Repower Princess 266

S

Snowy90

New Member
Joined
23 Aug 2017
Messages
14
Visit site
Gents

This is my first post so hello we are in the throws of buying a 1989 princess 266R which we have fallen for she is a very pretty boat that has stood the test of time in design and still looks great, this one has spent the last 19 years on the River Thames and in the last few years has been left without use by its elderly owners.

The engines are twin AQ205 appear to be a little sick, so much so that we haven't been able to sea/river trial her yet but early indications are that they do not idle and appear to need to manifolds and risers as its I the water we haven't checked the drives but I am assuming the worst and that they will need refurbishing

As ever with these things my mind is turning to repowering and converting to diesel, I appreciate in pure running costs it usually doesn't make sense but later in saleability and availability/price of petrol on the river are all factors for consideration.

So looking at newer sports cruiser sealines and windy's etc they all have a single engine option and maybe a bow thruster.

I have seen a few KAD32's for sale recently at £5k and assuming I could refurbish the existing leg and maybe trade in the current engines/legs for parts or repair a budget of £10k may see this with a single diesel engine.

This boat will for us spend most of its time on the River Thames and so speed isn't everything but with 1 eye on saleability and if we decide to go to the coast it would be good to make sure it will plane and cruise at say 25kts

So initially my question is with a KAD32 fitted and duoprop would the boat get up over the hump and plane.

Displacement is 2750kg I assume this is dry weight and unloaded but is similar in weight to the S24 and much lighter than a S28 which had a single engine option in KAD44 guise.

the KAD32 would give plenty of power for the river and a single diesel with bow thruster would be a perfect combination, but what about any sea or fast tide/estuary work.

Clearly twins might be the ideal but once you start doubling costs of buying and installing and then servicing it just doesn't stack up.

I am probably answering my own question that a single KAD44 would be better but I haven't seen so many of those about.

Great Forum and all advice welcome.

All the best
Chris
 
Personally I would abandon the idea and just look for a boat with diesel, if you convert this one to a single you will probably just make it completely unsellable, a single KAD32 will be too small for a 266. If it really is cheap then I would stick with replacing the original spec engines with refurbished ones, the 266 was renowned for its superb performance with the 205's so you would be ruining a classic if you changed them.
 
Two issues I can think of:

1) A Sealine S23/5 was hardly a quick boat with a KAD32 so you may struggle with this engine in a 266 which I suspect is a heavier boat.
2) At river speed, with a single KAD32 you may find that the supercharger is running, which will be loud and potentially increase maintenance costs.

I'd go for a AD41 without a supercharger.
 
A true Princess entry level classic in its day, I remember looking at them at the boat shows.
I don't think Princess offered this boat with any Diesel engine at the time of production.

I be very careful how you spend your money on this, I don't think I'd go the single diesel route especially with twins as it will make it sit down at the stern.

The kad 32 would be ok for river use and I'm sure you could keep it under 1500 rpm or disconnect the silver charger clutch cable .

You cannot use the petrol leg as the diesels have a differnt ratio because the don't rev as high, you would also have to play around with props to get the sweet spot should you want it to plane.

Now people might laugh as I'm not a great fan of the old D3 but this motor is 190hpand very compact 5 cylinder for its size and weight , if your hell bent on a twin diesel conversion it's a better bet weight wise than a KAD 32 , it's also a lot smooother at tickover , but as said unless your stealing the boat I'd think very carefully.
On another note be wise if you decide to overhaul the drives and petrols as there are companies around that overhaul the petrols that think there American car engines which are not totally suitable for sea water use.

The drives and shields I can help you with but not the engines , I very rarely touch petrols these days .
Be nice if you can post pics of the boat at some point .
 
Princess offered this boat with twin AQAD 31 diesel engines (130hp each) or a single AQAD 41 (200hp). You could argue that the loss of 30hp against the 41 is offset by the lighter weight, but it's a much smaller capacity engine so I'm not convinced that would be the case.

