Our new Origin Evolution 7500 diesel sterndrive – the build

[Nic]

The following is a report from my other half David (Alchemy) on our new boat.
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Decision Making

I wanted to upgrade from my last boat and decided that a 7m plate boat would be ideal -- it would still be easily towed and would provide the scope for the custom fit-out I had in mind. I had already started to make initial enquiries re pricing with a couple of builders when Col Svensson phoned me to let me know he’d be building boats with a new company: Origin Boats. Col and his team did a great job building my last boat in 2004.

I explained to Col what I had in mind and he soon had some drawings ready for me to see. I loved the look of the new Origin Evolution. Knowing the build quality of Col’s work and his ability to customise to my requirements, I decided to go with Origin and their Evolution 7500. As the name suggests, it is 7.5m long and has a 23 degree deadrise.

The next big decision was the power plant. I had been considering a big single or twins. I really liked the idea of twins given the distance from shore that we fish on the GBR, but the capital outlay and servicing cost was of concern.

I had also thought about a diesel stern drive, but had never had any experience with this type of set-up. I was of the belief that it would be costly to install, maintain and weigh too much. However, I spoke with a friend who worked for MTU Detroit Diesel, and he gave me the low down on an Italian engine they were distributing.

The engine MTUDD had was a Lombardini, 2.4l, 5-cylinder turbo diesel producing 240hp. This could be supplied with any of the Mercruiser Bravo stern drives, and with the Bravo 2 it only weighed in at 400kg. The weight of this set up was less than twin 150hp 4-strokes, had all the diesel advantages of reliability plus I wouldn’t have to worry about the ethanol issues I would have faced with outboards.

The other surprising aspect was the price, which was less than a pair of 150hp 4-stroke outboards and relatively favourable when compared to a big single (e.g. 300hp 4-stroke). Given these advantages I ordered the 240hp Lombardini with the Bravo 2 stern drive.


The Build

The last boat Col built for me was in 2004. I lived in Brisbane and was able to make regular trips to the factory to see what was going on. This time I was living in Townsville, so I wasn’t able to drop in whenever I chose. To make matters worse, I was going to be in Europe for seven weeks during the early build stages.

I needn’t have worried though, as Col and Richard kept me up to date with regular photos and emails while I was overseas. The emails and photos continued when I got back, plus I got a call from Col or Richard a couple of times each week. I also got photos at least once a week, and more often when a milestone was approaching.



Origin also built an alloy trailer to suit this boat. Here is a link to some detail on the trailer: www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=166598

So far as the build process goes, I’ll let the following pics tell the story.

[Nic]

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/1.jpg

Flat pack arrives. It begins!


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/2.jpg
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/3.jpg

Framed! Hull frame work on jig.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/4.jpg

Still on the jig, hull sheets attached.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/5.jpg

On the jig, hull sides going on.

[Nic]

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/6.jpg
Turning the hull over.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/7.jpg

Hull complete and right way up.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/8.jpg
Cabin starts to take shape.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/9.jpg
Cabin

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/10.jpg
Hard top, Mk 1….

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/11.jpg
Hard top in place.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/12.jpg

Hard top.

[JB]

Great thread, keep them coming!

[Nic]

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/14.jpg
Transom. Note that I asked Col to push the transom right back to the trailing edge of the hull sheets in order to maximise deck space. My last boat had 600mm behind the transom which I always thought was a waste of space.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/15b.jpg

Big marlin board fitted. Note that Col extended the sides beyond the transom. This creates a more appealing look, especially when viewed from side on.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/16.jpg

A few extra rod holders! I also asked Col to add a motor bracket. This is so I can take a car topper with us. Hopefully be able to drag it up into the back of the boat. Then disappear and fish n crab creeks when the reef weather isn’t good.



http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/17.jpg
Engine box complete.

[hsv 408]

VERY NICE !!!!! Turbo diesel should be a sensational rig.
Keep the pics coming love watching all these build ups :)

cheers Byron.

[Steeler]

Nic

Looking like its going to come up a real treat indeed.

Looking at the quality of the boats and it won't be long before this plate builder is looking for larger premises to move into;).

Steeler

[PinHead]

it is a great looking boat..saw it in the factory a lil while back.

[PADDLES]

g'day nic, your thread got me curious enough to have a look on the lombardini website. that's one impressive motor as far as power to weight goes, it brings turbo diesels back to being similar to n/a petrol motors.

i guess i think a bit old school still with diesels and probably shouldn't. the cummins 230hp is a good deal heavier than the lombardini and more steel usually means it'll last longer but the europeans are the masters at extracting performance from small diesels and the americans are the masters at making something weigh heaps to last forever and so it'll be interesting to see how it goes in the long run. if you don't think it's too rude a question, what did your engine and drive unit set you back?

[Nic]

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/18fixed.jpg
I think Mark is having too much fun on my boat before I do!


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/18a.jpg
Plenty of space to fish.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/18b.jpg

This is the toilet / shower. Idea is that the top hinges open and a curtain strung up for showers. I didn’t want a full height cubicle as it would reduce visibility from the helm. The height is 1200mm. The other advantage with this design is that the toilet is accessible 24hrs a day without disturbing anyone in the cabin.



http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/18c.jpg

400L fish box with work station on the back. 50mm insulation, stands 1000mm high.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/18d.jpg

This is the port side passenger seat with lift-up end to form an extra full-length bunk. Underneath this seat are a 100L freezer and 100L esky which have a thermostatically controlled spillover device from the freezer. The esky will still need ice, but hopefully the spillover will help it last a bit longer. Both of these boxes have 100mm insulation. Freezer will be refrigerated with a Danfoss BD50 condensing unit and flat plate evaporator. Power supply is from a 120A/H Fullriver deep cycle battery, charge is from a pair of 130W Sharp solar panels regulated by a Plasmatronics Dingo 20amp solar regulator.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/18e.jpg

Under the helm seat. A two burner metho stove will live here.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/18f.jpg

View of helm with shower / toilet cubicle behind.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/18g.jpg

This is a rope locker. My thought with this is that when I retrieve the pick with the float I can dump the rope and chain in here, keeping the deck clutter free.

[Nic]

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/19.jpg
Looking good!


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/21.jpg
Hard top Mk 11. I had intended having a tube frame with a soft cover made to shade the back deck, but decided it would be best to have the hard top extended. I think the boat looks better for it too!



http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/22.jpg
Hard top Mk 11 close up. An advantage of this is that the rocket launcher was relocated to the trailing edge which allows full and easy access to the rods. Especially as the short people can stand on the engine box to reach their rods.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/23.jpg
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/24.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/25.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish%20Build/26.jpg

Hot work complete, off to the painter.

[Nic]

g'day nic, your thread got me curious enough to have a look on the lombardini website. that's one impressive motor as far as power to weight goes, it brings turbo diesels back to being similar to n/a petrol motors. [snip] what did your engine and drive unit set you back?

Hi Paddles, I'll let Dave field that question as he's been doing all the number crunching. :) I am a bit concerned about how noisy the motor will be, after the whisper-quiet Suzi 4-stroke we had on the last rig, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. Hopefully, with the insulation, it won't be too bad.

In any case, with more and more petrol stations offering ULP in only ethanol or premium, it's reassuring to be getting a diesel!

[Greg P]

That is what a custom plate boat is all about. Credit to all involved. Looks like some long trips away coming up.

[pilchardjones]

Now that is going to be one of the finest custom plate NQ reef fishing boats ever built for sure.
Beautiful boat - thanks for sharing Nic/Dave.
steve

[PADDLES]

did you consider your suzuki whisper quiet at revs? i jumped from a boat with a 140 suzuki outboard to a boat with a mercruiser v6 sterndrive about a year ago. whilst the old sooz was just about silent at idle, it still made a racket at 4000rpm and i reckon the stern drive we have now is not much noisier at about 3500rpm and is only a smidgin noisier at idle. i reckon at the end of the day they're all pretty noisy at revs.

[drireech]

This post has me climbing the walls with envy. My new rig won't arrive until Nov, and these types of threads make the wait seem sooo much harder to bear.

Does the shower cubicle drain straight onto the deck? and are you plumbing the loo to an onboard tank?

Cheers
Drireech

[Jarrah Jack]

Thats one serious extended trip boat. You're gunna have a lot of fun in that, just don't get locked in the dunny...Will be interesting to read the economy and performance numbers with the diesel..thanks for shareing.

[TimiBoy]

Nic,

We'll be embarking on a similar project mid next year - what's dry weight BMT? How much fuel can you fit on board with the loss of tankage, and what economy/range are you expecting from the diesel?

Where are you? I reckon I should come and check her out sometime once she's finished! (If you'll let me, of course!)

Fantastic thread, and an innovative boat. I look forward to picking your brains...

Cheers,

Tim

[lethal098]

Thats awesome, reading up on the engine it is very similar to the Steyr diesel, the main noise from that is the turbo, other than that the insulation takes away most of the noise, out of the water however the noise increase is substantial. The fuel savings you will find should be dramatic, the 7.4m lazercraft i have been using was returning economy figures of between 1.5-2.5km/litre depending on conditions and driving style, The origin boat seems to have very similar lines to the lazercraft. Some fantastic ideas being built in and cant wait to see the finished product.

cheers Lee

[robothefisho]

What an awesome looking rig!!! A few questions, does a person actually fit on a toilet in that cubicle it looks a bit cosy. Second, maybe round the corners off on that engine box, they look about right to destroy a kneecap or shin. Third, this boat really shows that origin boats are up with the best of them, which is good to see.

