Dream Boat

[ca02ba]

Lets say I was going to take an old boat and make it better than new, sparing no expense.

The size and look of the hull would be like the Seacraft Scepter 23’.

Now the question; would you go V drive inboard, IO, Outboard or Outboard on bracket.

All things equal I would use the boat in salt, store on trailer or dry rack. Fuel economy is important as well as performance and good looks. So I would like to know what others think.

[warthog5]

Lot's of us have already done it.
"Bracketed Outboard"

V drive inboard

[img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] That's about the worst setup ever made.

[R-KID]

You said dream boat! That would be a yanmar 315hp with a mercruiser bravo 1 x drive . I have it in mine, very efficient and fast. I cruise at 30-32 mph burning 6 gph. Wide open is about 50 mph.

[Miles Offshore]

straight inboard with yanmar diesel and a bw gear-- "v" drives were very innefiecient and tended to break easy- you can p!$$ in a borg warner gear and still get home if it comes down to it. -

[Fr. Frank]

Money no object, I would go diesel sterndrive also.
But being a person who likes to go 60+ miles offshore and come home again, I would go with twin 4 cyl Cummins-powered 120hp 1.7L or 170hp 2.8L Mercruisers with counter-rotating drives.

For example I know of a 1986 26' Intrepid in Largo repowered recently with the twin 170hp setup, and he burns 3.6 gph per engine at 28 kts, with a top speed of 38 kts. He says that on one engine he can still plane off and run at 22-23 kts burning 4.4 gph.

With the 100 gallon fuel tank of a Sceptre, that gives a range of over 12 hours running time on both engines including a 1 hour reserve, or a useable range of over 330 miles.
The same basic Cummins 2.8L engine is also available as a turbocharged model producing 200 hp.
Complete sterndrive systems weigh 653 lbs for the 120 hp and 870 lbs for the 170 hp using the Alpha drive setup, according to the brochure.

[Briguy]

While we are dreaming why stop at the 315hp yanmar, they make a 420 hp and I would mate that to a bravo with Imco race gears! That should his 55+mph!

Back to reality before I did my bracket and twin 115's which I absolutely love my plan was to have a jackshafted 250hp 6 cyl yanmar. 22k for the motor alone sank that idea.

How come it costs $5000.00 to upgrade an 8cyl Dodge magnum pickup to a cummins 5.9 300hp diesel? Boaters are so getting screwed. I once read a Boating mag report that took a 25ft Sea Ray with a 5.7 mpi and you could get the merc diesel 250hp and the price went from 50k to 75k. Diesels are a rip off unless you are in the charter business.

[Jon2002]

Just for comparison...my '78 23 Sceptre has a 350 Chevy with a Volvo 290 outdrive...went offshore yesterday out 60 miles, trolled for 5 hours, chunked for a while then ran back in...used 60 gal. for approx. 2 mpg. With proper maintenence I feel a single is fine and burns much less than any twin engine setup will. With the higher cost of diesel engines and the fuel they run on I would not think it would be worth the extra cost for diesel power. Just my opinion...

[FELLOW-SHIP]

I guess for me I think practically first then start dreaming. SOOOOOO I first think a 23’ boat is still just 23’ and on ANY 23’ boat outboard power is really the best way to go. Then the question is do I bracket or not? For me, if you like twins bracket it and if you want one lager motor you make the call.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[abl1111]

I have a 1975 23' Tsunami w/ a new 300HP mercruiser, fresh water cooled w/ a bravo III ( and a 24 pitch prop ) - it 'boogies w/ stu' and is powerful too; clean and efficient.

That is my recommendation. I am not that familiar w/ a diesel set-up for a 23', but I would have to think that that would be the best option, if $$$ were not an issue. Diesels are extremely durable and efficient - however when things break - it gets expensive for parts and labor.

My.02

[nestorpr]

I would go with twin Volvo DSE-160's, 5 cylinder aluminum diesels with DS outdrives, lighter, more fuel efficient and no diesel noise or smoke! Each complete unit (engine/outdrive) weighs about 700 lbs.