If it is going to be spending most of its time on the river then I'd agree with the suggestion to simply repower with a pair of newer petrol engines. Yes, arguably a diesel will be more saleable but actually I think the lack of power will count against it from a resale point of view so you won't be any better off.

As to fuel availability and price, well at 5 knots you're not going to be using much or filling up very often so not really that much of an issue.
 
Is this Interceptor?

Those Volvo petrols are fine for the river, general bits are cheap because it's the very sound and everlasting Volvo 240/740 car engine, so needs the carbs serviced, new ignition bits like the car would have and I can't imagine all the risers etc have failed!? Bits can be purchased from Ebay from other people who removed engines, but it's unlikely you'll spend more than £2000 servicing the drives and engines with a few extra bits.
 
No Regrets said:
Is this Interceptor?

Those Volvo petrols are fine for the river, general bits are cheap because it's the very sound and everlasting Volvo 240/740 car engine, so needs the carbs serviced, new ignition bits like the car would have and I can't imagine all the risers etc have failed!? Bits can be purchased from Ebay from other people who removed engines, but it's unlikely you'll spend more than £2000 servicing the drives and engines with a few extra bits.
Click to expand...
Aq205 is a GM V6
The manifolds and risers are almost a service item but plenty about
Mike Bellamy at Lancing marine is well be worth having chat with on this
 
No Regrets said:
Is this Interceptor?

Those Volvo petrols are fine for the river, general bits are cheap because it's the very sound and everlasting Volvo 240/740 car engine, so needs the carbs serviced, new ignition bits like the car would have and I can't imagine all the risers etc have failed!? Bits can be purchased from Ebay from other people who removed engines, but it's unlikely you'll spend more than £2000 servicing the drives and engines with a few extra bits.
Click to expand...

That's the 151/171 engine
 
ari said:
Princess offered this boat with twin AQAD 31 diesel engines (130hp each) or a single AQAD 41 (200hp). You could argue that the loss of 30hp against the 41 is offset by the lighter weight, but it's a much smaller capacity engine so I'm not convinced that would be the case.

If it is going to be spending most of its time on the river then I'd agree with the suggestion to simply repower with a pair of newer petrol engines. Yes, arguably a diesel will be more saleable but actually I think the lack of power will count against it from a resale point of view so you won't be any better off.

As to fuel availability and price, well at 5 knots you're not going to be using much or filling up very often so not really that much of an issue.
Click to expand...

If that's the case then the KAD 32 would fit the footprint of the 31. I've never seen a diesel 266 .
 
volvopaul said:
If that's the case then the KAD 32 would fit the footprint of the 31. I've never seen a diesel 266 .
Click to expand...

I saw one with Merc diesels once. Think it was re-engined. Having owned a 25ft sportscruiser with single KAD32, I would say that it would be underpowered in a 266. My boat weighed about 1750kgs and would hit 30 knots but it was a ton lighter than a 266. Now twin KAD32's, that would be quite something :D
 
It was a rare boat with diesel(s). There was one with twin AQAD 31 engines in the Med for sale earlier this year. The ad claimed that the engines had been rebuilt, which they may well have been, but absolutely everything, even the oil filler caps, had been painted green which looked a little odd and didn't inspire confidence. There's also one with a KAD 44 currently for sale but that's obviously been a re-power at some stage, the KAD 44 wasn't out when the 266 was in production.

A 266 with a pair of recent KAD32 diesels would be a fantastic boat. Expensive though. Assuming £15K for the boat, £10K for a pair of engines and then another £5-10K to sort out fitting, wiring, plumbing, legs, etc etc and you're getting dangerously close to the value of a much newer and nicer twin diesel Fairline 28 Targa.

There is a Fairline 27 Targa (similar age/size to the 266, nicer interior but not as pretty) in the CI that has been re-powered with 2x D3-160 for sale for months at £25K, which gives some indication of what it might be worth on resale - ie never worth it.