[bluefin59]

What a magnificent boat , this should be an interesting read as the paint and engine work is completed and i love the trailer this is going to be a real weapon . I hope it all comes together as expected the boys from origin sure do quality work ,cant wait to see some more pics as the job is completed ...matt

[Lucky_Phill]

Thanks for the pics so far Nic.

As stated, always great to a custom build.

I am sure you'll be very happy with it. Like the stern drive / diesel idea and that targa is the bees knees. You have put a lot of thought into it.


Cheers Phill

[neil_stessco]

Great thread i have enjoyed looking through your pics and reading about the build. I am also looking at a 7M platey and i'll diesel/mercruiser it also, i love outboards but i like turbo diesel's more.

[TimiBoy]

One thing - don't slip and put a foot in that rope locker. Sure broken leg there! I wonder how that could be countered, or don't you see a risk in it?

Cheers,

Tim

[littlemac]

great thread nic, awsome stuff by the builder and you guys on the design.

it will be great to see the finished project

cheers

brett

ps. timi boy glad to see you ordered something

[Nic]

whilst the old sooz was just about silent at idle, it still made a racket at 4000rpm and i reckon the stern drive we have now is not much noisier at about 3500rpm and is only a smidgin noisier at idle. i reckon at the end of the day they're all pretty noisy at revs.

Yeah you're right, it wasn't all that quiet at revs. I had just heard some horror stories about deafening sterndrives, which made me worry... but hopefully ours won't reach ear-bleeding levels. We'll soon find out, anyway!

[Daisy Burnett]

Nic
I was looking forward to getting back up to T'Ville at the end of the year, at last, just for the sake of being able to live in my on home. But now I have second reason. I will be looking forward to seeing your new boat on the water. Absolutely beautiful job you should be very proud. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers
Daisy

[Alchemy]

g'day nic, your thread got me curious enough to have a look on the lombardini website. that's one impressive motor as far as power to weight goes, it brings turbo diesels back to being similar to n/a petrol motors.

i guess i think a bit old school still with diesels and probably shouldn't. the cummins 230hp is a good deal heavier than the lombardini and more steel usually means it'll last longer but the europeans are the masters at extracting performance from small diesels and the americans are the masters at making something weigh heaps to last forever and so it'll be interesting to see how it goes in the long run. if you don't think it's too rude a question, what did your engine and drive unit set you back?

Paddles, we did 500 hours in five years in the last boat. I suspect we may do a few more in this one but hope it will be good for a good 3000. If it is, and even if we do 200 hours per annum then we will still get 15 years out it. So far as the cost, it was very close to a 300hp four stroke. I anticipate a review of this boat will be published in QFM, and pricing info (and other details) will be included then. In the meantime, I'm sure the guys at Origin could help you.



did you consider your suzuki whisper quiet at revs? i jumped from a boat with a 140 suzuki outboard to a boat with a mercruiser v6 sterndrive about a year ago. whilst the old sooz was just about silent at idle, it still made a racket at 4000rpm and i reckon the stern drive we have now is not much noisier at about 3500rpm and is only a smidgin noisier at idle. i reckon at the end of the day they're all pretty noisy at revs.

Our 200 Suzuki was quieter than our prior outboard at all revs which was a 130hp 2 stroke Yamaha. No, not whisper quiet at 4000rpm, but we could have a conversation easily at the helm. It also had a nice throatie note to it!


This post has me climbing the walls with envy. My new rig won't arrive until Nov, and these types of threads make the wait seem sooo much harder to bear.

Does the shower cubicle drain straight onto the deck? and are you plumbing the loo to an onboard tank?

Cheers
Drireech

Hang in there mate. It is always worth the wait. The shower drains over board via a hole in the side which is covered by a small weld on clam vent. The toilet will just be a chemiical job. I wanted to keep it simple.


Thats one serious extended trip boat. You're gunna have a lot of fun in that, just don't get locked in the dunny...Will be interesting to read the economy and performance numbers with the diesel..thanks for shareing.

I reckon the crapper will double as a lock up. If you get out line then you can do an hour in there ;D


Nic,

We'll be embarking on a similar project mid next year - what's dry weight BMT? How much fuel can you fit on board with the loss of tankage, and what economy/range are you expecting from the diesel?

Where are you? I reckon I should come and check her out sometime once she's finished! (If you'll let me, of course!)

Fantastic thread, and an innovative boat. I look forward to picking your brains...

Cheers,

Tim

Hi Tim, you may recall I contacted you via PM late in June. I guess you didn't get my email with the pics and detail? BMT is estimated at 3200kg, with some fuel and gear. Fuel capacity is 500 litres and could have been a lot more. There are also two under deck lockers and a 100 litre water tank. I could have done away with the lockers, but felt 500l would be ample. I will have to be carefull with the weight though, and only fuel up when I get to the ramp. No real idea on range yet, will have to wait and see but I expect it to be similar or better than a four stroke outboard. We are in Townsville, but the boat is still at Origin.


Thats awesome, reading up on the engine it is very similar to the Steyr diesel, the main noise from that is the turbo, other than that the insulation takes away most of the noise, out of the water however the noise increase is substantial. The fuel savings you will find should be dramatic, the 7.4m lazercraft i have been using was returning economy figures of between 1.5-2.5km/litre depending on conditions and driving style, The origin boat seems to have very similar lines to the lazercraft. Some fantastic ideas being built in and cant wait to see the finished product.

cheers Lee

Thanks Lee. This boat is a result of about 32 years of boating and learning about what works, what doesn't and developing an understanding of what Nic and I wanted in our next boat. Oh, and lots of dreaming! If I get the fuel numbers you're quoting then I will be absolutely stoked 8-)


What an awesome looking rig!!! A few questions, does a person actually fit on a toilet in that cubicle it looks a bit cosy. Second, maybe round the corners off on that engine box, they look about right to destroy a kneecap or shin. Third, this boat really shows that origin boats are up with the best of them, which is good to see.

Thanks for the tips Robbo and I didn't consider that. A bit late though as she is back from paint! The crapper is 600mm square, plus the bit under the gunwale. it will be tight, but I sat on the loo with a tape measure and worked out I could get away with 600mm. I don't think I'll be sitting in there with the papaer though. In and out asap::)



One thing - don't slip and put a foot in that rope locker. Sure broken leg there! I wonder how that could be countered, or don't you see a risk in it?

Cheers,

Tim

Not too concerned Tim. f it becomes a problem then I can retro fit a cover. I hope we won't need to go forward too often and if we do we can always go the port side.

Thanks for all the positive feedback so far ;)

Regards,
Dave.

[Rhinoc]

Fantastic thread. Can't wait for the rest of the pics to be posted. What colour scheme did you come up with?

Congratulations to you both on a fantastic looking rig with some well researched innovations.

Rhino...

[snipe]

Cool stuff Nic and Dave. Cant wait to see it floating! Exciting indeed, might even have a beer or two on it to celebrate

Bob

[fez]

Great looking boat guys.

Nice photo on the cover of QFM also;D

fez.

[lethal098]

Nic,

When you get the boat make sure you play around with props, it took 7 different props to find the best one for the Lazercraft, even now we switch between 2 of them depending on what we are doing, We had a difference of 10 knot top speed with the current 2 props and fuel consumption changes with it. If it performs anything like the Lazer i am sure you will be very happy.

cheers Lee

[PADDLES]

if it works out similar in price to a big outboard then that's exceptional value dave. the fuel savings alone will definitely chew away any premium in purchase price over a petrol stern drive for the hours you do and the time you're planning on hanging on to it. the safety aspect of running diesel over petrol is pretty attractive to me too. good stuff.

[Alchemy]

Fantastic thread. Can't wait for the rest of the pics to be posted. What colour scheme did you come up with?

Congratulations to you both on a fantastic looking rig with some well researched innovations.

Rhino...

Thanks Rhino. For colour we've gone for royal blue on the sides and a white cabin. There will also be some custom vinyl work on the sides to really make it stand out in the crowd.


Cool stuff Nic and Dave. Cant wait to see it floating! Exciting indeed, might even have a beer or two on it to celebrate

Bob

Bob, one or two beers? How about NYE, tucked up behind a tropical island? I think a G&T will go down well too. BTBITM ;)


Great looking boat guys.

Nice photo on the cover of QFM also;D

fez.

Thanks Fez. You've done well to pin that cover on us!


Nic,

When you get the boat make sure you play around with props, it took 7 different props to find the best one for the Lazercraft, even now we switch between 2 of them depending on what we are doing, We had a difference of 10 knot top speed with the current 2 props and fuel consumption changes with it. If it performs anything like the Lazer i am sure you will be very happy.

cheers Lee

Lee, we hope to be playing with props next week. I guess as the engine loosens up that will have an impact too.


if it works out similar in price to a big outboard then that's exceptional value dave. the fuel savings alone will definitely chew away any premium in purchase price over a petrol stern drive for the hours you do and the time you're planning on hanging on to it. the safety aspect of running diesel over petrol is pretty attractive to me too. good stuff.

Paddles, I think we'll be on a winner with this engine set up. You're right too that any small price premium will be more than compensated through fuel savings, safety issues and the no ethanol advantage. I would never have gone with a petrol inboard though. If we'd gone petrol then it would have been outboard 4 stroke power.

