Best smallcraft for diving

[Wildcard]

I can look at it for you....If you were talking about 120s for the world cat, thats kinda small. I was running a 26 twin Vee which weighs much less with 140s. Of course you realy dont need 40kts out of a boat.
I havent realy crawled around on glas pros but they look well built.

 

[Wildcard]

I have only personally owned one ocean boat, my Bayliner. I grew up on Chris Craft cabin cruisers (24 - 26') operating in Casco Bay (Maine). In Boston Harbor I commercially run Old Ports, Crosby, and Romarine. I have built two small wooden boats, sailed Catalina and Pearsons, etc.

--Matt

Just wondering. Many people that are super brand loyal have nothing to compare it to. If they work for you, more power to you.

 

[matt_unique]

Here are their problems:

1)Heavy
2)Inefficient--due to weight and all the u-joints
3)outdrive requires all sorts of maintenance on the U joints, seals and all that
4)they require freshwater cooling in saltwater--more weight, more money, more maintenance, more complication
5)they don't like to be run hard (do you really run your car hard?--no)
6)they mount low in a bilge and will flood out if the boat gets water in it--which happens
7)the interior mounting results in all sorts of fire hazzards and need for ventalation
8)the interior mounting uses up deck space which is valuable in small boats
9)did I mention they are darn heavy

These are among the reasons most small offshore purpose boats are outboard--most--not all. If I ever where to get a "large" boat then I want an inboard.

They are heavier. Define efficiency? They do require more maintenance, but are easier and less expensive to repair than outboards. Fresh Water Cooling is not required, though it's a better solution. They can be run just as hard as any other engine. It's not good to run any engine at WOT. The engine will only be flooded if you don't have a good bilge system. Water gets in all boats, bilge systems and scuppers get it out, no brainer. Interior mounting sometimes uses up deck space, on larger boats the engine is below deck. The interior mounting frees up transom space compared to outboards (i.e. swim platform). The low mounting location is also advantageous in terms of stability over higher mounted engines.

As pointed out above, large offshore commercial boats use inboard engines.

--Matt

 

[Cacia]

I can look at it for you....If you were talking about 120s for the world cat, thats kinda small. I was running a 26 twin Vee which weighs much less with 140s. Of course you realy dont need 40kts out of a boat.
I havent realy crawled around on glas pros but they look well built.

No those motors are bigger. I was going to get 120's for the GB. yes, lets go look this weekend. Did you see the photo? I think it is really nice looking. they just custom built it. I think this boat might be comprable to the twin V.

 

[Wildcard]

Much heaver built than Twin Vees. After the Monk seal hunt maybe?

 

[Nemrod]

"As pointed out above, large offshore commercial boats use inboard engines."

And I might add that in my case it would be diesel. There are diesel technologies on the horizon that will produce clean and orderless burning and may even adapt to outboard configurations.

The Mazda Wankel engine is a marvel, have owned two RX7s. They tended to suck gas for such a small car but impressive nonetheless. I think your right in that they would make an excellent marine engine but it does not eliminate one of the most trouble prone parts of an I/O, the outdrive, shafts, seals, u-joints and all that.

There is no perfect engine or boat, Catherine and anyone else rather than asking people here what boat to buy should look at what boats are used in their areas as a starting point which I think she is. That is always a good start, especially when spending major coin on a non trailerable boat. If a person plans to make a living with it then that also brings in other considerations that I could not even begin to attempt to know about. N

 

[Cacia]

yes, the twin hulled motor cats are built for Hawaiian waters and cut through the big swells. I know I want outboards.

 

[Wildcard]

There are several diesel OBs on the market now and have been for a while. Yanmar, Merc and I think one other but Im drawing a blank at the moment.
As engines progress, so do outdrives. Like I said earler, the new VP can get 5000 hours with out a rebuild.
Not only would they make a good engine ( the mazda) they do. Sold out of Seattle. Seamar I believe.
For most, we are all in agreement, OBs are "best". My big boat runs twin 6/53 direct drives and I would never consider any "work boat" that wasen't diesel. Just sems silly to me to dump 35-40K every three years for OBs when for twice that, you get 10 year engines that still have value....But then again, this was a "small boat" thread.

 

[Cacia]

Alex has had a nightmare with yanmar on his engine warranty.

 

[Wildcard]

He blew a crank, they fixed it. Yanmar would be my first choice for a world cruser, pretty fond of Jimmys for US waters.