Shame, because the 266 Riviera is a great boat.
 
Gents,

Thanks for all of your thoughts, the engines are the 4.3 V6 AQ205 which I understand are basically an American small block I have no doubt that 400HP when working well is sparkling in what is a relatively small/light boat.
My thinking was that as many new manufacturers go down the single diesel route so long as its the right power to maintain a reasonable cruising speed then the reduced running costs ie servicing and fuels would be welcomed by any future purchaser. I have to say if the boat is kept and sold on the river this option would be welcomed. But I personally want to keep the boat for some time and so like to have all options covered.
The KAd32 at 170 bhp with a paired outdrive would be down hp on the standard diesel options princess issued ( ari is correct) very few of these were sold in the UK most diesel ones are in the med. but the KAD is a punchier engine with the SC than the AD41?
Paul, I appreciate the D3 maybe a better engine but I feared for the electronics and general complexity and then the base cost, which would be way more than a KAD.
I am waiting an engineers report to tell me exactly what is wrong with the existing engines, I too struggle to imagine that all 4 manifolds and risers have all failed/are needing replacement.
 
42 knots with the AQ205/dp when new!

The KAD 32 might be 'punchier' low down than the AQAD 41, but at 2.4 litres vs 3.7 litre, it's a physically far smaller engine. Okay in a Sealine S23 but it's REALLY going to struggle pushing a 266 along (remember this is 26ft 'old school', ie to the transom. It's nearly 28ft LOA and 10ft beam - a far far bigger boat).
 
Ari thanks your right the 266 is old school a bigger boat than the S23/25 and whilst they are similar in weight the extra length and more importantly beam will make a big hump to get over.

So maybe we are talking a single AQAD41 or KAD44 going to twin engines really isn't an option costs wise as you pointed out above.

I have considered the T27 as there were many more sold in the UK with a diesel option but I just don't really like the styling it looks too nose down all the time. plus I am not a massive fan of a lot of wood in 80's boats.


I have fallen for the 266R so will try to sort this one out!
 
volvopaul said:
That's the 151/171 engine
Click to expand...

Apologies...should have read it more carefully! this might be the 760 motor then? Always awful unlike the 4's.

Yup, best avoided. A pair of V6's on the river is too much. Not a great boat for the Thames IMHO, but pretty, and cheap. Not cheap enough to repower I would imagine!

Running issues most likely ignition so not dear to sort out assuming car parts can be sourced if it is a Volvo car unit...
 
CLB thanks that's the sort of answer I was looking for I wouldn't be looking for 30 knts but just a sensible cruising speed and its clear from your answer and others that a KAD32 is going to be too small.

If I am to repower then a single is the only way financially it can make any sense, so what would fit? KAD44 or AQAD41?
 
Snowy90 said:
CLB thanks that's the sort of answer I was looking for I wouldn't be looking for 30 knts but just a sensible cruising speed and its clear from your answer and others that a KAD32 is going to be too small.

If I am to repower then a single is the only way financially it can make any sense, so what would fit? KAD44 or AQAD41?
Click to expand...

AQAD 41 was a factory option so should fit. And there is a 266R re-powered with a KAD 300 in France so looks like that would work.

http://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1992/Princess-Yachts-266-Riviera-2979058/France#.WagfoNOGOis

(Ask for photos of the engine before rushing off to look at that one...)
 
Last edited:
No Regrets said:
Apologies...should have read it more carefully! this might be the 760 motor then? Always awful unlike the 4's.

Yup, best avoided. A pair of V6's on the river is too much. Not a great boat for the Thames IMHO, but pretty, and cheap. Not cheap enough to repower I would imagine!

Running issues most likely ignition so not dear to sort out assuming car parts can be sourced if it is a Volvo car unit...
Click to expand...

It is not a Volvo engine but the GM truck V6 engine and considered bombproof big lazy unit and is used by both VP &
Mercruiser OMC and many indigenous US marinisers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top