Regards,
Dave.

[cormorant]

No ethanol but beware of biodiesel mixes.

[PADDLES]

where do you get that info from cormorant? i've read that biodiesel is actually pretty good (if it is manufactured to the correct standards and not in someone's back yard) it has increased lubricity that makes the injector pump last longer. do you have some good long term info like links on the net or say from a transport company or the like? sorry about the diversion from your lovely new boat nic and dave but i'm a bit interested in info on biodiesel vs dinodiesel, chuck it in another thread cormorant if you've got some good info.

[cormorant]

No super important info just some of the diesels aren't mixing real well and mates with trucks are ending up with more sludge in standing tanks and filters being used.

Just make sure you buy good diesel from same supplier

Nothing wrong with home brew if done right and set up correctly but not for me on a boat with a new motor.

Was as much a comment that there is some really crap diesel out there just like there is crap petrol.

[FNQCairns]

From front to rear that's a serious plate hull, will be great on the water, congrats and enjoy!

[murf]

No super important info just some of the diesels aren't mixing real well and mates with trucks are ending up with more sludge in standing tanks and filters being used.

Was as much a comment that there is some really crap diesel out there just like there is crap petrol.

that sludge is the gunk left behind from diesel :o the Bio cleans it all out of your system, something to be mindful of when you first start using Bio. A couple of filter changes and its all sweet again

and yes Biodiesel is the best and cheapest additive to improve lubricity (going by overseas studies) :)

what a top rig and you have put a lot of thought into the layout

cheers Murf

[Alchemy]

No ethanol but beware of biodiesel mixes.


No super important info just some of the diesels aren't mixing real well and mates with trucks are ending up with more sludge in standing tanks and filters being used.

Just make sure you buy good diesel from same supplier

Nothing wrong with home brew if done right and set up correctly but not for me on a boat with a new motor.

Was as much a comment that there is some really crap diesel out there just like there is crap petrol.

Thanks Cormorant. I have a diesel 4wd only fill up at the popular truckies servos and will do the same with the boat.

Thanks FNQ and Murf for your feedback too.

Regards,
Dave.

[jett75]

gday mate i see on your boat you dont have the ballast tubes on there is there no room because of the stern drive and do you or col think that the extra weight down in the hull from the oiler will have alittle bit of the same affect and drop it onto the reverse chimes at rest our 620 maxi is good at rest cheers mate

[PADDLES]

i too am interested in how they go at rest, looking at dave and nic's boat has got me real interested in this style of boat. i've had a good look at the 7.2 and 8m boats that cairns custom craft did for f&b (look in seamedia if you're interested) and i love the concept of this style of boat but am unsure of how the alloy hull will both ride (never owned or been in a plate alloy boat) or sit at rest (will it bob like a cork). we presently have a whittley cruiser, it's built like a tank, rides fantastic and sit's beautifully at rest and is comfortable as, but it's absolutely useless for any form of fishing other than catching a few whiting in a sheltered area and that's what makes this style of boat of dave and nic's appealling to me, it's a hardcore reefboat with all the comforts of the whittley (even if alloy boats look like an armoured personnel carrier when compared to fibreglass).

[Rockrash]

Ugly but useful

[DALEPRICE]

gday guys,
a very awesome boat in the making by the looks. please keep the
photos up as its a real good read.
thanks
dale
. bet you guys cant wait to be fishing out of her!!

[Alchemy]

gday mate i see on your boat you dont have the ballast tubes on there is there no room because of the stern drive and do you or col think that the extra weight down in the hull from the oiler will have alittle bit of the same affect and drop it onto the reverse chimes at rest our 620 maxi is good at rest cheers mate

Hi Jett. The weight of the engine and stern drive is 400kg, plus 500L of diesel and 100L of water. All this down low in the hull will have the same effect as water ballast, as you suggested. I agree that water ballast works very well on outboard powered boats though.


i too am interested in how they go at rest, looking at dave and nic's boat has got me real interested in this style of boat. i've had a good look at the 7.2 and 8m boats that cairns custom craft did for f&b (look in seamedia if you're interested) and i love the concept of this style of boat but am unsure of how the alloy hull will both ride (never owned or been in a plate alloy boat) or sit at rest (will it bob like a cork). we presently have a whittley cruiser, it's built like a tank, rides fantastic and sit's beautifully at rest and is comfortable as, but it's absolutely useless for any form of fishing other than catching a few whiting in a sheltered area and that's what makes this style of boat of dave and nic's appealling to me, it's a hardcore reefboat with all the comforts of the whittley (even if alloy boats look like an armoured personnel carrier when compared to fibreglass).

Paddles, wait till you've seen pics of her painted. This is no armoured personnel carrier look-a-like. Once she is on the water and I've had the chance to fish from her I'll post up my thoughts on ride, stability etc. I designed the layout of this boat so it would be suitable as a comfortable cruising boat and a seriuos fishing boat.


Ugly but useful

I don't understand the relevance of your reply Rockrash, though do agree that it is an ugly boat. Perhaps you can start your own thread and tell us more about it?


gday guys,
a very awesome boat in the making by the looks. please keep the
photos up as its a real good read.
thanks
dale
. bet you guys cant wait to be fishing out of her!!

Thanks Dale. You are right. We can't wait to get her home to Townsville and out to the reef.

[Rockrash]

Hi Jett. The weight of the engine and stern drive is 400kg, plus 500L of diesel and 100L of water. All this down low in the hull will have the same effect as water ballast, as you suggested. I agree that water ballast works very well on outboard powered boats though.



Paddles, wait till you've seen pics of her painted. This is no armoured personnel carrier look-a-like. Once she is on the water and I've had the chance to fish from her I'll post up my thoughts on ride, stability etc. I designed the layout of this boat so it would be suitable as a comfortable cruising boat and a seriuos fishing boat.



I don't understand the relevance of your reply Rockrash, though do agree that it is an ugly boat. Perhaps you can start your own thread and tell us more about it?



Thanks Dale. You are right. We can't wait to get her home to Townsville and out to the reef.


Hi Alchemy, I posted a couple of pics simply because it seems you and I have gone down a very similar path with our boats. We also wanted a boat that was able to fish but also had to have the capability of doing some extented trips away. Given the fact that quite a few people have expressed interest in this style of boat I considered it relevant.

[Alchemy]

Hi Alchemy, I posted a couple of pics simply because it seems you and I have gone down a very similar path with our boats. We also wanted a boat that was able to fish but also had to have the capability of doing some extented trips away. Given the fact that quite a few people have expressed interest in this style of boat I considered it relevant.

Thanks for explaining yourself Rockrash as your three word post previously really didn't explain much!

Regards,
Dave.

[Alchemy]

Great thread i have enjoyed looking through your pics and reading about the build. I am also looking at a 7M platey and i'll diesel/mercruiser it also, i love outboards but i like turbo diesel's more.

Hi Neil,

If you can wait till I get her up to Townsville then you are welcome to come down and give her the once over.

Regards,
Dave.

[Pazz01]

Hey Dave

That is a sweet rig you got going there. You'll be able to go fro townsville to Weipa in that one. I think you'll be really impressed with the diesel, from all reports that I've heard they are fantastic. One day if I ever get in the market for a new rig, something like that would definately be on the wish list.

What edition of QFM is the write up of you boat going to be in? I'd like to buy it to have a read.

Happy boating.

Pazz

[snipe]

Yes Dave, Townsville to Weipa at least!!!

[TimiBoy]

Well, I was fortunate enough to bung a face on Dave today, and even luckier to cast my eyes over Alchemy! WHAT A BOAT!!! The smile on Dave's face just says it all, really. He can't wait to get blood in the boat, and you can sure as hell see why. She really is quite stunning... AND HUGE!

Cheers,

Tim

[nickstock]

Looking good Dave,

It has been great watching this boat come together over the previous months!

I can not wait to see how she performs mate, she is a credit to Nic and yourself with the personal touches added to it. A one off mate!

Cheers,
Nick Stock

[Alchemy]

Hey Dave

That is a sweet rig you got going there. You'll be able to go fro townsville to Weipa in that one. I think you'll be really impressed with the diesel, from all reports that I've heard they are fantastic. One day if I ever get in the market for a new rig, something like that would definately be on the wish list.

What edition of QFM is the write up of you boat going to be in? I'd like to buy it to have a read.

Happy boating.

Pazz

Thanks Pazz. Not sure of the review details yet. Might not be for a few months but will let you know when I find out.


Yes Dave, Townsville to Weipa at least!!!

Start packing Bob!


Well, I was fortunate enough to bung a face on Dave today, and even luckier to cast my eyes over Alchemy! WHAT A BOAT!!! The smile on Dave's face just says it all, really. He can't wait to get blood in the boat, and you can sure as hell see why. She really is quite stunning... AND HUGE!

Cheers,

Tim

Thanks Tim. It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope we helped you with some ideas for your new boat.


Looking good Dave,

It has been great watching this boat come together over the previous months!

I can not wait to see how she performs mate, she is a credit to Nic and yourself with the personal touches added to it. A one off mate!

Cheers,
Nick Stock

Thanks Nick. I'm hoping I might be able to drag it up your way before the year is out.

[wags on the water]

Dave and Nic,

Thanks for sharing the build of your fishing platform. I hope it serves you both well for many offshore adventures.
What an awesome looking boat.

Cheers,
Wags

[Alchemy]

double up....

