volvo penta KAD 32 in searay 240 sundancer.

[hg2016]

Can anybody tell me anything about this engine in a searay 240 sundancer. what sort of performance is to be expected from it with regard to cruising & top speed, fuel consumption etc. How close would it be to the performance of say a 5.0 l mercruiser petrol. For instance Would the KAD 32 be the performance equivalent to the mercruiser 5.0L petrol or would you need something bigger.
Any advice or technical info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Momac]

I used to have a Sealine S23 with a kad32 so similar sized boat.
A kad32 generates 170hp.
It went okay with two people aboard . Cruised a t 20 to 25 knots. Should be good for 29 or 30kts but I never tried that.
4.5mpg at 20 to 25 kts. 6mpg at 5 kts.

What horse power would the mercuiser petrol be ? At least 220hp. And I expect its a lighter engine? So it will be be faster acceleration and I guess probably faster top speed. But less mpg .

 

[dpb]

Assuming you are talking about a post 2000 boat rather than the earlier model from about ten years older, I can confirm that with the 5.0 efi (230hp) and Bravo 3 in mine it can do 40 mph though max at the end of this season with full cruising load was 37mph.
3000rpm sees a cruise in the low to mid 20’s.
Average fuel consumption is 2.5 to 3.5 mpg.
Loading her up doesn’t cause any problems.
While researching before buying earlier this year I found anecdotal evidence that the KAD32 version felt under powered especially with more than two on board but I never tried one.
These boats are 12 to 16 years old now so they are at or approaching an age where the engines and in particular their peripherals may need attention either due to lack of care or just time related corrosion etc, and the Volvo diesel spares price list can be, or rather is, eye watering. Look at the prices of turbos, intercoolers, heat exchangers, compressors, diesel injectors and fuel pumps, none of which feature on the petrol boats where your main concern is the exhaust system. (budget 750 – 1000 every five years or so if you can fit yourself). My point is that yes the diesels are more economical in fuel use, but as you are unlikely to be intending to clock up huge mileages in this type of boat the saving can quickly disappear in greater repair and maintenance costs.
With regard to the higher price being asked for the diesels and resale, I note that at least one of the currently available diesel versions was available when I was looking at the beginning of this year. All the petrols have been sold on.
One last point, if you think you might tow on a trailer, it is hard enough to keep the weight of the petrol model legal for towing, I think the diesel is heavier so would be a more of a problem.
We have found the 240 to be a very practical little cruiser that exceeded the expectations we had when we bought it.
Hope this helps!