2016, encouraged by my wife I sold our Finngulf 33 for half of what I paid for her and bought a Nimbus, even she soon acknowledged that we had made a dreadful error, both of us bored to tears, a trip on the bus was more fun. Fortunately I manage to get rid at the end of the season for close to what I had paid but the loss on the lovely Finngulf which was still like new was painful. Happy again sailing in my ninth decade.

 

[Fimacca]

Good on you Q. Gives me hope.............
Here I am buying my retirement boat at 55 !
You should tie up with my dad at glencoe boat club and have an oldest but sprightly yachtie face off Mr Quandry !
My dad is only mid 80's !