[Alchemy]

Back from paint
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/1.jpg


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/2.jpg


Non slip paint to side decks and cabin bonnet
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/3.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/5.jpg

Engine bay lined with sound proof insulation. This was doubled up on the forward bulkhead to further reduce noise travelling forward through the hull.
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/6.jpg

Engine going in.
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/7.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/8.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/9.jpg

A really neat installation :)
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/9a.jpg

Trim tabs on and time for the Bravo 2 drive to be fitted
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/10.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/11.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/12.jpg

Forward area of hard top lined.
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/13.jpg

Fit out progressing nicely :)
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish02/14.jpg

[STUIE63]

that is a beautiful boat Dave and Nic I can't wait to see it on the water one day
Stuie

[Lovey80]

Plate boat porn- Seriously! What a weapon! Those blokes really know how to build a platey don't they.

[Axl]

Absolutely beautiful congrats.

[eugah]

Dave, its looking awesome cant wait to see it when it gets up here.

Adrain

[Camhawk88]

Yeah its alright I suppose- if your into that kinda thing;)

[neil_stessco]

Hi Neil,

If you can wait till I get her up to Townsville then you are welcome to come down and give her the once over.

Regards,
Dave.

Hi Dave,

That would be great shoot me a pm when you get her back in the Ville.

Neil.

[Scott nthQld]

Damn fine rig Dave, mustn't be long now....a couple more weeks maybe??

Can't wait to get a look at her, no doubt, I'll see you on the water the very first weekend, rain, cyclone or shine!

[Sandman]

What a great boat, thanks for sharing your progress with the build sort of lights a lttle fire inside , you know the kind that turns into a bigger fire next thing you know your surrounded by whole lota of water...:) God i miss my boat. Cant wait to hear how she preforms and fishes.

Regards
Michael

[Chooksy]

That's one fantastic rig being built, can't wait to see the finished product and how she preforms. Mmm never thought an inboard could look so good. Great work by Col and his team

[NTMID8]

Mate that is a sweet sweet rig, i can only dream of ever owning one of them! Love that you have thought outside of the square and come up with some really great ideas!

[surveyor]

absolutely brilliant boat very exciting ,Just wondering if the windscreen is glass as its a nice profile thanks

[DALEPRICE]

that boat just sets the bar at a new level.
awesome
thanks for sharing.
cheers dale

[gawby]

Well I thought I was looking at pics that Brett had not posted about his Viper build.
They are so similar in design it is not funny.
Nice looking boat.
Graeme

[Alchemy]

that is a beautiful boat Dave and Nic I can't wait to see it on the water one day
Stuie


Dave, its looking awesome cant wait to see it when it gets up here.

Adrain


Hi Dave,

That would be great shoot me a pm when you get her back in the Ville.

Neil.


Damn fine rig Dave, mustn't be long now....a couple more weeks maybe??

Can't wait to get a look at her, no doubt, I'll see you on the water the very first weekend, rain, cyclone or shine!

Thanks fellas. I can't get back to tow her up for a couple of weeks now but she should be up before the end of the month so will let you know. You're welcome to come for a closer look. Scott, there won't be much stopping me as you've suggested. We took her for a quick run out of Scarborough late on Friday arvo and she ate the chop. I think I'll be looking forward to those 15kt weekends up here as the ramps will be quiet but the boat will eat it 8-)

[Alchemy]

Plate boat porn- Seriously! What a weapon! Those blokes really know how to build a platey don't they.

Ha, that is pretty funny ;D and a great compliment for Col, Richard and their team!


What a great boat, thanks for sharing your progress with the build sort of lights a lttle fire inside , you know the kind that turns into a bigger fire next thing you know your surrounded by whole lota of water...:) God i miss my boat. Cant wait to hear how she preforms and fishes.

Regards
Michael

Thanks Michael. I'm sure the boys at Origin can pour some fuel on that fire, just go and have a look at what they are doing. Once I get her home I'll post up some performance numbers, plus fuel consumption a bit further down the track.


That's one fantastic rig being built, can't wait to see the finished product and how she preforms. Mmm never thought an inboard could look so good. Great work by Col and his team

Going down the inboard path was a bit daunting as it really was entering the unknown for me. Having seen how well it has worked into the boat though I am very happy with the outcome.


Mate that is a sweet sweet rig, i can only dream of ever owning one of them! Love that you have thought outside of the square and come up with some really great ideas!

Thanks NTMID8. I put a lot of thought into the layout, and Col turned my ideas into reality. The other thing that really helped was that Col provided me with scale drawings of the deck, so I was able to stuff about quite a lot in designing the layout and getting a fair idea of how it would all fit.


absolutely brilliant boat very exciting ,Just wondering if the windscreen is glass as its a nice profile thanks

Thanks! Yes the windscreen is glass. The visibility from the helm is excellent whether standing or sitting.

Thanks to everyone else for your positive replies. I appreciate your feedback :)

Regards,
Dave.

[Alchemy]

As a matter of interest, F&B (Australian Fisherman and Boatowner) has written a short spiel about their initial impressions (at completion of hotwork stage) of the boat. P62, September issue.

[sooty_mad]

Great job.
David

[Scott nthQld]

I'll definately have to take you up on that offer of a closer look Dave. one question though...No anchor winch?? That big bastards going to need a hell of an anchor to hold bottom. i certainly don't envy who ever gets to pull that sucker in

[Pazz01]

I'll definately have to take you up on that offer of a closer look Dave. one question though...No anchor winch?? That big bastards going to need a hell of an anchor to hold bottom. i certainly don't envy who ever gets to pull that sucker in

Put a buoy on the rope, she'll be fine. Just need to make sure the buoy is big enough to float with the chain and anchor on it:P . ha.

Pazz

[STUIE63]

Dave I will happily take you up on the offer of a look when it arrives in town
Stuie

[matt fraser]

Congratulations Dave and Nic, you guys must be pretty excited about how its all coming together.

Well done to the team at Origin, it is a fantastic looking boat, with very nice lines. the cabin and windscreen design is pretty special looking.

The whole project and this thread is very inspiring.

Well done all, I look forward to seeing some folllow up fishing reports.

Cheers,

Matt

[matmuller85]

Scott anchor whinches are to slow and that why dave and nic have friends hehehe. Dave that thing will put a horn on a jellyfish.

[blueline]

looks great dave and nic, cant wait for the next m&g to check it out.

[ShaneC]

Saw it down at Scarby today.... very impressive

[WOOPI]

Hi Dave,
You have a great boat, Col,Richard and the team at Origin Boats are masters at work, Col has kept me informed on your progress, you must be proud on how your ideas and Col's skills all come together, I to, had the same expericances when Col and his team built my boat in 2005, again it's my turn to come up with another boat from Col. We may catch up next month on the water and chase a marlin.

Cheers
Woopi

[Alchemy]

Put a buoy on the rope, she'll be fine. Just need to make sure the buoy is big enough to float with the chain and anchor on it:P . ha.

Pazz

That is exactly what I will be doing. I've filled a 20 litre water drum with foam to use as the float. Hopefully that will do the job. I guess it would be nice to have a winch, but it is more money and weight.


Congratulations Dave and Nic, you guys must be pretty excited about how its all coming together.

Well done to the team at Origin, it is a fantastic looking boat, with very nice lines. the cabin and windscreen design is pretty special looking.

The whole project and this thread is very inspiring.

Well done all, I look forward to seeing some folllow up fishing reports.

Cheers,

Matt

Thanks Matt. It has been 8 months since I've been to the reef so you can be guaranteed of some reports from us, very soon!


Dave that thing will put a horn on a jellyfish. ;D




looks great dave and nic, cant wait for the next m&g to check it out.

Thanks Jaimie. Another M&G is a great idea. It has been too long.


Saw it down at Scarby today.... very impressive

Yes..... Col phoned me while relaxing on the engine box seat. Sounded like he was having a beer too. I believe they were testing another prop.... I'll get my own back though ;)


Hi Dave,
You have a great boat, Col,Richard and the team at Origin Boats are masters at work, Col has kept me informed on your progress, you must be proud on how your ideas and Col's skills all come together, I to, had the same expericances when Col and his team built my boat in 2005, again it's my turn to come up with another boat from Col. We may catch up next month on the water and chase a marlin.

Cheers
Woopi

Thanks Rod, I am very happy with how it has all come together. Would love to catch up for a fish, but will need some serious pointers on how to catch a beakie. Definitely a target though.

[Chimo]

Dave and Nic

Congrats, very impressive and well planned boat, Origin are turning out quality gear.

One thought which could be off the mark, hard to tell from the pics, but does the windscreen peak extend forward enough to provide adequate shade over the screen / instruments and into the cab?

On a similar but differnt vein, one on my neighbours has recently fitted (removable) shade cloth curtains on the side of his Fairways ie from the cab roof across the walkways and down onto the side rail, makes a big difference to cab shade and heat.

I read you suggested the cost of the motor was similar to a 4 s 300hp OB, whats the motor / stern drive weight and estimated fuel burn per hour, if you know?.

Cheers
Chimo

[Alchemy]

Dave and Nic

Congrats, very impressive and well planned boat, Origin are turning out quality gear.

One thought which could be off the mark, hard to tell from the pics, but does the windscreen peak extend forward enough to provide adequate shade over the screen / instruments and into the cab?

On a similar but differnt vein, one on my neighbours has recently fitted (removable) shade cloth curtains on the side of his Fairways ie from the cab roof across the walkways and down onto the side rail, makes a big difference to cab shade and heat.

