AluminumAlloyBoats.com

Hi all just thought I’d post some pics of the new boat we have just finished building. I started a thread in the trailer section regarding the trailer and thought I’d finish it off in here with the boat pics.

Absolutely beautiful! What are the specs and how much HP does she take?

Very nice...... Bet the new owner was extremely happy

That's a sweet looking boat! The trailer looks tops also.
One thing I have noticed, not just yourself but the other builders in that size vessel why are you all setting them up with outboards.
With the new range of lightweight alloy diesels, why are not more builders opting for them. Better economy, safer and with the motor lower and more centered in the boat better ride and performance.
Well done on the boat!

Katoh wrote:That's a sweet looking boat! The trailer looks tops also.
One thing I have noticed, not just yourself but the other builders in that size vessel why are you all setting them up with outboards.
With the new range of lightweight alloy diesels, why are not more builders opting for them. Better economy, safer and with the motor lower and more centered in the boat better ride and performance.
Well done on the boat!

The boat is not as big as you think ( it's like 23 feet long ) If you put an Inboard Diesel in that hull you would have a raised deck or BOX sticking up right in the middle of your dance floor and that equals less cockpit space which means less fishing room. Most people prefer the largest flat cockpit they can get.
Cost, the Diesel, Transmission, Outdrive and all cost more than an Outboard and changing an OB is a one hour job.
Maintenance, the OB wins hands down for cost, easy to work on.
Safety, yes Diesel is way Safer than gas BUT running an OB we do not have to cut a huge hole in the back of the boat BELOW the water line for the drive.
Economy, At the speeds most want to run in this type of boat and the type of running I think the OB wins again in that part, now for a cruzer , I'll take the Oil burner in a little bigger hull any day.

Thanks for the kind words, we are extremely happy with the finished product.

Some specs on the Hull.
LOA - 7.1m
LOH - 6.5m
Beam - 2.5m
Draft - 0.4m
Displ - 2030kg
Eng - Mercury Verado 250hp L6
Fuel 350L

Katoh wrote:That's a sweet looking boat! The trailer looks tops also.
One thing I have noticed, not just yourself but the other builders in that size vessel why are you all setting them up with outboards.
With the new range of lightweight alloy diesels, why are not more builders opting for them. Better economy, safer and with the motor lower and more centered in the boat better ride and performance.
Well done on the boat!

Thanks Mate,

Diesels are a hot topic at the moment we have lot of people asking for them and we can do them but we are yet to have someone commit to buying one. We could put a lightweight 4/5 cylinder in this boat and it would be my preferred power option over the single Outboard. I was talking with Yanmar last week and they are very keen for us to do one on spec so its just a matter of time. Personally id like to mid mount the engine and run a jack shaft to a stern drive leg but ive have also seen some pretty neat stern installations of late the work very well.

Cheers Pelagic Boats.

Just curious, what is a ball park price with power for something like that'?

Chtucker wrote:Just curious, what is a ball park price with power for something like that'?

this boat sold for just under $140K

Gentlemen

welder wrote:The boat is not as big as you think ( it's like 23 feet long ) If you put an Inboard Diesel in that hull you would have a raised deck or BOX sticking up right in the middle of your dance floor and that equals less cockpit space which means less fishing room. Most people prefer the largest flat cockpit they can get.
Cost, the Diesel, Transmission, Out drive and all cost more than an Outboard and changing an OB is a one hour job.

Welder I agree which every other point you have made expect that, according to the specs from Palagic the vessel is Identical in size to mine, and I'm running an AD31B Volvo, actually the little box on the back comes in handy as a seat, a cubing platform, even a work bench and I have no outboard to contend with hanging off the rear.
Please Don't get me wrong I'm not here to debate the I/O vs outboard scenario, just curios why the little diesel,s of today are not utilized more. I have to agree with you Cost could be real killer in the setup and maintenance is definitely more. I know some out drives the only thing stopping the water coming in is just the bellows on the back, not True with Volvo's you could rip the whole out drive off and not get a drop, the bellows is only there to protect the drive shaft.
Just a thought why doesn't someone to try and utilize one of the new Suburu Boxer diesels, their flat, you could probably fit one under the deck with little to protrusion in the cockpit.
I have read about the little 1.7ltre Cummins diesel that Quintrex have been putting into there 6.5 Oceanmaster's ( I think that is correct model) and they have been getting fantastic results from them.

Anyhow as stated I don't want to start a debate, just curios I would be interested if anyone has actually done any test's or comparisons in handling, ride performance between the two in the same hull or comparable hulls, would be good reading.

Pelagic
When you get around to building another be sure to post again. I must say love the big wrap around windscreen, I can just imagine how good the field of view would be from in it.
Cheers
Katoh

As far as maintenance goes on an inboard, I know some inboard/ sterndrive motor bulders mount a hydraulic hose to the oil pan drain plug hole. The other end of the hose is attached to a small chain, the chain is attached to the 3/4 or 1 inch bilge drain plug ( like you would find in boiler plumbing of a differential housing oil fill or drain plug ). So you would take the bilge drain plug out, just behind the plug would be the hose, pull the hose out, take the safty cap off the end of the hose, open the valve & the engine oil drains out. No more suck pump hoses & wondering if you got all the oil out. But there are still alot of other maintenance items that are required on an inboard/ sterndrive that are still a pain. Just like the boat itself, every option or lack there of is a compromise or benefit. As long you are happy with it & it is what you wanted, then go ahead & buy it/ build it.

Out of all the boats I was looking at that offered a sterndrive & an outboard, the sterndrive was cheaper by about $5-$7k.

Just my $0.02

Sabs28 wrote:Out of all the boats I was looking at that offered a sterndrive & an outboard, the sterndrive was cheaper by about $5-$7k.

Now actually that's interesting, here is the opposite, to re-power mine with a new Volvo D4 and leg wont see any change out of 28K
that's only 150hp, I'm sure I could buy an outboard for far less than that, maybe could even get 2 of them.
Thanks for that, its nice to get a comparison to what you guys pay, as to what we get stung with.
Cheers

I would check those Volvo Diesel/stern drive prices again here in the USA

A D6 300hp with drive is almost $50k US
I believe a D4 with drive is in the high $30ks with drive

I was quoted almost $95k with twin D6s with stern drives.

At most a single 300hp Outboard with rigging is $25k

That $10-15k each buys a lot of fuel, less maintenance.

As for the cost to install an inboard diesel it normally comes to around the same money as fitting 2x outboards. as for just bolting an inboard into a boat that was designed for outboards, its not something we would do. you are pushing a lot of weight forward which will change the trim of the boat. the boats we have quoted with inboards look the same as the outboard versions but thats where it ends, the hull shape below the water line is different and the further you push the engine forward the more the hull shape changes. this isn't a major issue on and alloy boat but on a glass boat forget it.

Katoh wrote:Gentlemen

Just a thought why doesn't someone to try and utilize one of the new Suburu Boxer diesels, their flat, you could probably fit one under the deck with little to protrusion in the cockpit.
Cheers
Katoh

The big hasstle with a boxer motor is the exhaust exits below the head. May not be such a problem with an i/o, but in a jet application (mounts lower) with which the petrol variant has been used plenty, the exhaust fouls the engine bed which makes for some tricky headers and non-SAE engine mounts.