I read you suggested the cost of the motor was similar to a 4 s 300hp OB, whats the motor / stern drive weight and estimated fuel burn per hour, if you know?.

Cheers
Chimo

Thanks Chimo. I think there will be adequate shade for the dash and instruments. I'll get some pics up of the dash area soon. Shade cloth on the sides could be a good idea up here when anchored up for a day or two.

The dry weight with a Bravo 1 leg is 376kg, so my B2 combo should be around 400kg. Not sure of the fuel burn yet though there is a table here... http://www.lombardinimarine.it/download/jmt_en.pdf let me know if you can interpret the fuel numbers.

Regards,
Dave.

[Alchemy]

more pics....

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish03/atsa00000.jpg
Stone guard.


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish03/atsa00002.jpg
Decals attached.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish03/atsa00001.jpg
Close up. The decals are made from vinyl, same type that is used on vinyl wraps.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish03/atsa00004.jpg
The marlin board hinges open for access.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish03/atsa00003%20%282%29.jpg


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish03/atsa00003.jpg
Stone guard again with spare wheel carrier.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish03/atsa00006.jpg
Makes the F250 look small.....

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish03/atsa00005.jpg

[neil_stessco]

That is a beautiful boat i hope you enjoy it as i have enjoyed following the build. Hopefully i can get mine started soon.

[Greg P]

Dave - What a work of art - well done Col

[Alchemy]

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20906.jpg
Vinyl windscreen cover. Main purpose of this is to protect the windscreen from stones while towing. I couldn't imagine the cost of replacing the windscreen!
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20907.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20909.jpg
Engine box. I'm looking forward to relaxing here with a beer or two:beer::beer::beer:

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20911.jpg
Port bench seat with lift up end to form third bunk. Also has freezer and esky underneath.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20914.jpg
Removeable helm seat. A metho stove is going underneath.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20916.jpg
Dash with custom dash mat.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20926.jpg
Furuno FCV585 and Garmin GPSMAP4010. I didn't want the new touch screen Garmin as I hate te idea of grubby fingers messing up the screen. There is also a lockable cover that slides over the sounder/GPS.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20946.jpg
Overhead console with Icom VHF, Fusion CD and iPod dock and remote control for spot light.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/4600%20918.jpg
Fully lined cabin. There is storage under the bunks too.

[neil_stessco]

Do you have any weight and perfrmance stats for the rig yet also?

[Alchemy]

Here is a graph on the engines performance. I'm not sure how to interpret the fuel usage measure, so if anyone else can please let me know. Obviously I'll work it out in real life once I have the boat up here, but would be nice to have an idea now.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/curva245jmt.jpg

[frankgrimes]

Here is a graph on the engines performance. I'm not sure how to interpret the fuel usage measure, so if anyone else can please let me know. Obviously I'll work it out in real life once I have the boat up here, but would be nice to have an idea now.

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish04/curva245jmt.jpg

Ill have a crack - Im sure someone will correct me ;)

g/kwh (grams/kwh)

1 gram = .0001 Kg
1 Kg = 2.2046 lbs
7.2 lbs = 1 gallon of diesel

1 = .001 Kg x 2.2046 lbs/Kg = .0022046 lbs.
.0022046 lbs x 1 gal /7.2 lbs = .000306 gallon

So 1gm = .000306 gallons

2 readinngs - 1st at sweet spot (215g/kwh @ 3000rpm which is ~140kw based on graph)

215 x .000306 = 0.06579 x 140 = 9.2106 gallons p/h * 3.785 = 34.862121 l/hr

and 2nd at wot (240g/kwh @ 4200rpm which is ~ 230kw based on graph)

240 x .000306 = 0.07344 x 230 = 16.8912 gallons p/h * 3.785 = 63.933 l/hr

*Edit* ooops - 2nd reading should have been 170kw, not 230!(that is hp reading)

240 x .000306 = 0.07344 x 170 = 12.4848 gallons p/h * 3.785 = 47.254968 l/hr

Mick

[littlemac]

i love the pics with the stone gaurds on it looks like hannible lecter.

that is one wicked boat

cheers

brett

[Argle]

That is absolutely first class! Well done to the Origin Team and congratulations to Dave & Nic, I bet you are champing at the bit to get her home and out on the water.

Cheers
Scott

[Chimo]

Mick

I feel you may have added extra steps to the calc which may not help.......

Why not go straight from volume to volume rather than to weight and then back again to vol.? 158g or cc / and so on..... different comp to below .

Also Re the lt per hr figure, are the gallons arrived at ? ...... US or imperial ?
if imp given the Italian origins the final multiplyer should be 4.456 so the lt figure per hr may in fact be 56.7570479034 lt. for 12.4848 g

your thoughts pls ?

Cheers
Chimo

[Dicko]

Very nice rig, congrats to you both.

[AnthonyL]

A great looking boat .. You must be really happy.

[gofishin]

Gents, if we take out the conversion from metric to imperial we negate the Imperial/US conversion confusion. It also makes the calcs easier.

At the sweet spot of 3000rpm I would say we have 137kW @ 215g/kWh consumption. Also, density of diesel is say 850g/L, and let’s say it’s a nice balmy 35 degrees in Townsville (neglect altitude differential).

‘Theoretical’ fuel consumption of this donk in L/h is therefore 215*137/850*1.02^3 = 36.8 L/h. (Hint, use dimensional analysis on the units, which then tells you what to divide and what to times etc)

Note, at assumed 35 deg it is 3 lots of 5 deg higher than 20 deg, therefore we have to de-rate by 1.02 to the third power (not that it is too much different to 1.06 though!)
Cheers
Brendon
PS. Magnificent boat Alchy

[borryking]

Awesome rig, you must be happy as a pig in poo! Some great features added to her. Love your choice of electronics too.

[sid_fishes]

Gents, if we take out the conversion from metric to imperial we negate the Imperial/US conversion confusion. It also makes the calcs easier.

At the sweet spot of 3000rpm I would say we have 137kW @ 215g/kWh consumption. Also, density of diesel is say 850g/L, and let’s say it’s a nice balmy 35 degrees in Townsville (neglect altitude differential).

‘Theoretical’ fuel consumption of this donk in L/h is therefore 215*137/850*1.02^3 = 36.8 L/h. (Hint, use dimensional analysis on the units, which then tells you what to divide and what to times etc)

Note, at assumed 35 deg it is 3 lots of 5 deg higher than 20 deg, therefore we have to de-rate by 1.02 to the third power (not that it is too much different to 1.06 though!)
Cheers
Brendon
PS. Magnificent boat Alchy

so in laymans terms all of the above means????
i,m just a simple guy with a simple mind ok
and dont need to be baffled by shit maths
ian

[Alchemy]

Ill have a crack - Im sure someone will correct me ;)

g/kwh (grams/kwh)

1 gram = .0001 Kg
1 Kg = 2.2046 lbs
7.2 lbs = 1 gallon of diesel

1 = .001 Kg x 2.2046 lbs/Kg = .0022046 lbs.
.0022046 lbs x 1 gal /7.2 lbs = .000306 gallon

So 1gm = .000306 gallons

2 readinngs - 1st at sweet spot (215g/kwh @ 3000rpm which is ~140kw based on graph)

215 x .000306 = 0.06579 x 140 = 9.2106 gallons p/h * 3.785 = 34.862121 l/hr

and 2nd at wot (240g/kwh @ 4200rpm which is ~ 230kw based on graph)

240 x .000306 = 0.07344 x 230 = 16.8912 gallons p/h * 3.785 = 63.933 l/hr

*Edit* ooops - 2nd reading should have been 170kw, not 230!(that is hp reading)

240 x .000306 = 0.07344 x 170 = 12.4848 gallons p/h * 3.785 = 47.254968 l/hr

Mick


Gents, if we take out the conversion from metric to imperial we negate the Imperial/US conversion confusion. It also makes the calcs easier.

At the sweet spot of 3000rpm I would say we have 137kW @ 215g/kWh consumption. Also, density of diesel is say 850g/L, and let’s say it’s a nice balmy 35 degrees in Townsville (neglect altitude differential).

‘Theoretical’ fuel consumption of this donk in L/h is therefore 215*137/850*1.02^3 = 36.8 L/h. (Hint, use dimensional analysis on the units, which then tells you what to divide and what to times etc)

Note, at assumed 35 deg it is 3 lots of 5 deg higher than 20 deg, therefore we have to de-rate by 1.02 to the third power (not that it is too much different to 1.06 though!)
Cheers
Brendon
PS. Magnificent boat Alchy

Thanks Mick and Brendon for your conversions. Col tested a bigger prop the other day (17.75 x 23) which returned 20kts at 2800rpm, so I'm guessing it will be about 22kts at 3000rpm which by your calcs means I'll be burning less than a litre per km. That is good going for a boat of this size. It will be interesting to work out the real life consumption per km, which is something I will do once I get her home.

Regards,
Dave.

PS; thanks to everyone else for their positive comments!

[captain rednut]

hi dave im impressed with its looks and performance, the fuel consumption litres per klm will blow you away in real life with the common rail technology, very ecomnomical. i bet you cant wait to get her home?? cheers jim

[captain rednut]

hi dave im impressed with its looks and performance, the fuel consumption litres per klm will blow you away in real life with the common rail technology, very ecomnomical. i bet you cant wait to get her home?? cheers jim
:P oops sorry i bumped it twice:-*

[OPTI]

awesome boat ,trailer combo ,the best tinny ive seen to date,great job to all involved.:P

[Alchemy]

hi dave im impressed with its looks and performance, the fuel consumption litres per klm will blow you away in real life with the common rail technology, very ecomnomical. i bet you cant wait to get her home?? cheers jim
:P oops sorry i bumped it twice:-*

G'day Jim,

You're right mate. I would have loved to have had her here this weekend as today was a pearler. Only a couple more weeks, though I think Col might hide her on me! I am hoping to get back to Townsville Sunday arvo in a couple of weeks and may even load up the gear and go straight out for the night and take the Monday off :P That is how keen I am now! I am really looking forward to working out the actual fuel consumption and will post up the results once I have them.

Thanks again to you Jim for all your hard work and advice in helping with the engine and stern drive fit. If anyone ever needs inboard / stern drive or associated equipment help then give Jim a call at Aqua Mobile Marine Services
http://www.aquamobilemarine.com.au/ I can't recommend him highly enough.

Regards,
Dave.

[Alchemy]

awesome boat ,trailer combo ,the best tinny ive seen to date,great job to all involved.:P

Thanks for the compliment Opti, though I'd like to think she is a little more than a "tinnie" 8-).....

[HH565L]

Awesome thread and an awesome boat I'm sure.

Thanks for sharing.

Regards,
Spiro

[lethal098]

Alchemy,

what does the engine rev out to? 22knots at 3000rpm, hope there is more there. The Lazercraft with the steyr top speed varied between 35 and 45 knots varying on props, revved out to 4200rpm.

cheers Lee

[Alchemy]

Alchemy,

what does the engine rev out to? 22knots at 3000rpm, hope there is more there. The Lazercraft with the steyr top speed varied between 35 and 45 knots varying on props, revved out to 4200rpm.

cheers Lee

Hi Lee,

WOT is 4200rpm. Initial testing has produced 32kts at WOT. I never expected this boat to do 40kts and am happy with a 20kt cruise. At this speed she will be very economical and comfortable.

Regards,
Dave.

[Alchemy]

Here are a few more pics and performance figures.
2700 rpms = 17.5 kts
2900 rpms =21 kts
3000 rpms = 22 kts
3300rpms = 24 kts
3600 rpms 29 kts
3800 rpms = 29.6 kts
4000 rpms = 32.5 kts
4150 rpms = 33 kts


http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish5/1.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish5/2.jpg

The next lot of pics show the walk around fish box in place.
http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish5/3.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish5/4.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish5/5.jpg

http://www.users.on.net/%7Ednpenfold/Ausfish5/6.jpg

[Rhinoc]

Fantastic - I could look at photo's of this rig all day long. Have you fished out of it yet? How do you find the functionality of the fish box/work station?

Rhino...

[Rhinoc]

Sorry - Double Post

[lethal098]

looks awesome Dave, bey you cant wait to get her home!!

cheers Lee

[myusernam]

Nice.
i reckon those fuel forcasts are high? I would be hoping for under 30l an hour at cruise. (actually I would be hoping for 1nmper litre) have you managed to find out how much you are using? Surprised you dont have a fuel flow meter on there....you've got everything else!

[Alchemy]

Fantastic - I could look at photo's of this rig all day long. Have you fished out of it yet? How do you find the functionality of the fish box/work station?

Rhino...

Thanks Rhino. I haven't fished from the boat yet, still need to get it home. I'm expecting the fish box will work well.


Nice.
i reckon those fuel forcasts are high? I would be hoping for under 30l an hour at cruise. (actually I would be hoping for 1nmper litre) have you managed to find out how much you are using? Surprised you dont have a fuel flow meter on there....you've got everything else!

No, no idea yet on real world fuel usage but will work it out once I get her home. Fuel flow meters for diesel engines are very expensive as they have to measure the fuel flow out of the tank and the diesel being returned to the tank that the engine hasn't burnt.

[TimiBoy]

I'm going to ring Col and see if I can swing a wee test this week ;D.

Wonder if I can sneak a handline on board:o:o:o

Cheers,

Tim

[Alchemy]

Wonder if I can sneak a handline on board:o:o:o

Cheers,

Tim

I think you know the answer to that question Tim :P I look forward to hearing what you think of her on the water.

Regards,
Dave.

[lee8sec]

Sensational boat, a credit to all. Leigh

[Chris Ryan]

Awesome - simply awesome rig. Col and the crew have taken a vision and turned it into something special. Well done to all concerned.

Now, when it gets home, just need the pics with the fish coming over the side and the vision will be complete!! :)

[eugah]

Dave I dont think it will fit in your yard, you may have to leave her at my place.


Adrian

[TimiBoy]

I spoke with Col this morning, he invited me out for a spin! So Mumsy and I fronted up at Origin Boats this arvy, and followed Col and the Big Girl down to Scarby.

I was expecting a bit of rolly polly because of the deadrise (23 degrees) but with the weight so low in the boat she sat beautifully. Not that conditions were rough or anything.

Hard cornering with the leg trimmed up tight was amazing. Couldn't get her to cavitate, and she was oh so "on track".

Acceleration? Breathtaking. Simply breathtaking. Looooove hearing the hairdryer wind up, too, what a great sound! Reaction to gear changes is instant. Spinning such a big prop (carving plate size), she is an instant performer in tight spaces. You can feel the prop bite immediately, all that torque.

Lovely finish and a nice layout, though Mumsy didn't like the seating layout, but it's horses for courses, is it not?

She does 4 knots in idle, so some sort of braking system will be needed if trolling liveys. A little noisier at idle than the V-Rod (expected), and a fair bit louder at full noise - carpet on the floor, or some other covering, will go a long way to fixing that, if it is deemed necessary. Again, Mumsy is very fussy about her comforts!

Once we had a tank full of liveys, we headed out to Hutchies to try and... LOL, have no fear Dave, nothing of the sort happened!

What a boat! I am just so, so impressed.

Cheers,

Tim

[murf]

so the hi-tech diesel works then Tim?

cheers Murf

[Lovey80]

Good stuff Timi, good enough to change to one of these instead of the Riptide? Go one you know you want to.

[TimiBoy]

http://www.vw-m.de/index.php?id=444&L=1

One of these could be a goer. VW have just signed a deal with Cummins/Mercruiser. A 265 HP V6 diesel and Smartcraft Management with Mercury Digital Throttle and Shift?

;D;D;D

Tim

[nickstock]

I spoke with Col this morning, he invited me out for a spin! So Mumsy and I fronted up at Origin Boats this arvy, and followed Col and the Big Girl down to Scarby.

I was expecting a bit of rolly polly because of the deadrise (23 degrees) but with the weight so low in the boat she sat beautifully. Not that conditions were rough or anything.

Hard cornering with the leg trimmed up tight was amazing. Couldn't get her to cavitate, and she was oh so "on track".

Acceleration? Breathtaking. Simply breathtaking. Looooove hearing the hairdryer wind up, too, what a great sound! Reaction to gear changes is instant. Spinning such a big prop (carving plate size), she is an instant performer in tight spaces. You can feel the prop bite immediately, all that torque.

Lovely finish and a nice layout, though Mumsy didn't like the seating layout, but it's horses for courses, is it not?

She does 4 knots in idle, so some sort of braking system will be needed if trolling liveys. A little noisier at idle than the V-Rod (expected), and a fair bit louder at full noise - carpet on the floor, or some other covering, will go a long way to fixing that, if it is deemed necessary. Again, Mumsy is very fussy about her comforts!

Once we had a tank full of liveys, we headed out to Hutchies to try and... LOL, have no fear Dave, nothing of the sort happened!

What a boat! I am just so, so impressed.

Cheers,

Tim

Tim,

How do you think it compared to your 685 CC in regarding performance, fishability and handling?

Cheers,
Nick

[TimiBoy]

Wow Nic, it's not an easy comparison to make, I shall attempt to get it right!

A glass boat with a V-Rod v a platey with a Diesel? I wish I'd had a chance to try Alchemy in a bit of rough stuff, but we didn't go far. Alchemy will be much better into a sea, without doubt. She really is a hotrod. A following sea may wake you up a bit with that deadrise, but I think she'll be fine. Metres, power and a good Skipper will resolve that, plus those 450 mm QL's will make her work, too. The CC was a dog into a sea, until tabs went on, but Alchemy is still a bit sharper, so you may be a winner there. Alchemy is very responsive to steering at all speeds too. Bubi was good under way, but crappy at idle.

The airflow through the cockpit was an eyeopener. The roof vents felt like aircon! Visibility, too, is outstanding. Both made the driving station much better than the CC, and the cabin is plenty big enough, Mumsy says.

The engine is quite loud, where the V-Rod was whisper quiet in comparison. I think more needs to be done re soundproofing, but that's a personal opinion, and I have been spoilt.

The performance of the donk is quite special. I couldn't pick between holeshot on my tub and yours. Both VERY fast. I noted that thye response with the diesel is instant, making it really nice to maneuvre in tight quarters, but that also costs you in the amount of thrust delivered at idle - trolling liveys will be difficult, some innovation will be required! Top speed is not as high, but who needs it? I reckon you'll make 30 knots easy with a full load if you have to, and won't burn the 55ish litres an hour I used to at that speed.

Fishability is great, imo. Plenty of room, and access to the baitboard is fantastic, even while a fish is being fought. She's steady underfoot, too. Having all the weight down low seems to fix the rolly polly nicely. You'll fix six, too, where we found four was tight.

I wonder whether you may end up using a bucket or something for bleeding, and the kill tank as a livey well? Always fresh seawater in there, and it's a bit small, or don't you catch big fish in Townsville? ;D;D;D

Alchemy vs Bubi cost? I don't know what Alchemy cost, but to build a 685 with V-Rod and full electronics would be 130K, and you got more boat, imo. You can't rip the bottom of a platey out on a bommy, can you? Alchemy carries more fuel, and uses less. She has more fresh water on board, and sleeping arrangements are better.

It's a hard comparison to make, and I'm in a hurry - I may think of more to say later, but you definitely won't be disappointed.

Cheers,

Tim

[Alchemy]

Awesome - simply awesome rig. Col and the crew have taken a vision and turned it into something special. Well done to all concerned.

Now, when it gets home, just need the pics with the fish coming over the side and the vision will be complete!! :)

Thanks Chris. I arrived in Brisbane tonight and will be towing her home this weekend. Hopefully I can still catch fish after such a long break. If so the reports may come as early as next week!


Dave I dont think it will fit in your yard, you may have to leave her at my place.


Adrian

Nice try Adrian. It will fit even if it means knocking out a couple of rooms from the house..... ::)


I spoke with Col this morning, he invited me out for a spin! So Mumsy and I fronted up at Origin Boats this arvy, and followed Col and the Big Girl down to Scarby.

I was expecting a bit of rolly polly because of the deadrise (23 degrees) but with the weight so low in the boat she sat beautifully. Not that conditions were rough or anything.

Hard cornering with the leg trimmed up tight was amazing. Couldn't get her to cavitate, and she was oh so "on track".

Acceleration? Breathtaking. Simply breathtaking. Looooove hearing the hairdryer wind up, too, what a great sound! Reaction to gear changes is instant. Spinning such a big prop (carving plate size), she is an instant performer in tight spaces. You can feel the prop bite immediately, all that torque.

Lovely finish and a nice layout, though Mumsy didn't like the seating layout, but it's horses for courses, is it not?

She does 4 knots in idle, so some sort of braking system will be needed if trolling liveys. A little noisier at idle than the V-Rod (expected), and a fair bit louder at full noise - carpet on the floor, or some other covering, will go a long way to fixing that, if it is deemed necessary. Again, Mumsy is very fussy about her comforts!

Once we had a tank full of liveys, we headed out to Hutchies to try and... LOL, have no fear Dave, nothing of the sort happened!

What a boat! I am just so, so impressed.

Cheers,

Tim

G'day Tim,

I am really glad you enjoyed your run in Alchemy and it is good to have another opinion as obviously I am biased. It is also good to read you were impressed with the acceleration. I wondered if I was exagerating when I described it as being as good as my last boat with a 200hp Suzuki! So far as the layout - one of the great things about building a platey is the ability to customize. Why not get Mumsy to sketch a few ideas for you? I haven't decided yet on what to put on the deck, but I will try to find something that will help with the noise. It didn't bother me during my short run, but then i could have just been so excited to be out there that I didn't really notice. It will be something I assess over the first few trips before deciding what to do.

Livies... Hutchies.... i'll be doing a thorough scale search in the morning :P


http://www.vw-m.de/index.php?id=444&L=1

One of these could be a goer. VW have just signed a deal with Cummins/Mercruiser. A 265 HP V6 diesel and Smartcraft Management with Mercury Digital Throttle and Shift?

;D;D;D

Tim

That does look like a really good set up Tim. A bit more horse power never goes astray and it would suit a bigger boat well too.




The engine is quite loud, where the V-Rod was whisper quiet in comparison. I think more needs to be done re soundproofing, but that's a personal opinion, and I have been spoilt.

I wonder whether you may end up using a bucket or something for bleeding, and the kill tank as a livey well? Always fresh seawater in there, and it's a bit small, or don't you catch big fish in Townsville? ;D;D;D

Cheers,

Tim

I'm not sure what else, apart from covering the deck, could be done for the sound insulation. The engine bay is completely covered with a double thickness on the forward bulkhead of the engine bay. Hopefully as you suggest a good deck covering will knock a bit more out. It will be interesting to see what I think of the noise level after a few runs in her.

I agree that the kill tank is quite small. On the last boat I used a plastic rubbish bin with holes drilled in the base as a kill tank. We found this a more appropriate size for the average Townsville fish :P The bin was strapped out the back. I'll likely do the same with this boat. It works well and helps keep most of the muck out of the boat.

Regards,
Dave.

[cormorant]

http://www.vw-m.de/index.php?id=444&L=1

One of these could be a goer. VW have just signed a deal with Cummins/Mercruiser. A 265 HP V6 diesel and Smartcraft Management with Mercury Digital Throttle and Shift?

;D;D;D

Tim


I have not seen these before. Wonder how much testing has been done in saltwater environment? They make a great motor just not sure about all these car motors in saltwater. Time will tell but having been a test bunny before I will never buy a 1st generation set up again. Would love to have a play with the v 8 - lots more hp avaliable

[peterbo3]

http://www.vw-m.de/index.php?id=444&L=1

One of these could be a goer. VW have just signed a deal with Cummins/Mercruiser. A 265 HP V6 diesel and Smartcraft Management with Mercury Digital Throttle and Shift?

;D;D;D

Tim

Hi Tim,
There is a 350 HP V8 there also. ;D;D;D;D

[FishHunter]

I have not seen these before. Wonder how much testing has been done in saltwater environment? They make a great motor just not sure about all these car motors in saltwater. Time will tell but having been a test bunny before I will never buy a 1st generation set up again. Would love to have a play with the v 8 - lots more hp avaliable

Those diesels have plenty more power in reserve a touch more fuel and a touch more boost and its easy to get 20% more reliable power out of them

[TimiBoy]

Sorry, I seem to have hijacked this thread. Keep it to Nic and Dave's boat, folks!

;D;D;D

Cheers,

Tim

[PinHead]

try wavebar on the inside of the engine bay for sound reduction

[trymyluck]

What a great boat and to see it progress just goes to show how much work goes into a boat of this proportion. Tim if you end up with something close then your sure to be happy, unfortunately bit out of my league but dreams cost nothing don't they.......:P

I'm sure there will be some good reading to come from the fishing reports from Alchemy in the near future...

Mark

[Alchemy]

try wavebar on the inside of the engine bay for sound reduction

Thanks Pinhead. I'll see what its like once i've covered the deck.


Sorry, I seem to have hijacked this thread. Keep it to Nic and Dave's boat, folks!

;D;D;D

Cheers,

Tim

No need to apologise Tim. It has been good having your input, so feel free to stay involved. By the way, I'm having my first night aboard tonight. All be it beside the Bruce Hwy in Mackay! Makes for an easy drive tomorrow to get home and get organised for a real night out :) .

Regards,
Dave.

[soulfish]

i passed you at gympie today she looks great ,a real head turner

[finga]

All I can say is thank you.
Thank you for taking the time and effort for this thread.
It has been very enjoyable to me to read and to see the pictures.

[Rhinoc]

I hope your first night in the new rig was relaxing and enjoyable (even if it was still sitting on it's trailer). I'm really looking forward to some action shots when you get it home to your local grounds.

Rhino...

[BigMav]

This rig is awesome mate, I've just realised that you are my neighbour, I live a couple of doors up the hill. Just saw the boat in your yard and thought I've seen that somewhere before. Amazing looking rig and really makes my Barcrusher 620C look small.

[Alchemy]

Geez, small world hey! Come down for a beer and look if you like!

[disorderly]

I thought I saw a good sort on the cover of a fishing mag recently
and there was a happy looking sheila holding it ;).

Very nice boat guys and it will give you the capability to explore some off the beaten track areas in comfort...cant wait for the reports.

Scott

[nickstock]

Not long now Dave until the first report mate!

Cheers to Nic and yourself mate as I know being off the water for any period of time is a killer. With a bit of luck I should have my new platey up here within 6 or 8 weeks!

I cannot wait to see Alchemy on our Red grounds up here mate!

Cheers,
Nick Stock

[backlash08]

Dave,
sounds like you got home safe and sound which is great, Alchemy looks excellent, the thinking and planning from Nic and yourself made for a remarkable result (and Col builds a great boat as well although happy to declare my bias) cant wait to see some action shots.
cheers - Craig

[Midnight]

Well done mate, nice boat!

And good onya for going with the inboard diesel vs the 4 stroke outboard norm.
You won't regret it.

Thank you for posting your build project.

Enjoy!

Cheers,
Myles

[TimiBoy]

Where's the donk on the web? I'm trying to find it, as it'll be a useful base for comparison...

Cheers,

Tim

[ric]

Alchemy, quick question about your choice of motor:

did you find your decision about going a single engine vs twins OB's easy?
just wondering what were the major factors in helping you decide the diesel inboard?

thanks - very nice boat too!

Ric

[Reefmaster]

Congrats on the new edition Dave/Nic...Looks great and you have turned it into a practical purpose built fishing and boating machine. Congrats to Origin on the build and for the ideas you guys have asked to be put in place. The diesel engine and boat layout should make it one great package. One question but! when do I get to fish out of it and fill it with reds guys?

Greg

[TimiBoy]

Alchemy, quick question about your choice of motor:

did you find your decision about going a single engine vs twins OB's easy?
just wondering what were the major factors in helping you decide the diesel inboard?

thanks - very nice boat too!

Ric

I might be a bit of help here, and Dave can fill in the gaps. Diesel

- is cheaper fuel wise due to economy
- is cheaper to service
- long torque curve gives power through the rev range
- engine weight is low in the hull
- fuel not contained in a suspended cell
= greater fuel capacity with hull integral tank
= fuel weight lower down
= no gasoline on board

So it delivers in range, economy, running cost, handling and stability.

Cheers,

Tim

[ric]

I might be a bit of help here, and Dave can fill in the gaps. Diesel

- is cheaper fuel wise due to economy
- is cheaper to service
- long torque curve gives power through the rev range
- engine weight is low in the hull
- fuel not contained in a suspended cell
= greater fuel capacity with hull integral tank
= fuel weight lower down
= no gasoline on board

So it delivers in range, economy, running cost, handling and stability.

Cheers,

Tim

thanks tim for the reply, i understand the above, but i don't think i asked the questions the right way. - ie the safety factor of having 2 seperate engines vs the single diesel. As i would assume you will be venturing out where help is much harder to come by.

I think more and more people will head down the diesel road on trailer boats such as yours (& smaller) as diesels continue to advance in their technology and weight. - but for me, it still raises the question about having only a single engine.


Thanks, Ric

ps - i am not having a crack at your choice of engine, just curious as to how you came about your decisions.

[TimiBoy]

thanks tim for the reply, i understand the above, but i don't think i asked the questions the right way. - ie the safety factor of having 2 seperate engines vs the single diesel. As i would assume you will be venturing out where help is much harder to come by.

I think more and more people will head down the diesel road on trailer boats such as yours (& smaller) as diesels continue to advance in their technology and weight. - but for me, it still raises the question about having only a single engine.


Thanks, Ric

ps - i am not having a crack at your choice of engine, just curious as to how you came about your decisions.

She'd need to be a large tub to have twins, imo. I think if you are buying new engines and technology, you'd be pretty paranoid if you felt that two engines (and sensibly, two independent fuel systems) were required. Having said that, each to his own, but with EPIRBs (good ones) and reliability, I wouldn't consider two engines just from the safety perspective.

Cheers,

Tim

[levinge]

Dreams really do come true, hey Dave.

She looks good, just have to put some NM's behind her now and some blood on the deck...

[Midnight]

The greatest cause of engine failure is fuel contamination. So unless, as Tim said, you go to independant fuel cells for each engine, and get your fuel from seperate suppliers, you don't gain a lot in the reliability stakes.

That said, it is nice to have another donk to come home on at putt-putt speed if the failure is from some other cause. It is rare though for well maintained vessels.

Cheers,
Myles

Lovin my single, old school mechanical diesel8-)

[cormorant]

She'd need to be a large tub to have twins, imo. I think if you are buying new engines and technology, you'd be pretty paranoid if you felt that two engines (and sensibly, two independent fuel systems) were required. Having said that, each to his own, but with EPIRBs (good ones) and reliability, I wouldn't consider two engines just from the safety perspective.

Cheers,

Tim


My idea is never to be rescued. If I was in a single motor boat I would be travelling with another boat. I know petrol is a danger to carry but a couple of tote tanks and a 15-25hp outboard will push most boats home or at least give it steerage.

You can only trust radio, phones and other people so much to actually find and rescue you. Anyone who is in a single rig who triggers a epirb for a motor issue should have a good look at themselves.

[BigMav]

So I think the boat may have now been on its first trip in Townsville as I don't think I saw it in the back yard yesterday afternoon. Good weather for it hope the fish turned it on for you. Very jealous right now.

[Alchemy]

I thought I saw a good sort on the cover of a fishing mag recently
and there was a happy looking sheila holding it ;).

Very nice boat guys and it will give you the capability to explore some off the beaten track areas in comfort...cant wait for the reports.

Scott

Hi Scott,

I'd been wondering where you were as I haven't seen you post for a long time. Yes, there was a mag recently with a very good sort on the cover!

Thanks,
Dave.



Not long now Dave until the first report mate!

Cheers to Nic and yourself mate as I know being off the water for any period of time is a killer. With a bit of luck I should have my new platey up here within 6 or 8 weeks!

I cannot wait to see Alchemy on our Red grounds up here mate!

Cheers,
Nick Stock

Hi Nick,

Thanks! The time off the water has been tough that is for sure. Congratulations to you too on your new boat. I look forward to checking it out next time I'm up your way, hopefully with Alchemy.

Regards,
Dave.



Dave,
sounds like you got home safe and sound which is great, Alchemy looks excellent, the thinking and planning from Nic and yourself made for a remarkable result (and Col builds a great boat as well although happy to declare my bias) cant wait to see some action shots.
cheers - Craig

Thanks Craig. So when are you building one???


Where's the donk on the web? I'm trying to find it, as it'll be a useful base for comparison...

Cheers,

Tim

Here you go Tim.
http://www.lombardinimarine.it/prodotti_dettaglio.aspx?type=mtr&pnl=foto&mtr=ldw245jmtpp


Alchemy, quick question about your choice of motor:

did you find your decision about going a single engine vs twins OB's easy?
just wondering what were the major factors in helping you decide the diesel inboard?

thanks - very nice boat too!

Ric

Thanks Ric. My considerations for going single diesel over twin outboards were very much along the lines of what Tim said. The Lombardini package weighs less than two o/b, cheaper to buy than twin o/b, weighed less and I hoped would be more fuel efficient. I have an outboard mount on the back which I hope to fit a 20hp Honda to one day. This will be mainly for use on a car topper, but could double as an auxillary. It will never get me home from the reef, but should have enough poke to get me in behind a reef while I await help. Hopefully I'll never need it for that though.


Congrats on the new edition Dave/Nic...Looks great and you have turned it into a practical purpose built fishing and boating machine. Congrats to Origin on the build and for the ideas you guys have asked to be put in place. The diesel engine and boat layout should make it one great package. One question but! when do I get to fish out of it and fill it with reds guys?

Greg

Thanks Greg. You're welcome up here to fish with us anytime mate. Just let me know and we'll pick you up at the airport!



Dreams really do come true, hey Dave.

She looks good, just have to put some NM's behind her now and some blood on the deck...

Thanks mate. The blood was added last night / today.....


So I think the boat may have now been on its first trip in Townsville as I don't think I saw it in the back yard yesterday afternoon. Good weather for it hope the fish turned it on for you. Very jealous right now.

Hi BM. You're correct. It was a bit lumpy last night, but today was a great day at the reef. Back to work tomorrow....

[Alchemy]

Last night I got Alchemy on the water in Townsville for her first fishing trip so can report on the first fuel consumption numbers.

I filled the fuel and water tank, put a heap of ice onboard, then a few nice fish too. The big fish box was 3/4 full with fish and slurry, so the boat had a good load aboard for the first trip.

There was no discernable difference in engine performance with the load versus the time I tested her in Brisbane without much load. The fuel consumption (no trolling) was 165 litres over 238km travelled. Which equates to 0.69 litres per km or 1.44km per litre. I'll keep an eye on the fuel consumption to build a more accurate average, but am happy with today's consumption. I used to average 0.8l/km in my last boat with a 200hp 4 stroke, so I think this is a great result considering the size of boat. With any luck the consumption will improve as the engine runs in.

Regards,
Dave.

[trymyluck]

Last night I got Alchemy on the water in Townsville for her first fishing trip so can report on the first fuel consumption numbers.

I filled the fuel and water tank, put a heap of ice onboard, then a few nice fish too. The big fish box was 3/4 full with fish and slurry, so the boat had a good load aboard for the first trip.

There was no discernable difference in engine performance with the load versus the time I tested her in Brisbane without much load. The fuel consumption (no trolling) was 165 litres over 238km travelled. Which equates to 0.69 litres per km or 1.44km per litre. I'll keep an eye on the fuel consumption to build a more accurate average, but am happy with today's consumption. I used to average 0.8l/km in my last boat with a 200hp 4 stroke, so I think this is a great result considering the size of boat. With any luck the consumption will improve as the engine runs in.

Regards,
Dave.

Now I'm jealous............;D

[rat_catcher]

What is the situation with getting the engine serviced in regional Queensland? Do they have a Service Agent up there for that brand of diesel engine?

[lethal098]

MTU Detroit diesel are their agents in Aus, i know they are based in cairns but prob have locals to Townsville as well.

Cheers Lee

[Scott nthQld]

Yeah MTu have a workshop in Townsiville....just down the road from your work Dave in ingham Rd.

Can't wait to see it in person mate and you should see those figures improve quite a bit when she gets broken in.

ozbee has a 20hp honda on his 680 patriot as an aux, I would imagine your boat would be a simliar weight?? Anyway loaded, it pushes the patriot along at a good 6-8 knots at 3/4 throttle....good trolling speed

[Alchemy]

Thanks for that Scott. The fact MTUDD have a workshop here was one of the factors that swayed my purchase decision.

If anyone wants to come for a look, just send me a PM and we can work something out.

Regards,
Dave.

[rat_catcher]

MTU Detroit diesel are their agents in Aus............
Ah ok, that makes sense then. Thanks.

[TREVELLY]

Hi,

Will be interested to see your final fuel burn in litres per kilometre at different speeds and what the revs are at these speeds.