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Lovey80
29-10-2011, 11:13 PM
Hi all,

does anyone know of any larger trailerable cats that are fitted with Diesels and the engines are sunk completely below decks?

I am thinking something like one of the larger Salifish cats, would the hulls each side at the back be big enough to drop a diesel engines down so that you have a flat deck still?

Midnight
30-10-2011, 04:41 AM
I have a mate with a Kevlacat with twin 170hp 4 cylinder Yanmars in it. It performs well and yes it all fits under the deck no worries.

Cheers,
Myles

Lovey80
30-10-2011, 10:42 PM
Thanks for that Myles. What length Kevlacat has he got?

team_mongo
31-10-2011, 05:25 AM
Reelsport had twin Steyr diesels in it. Kevlacat 2800 if im not mistaken.

Midnight
31-10-2011, 03:45 PM
I'm pretty sure it is a 7.2m Kevlacat Lovey. Shaft drive.

Most of the cats would be able to sink a little 4 cylinder Yanmar in there I'm pretty sure, side access for servicing is the biggest issue with some installations. If you put big hatches ober the engines so that they can be lifted out easily for proper servicing it would be good. With good access it isn't a big deal to lift them out. I could get my 41 series Volvo out of my 25 Berty in an hour on my own.

Cheers,
Myles

jeffo
31-10-2011, 06:31 PM
Dont give our secrets away Myles!

Fred built Reel Capture from an 8m mould i am pretty sure. He had to lift the deck a bit to fit the engines in as far as I know. The extra cockpit depth was made up with an addition to the covering boards.

You are right myles its 7.2m (called a 2600 sportsfisher).

With the engines under the deck the boat rides a hell of a lot different to other kevlacats i have riden in. It doesnt get up and skip along the top like outboard powered KC's do, and doesnt wander from sponson to sponson in a following sea.

Absolute weapon...although you would want to own a dyna truck or big ford or dodge to tow her! I am guessing with shafts you would want some good ramps to launch though.

As far as I know there was only 2 of these 7.2's with twin shafts bought out....has me buggered why. They are unreal! Maybe one day I will be able to afford one of my own!

jeffo
31-10-2011, 06:50 PM
There is some more info on her on the kevlacat website under boat tests "kevlacat and yanmar"

Smithy
31-10-2011, 10:10 PM
I'm guessing you are thinking legs Lovey not shafts if you are talking trailerable?

Midnight
01-11-2011, 03:53 AM
I was trying to be very discrete Jeff :)

myusernam
01-11-2011, 07:31 AM
noosa cat do it. have a look on their website. some guy on here was quoting a mile per litre combined at 25 knots. 600l fuel. would be awesome

myusernam
01-11-2011, 08:13 AM
Liquid Remedy,

I have a similar boat, 8m Shark/Noosa cat. It is powered by twin 4cyl 150hp volvo penta turbo diesel engines with 290 duoprop legs (AD31DP's). All I can say is that these engines have been fantastic,:) :) :) have never broken down on me in 1800 hrs and the fuel economy most don't believe, the boat weighs in at 4 tonnes, cruises on 23/24 kts and uses approx 25lt/hr (12.5lt a side). That gives me a range of 600nm with a 20% reserve.

Every time I tell someone I have volvo's the legs get a mention. I know volvo legs have a dubious reputation but most negative comments you hear about them come from people that have never owned or used them, its always a freind of a freind. My understanding of them is that volvo solved the problem when they went to synthetic oils. I've had no problems with mine.

I have nothing against the new breed of 4 stroke OB's except i don't like the idea of sitting on, in my case 800lt, of petrol, diesel is far more stable and safer.

I have read alot of comments on this site about the high cost of servicing 4 strokes, I do my own and both motors cost me around $300.

So I if it were me I would at least look into the option of diesel power, will cost more initialy but will also outlast and out perform petrol engines in fuel efficiency, and 10 times better in reliability, my diesel mechanic has told me to expect 8-10000 hours of reliable use, you would be lucky to get half that from an outboard.

I've heard but havn't checked that the new mercruiser diesels are very well priced???


On a foot note, I know of another 9mCougar Cat powered by older (about 10 year old) 250hp Yamaha 2 strokes, the owner recently ran out of fuel (800lt + oil) and only covered about 130nm thats about $8 a mile + oil:-* :oops: :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ , I know your not contemplating this type of engine but it does show how far all engines have come in terms of efficiency in the past 10 years or so.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?122024-Repowering-a-24-Shark-Cat&

SnapHead101
01-11-2011, 12:42 PM
If you go to boatpoint.com.au you will see a Sailfish yellow in colour with twin inboards, I think they are diesel. Boat is about 98 K from memory. Having owned a Sailfish 9.5 metre in the past all I can say is make sure you take the boat you want for a ride in your sea conditions. The boats are mainly custom made so they all will behave differently, so getting a brand new one custom made may not perform as expected . DO NOT rely on brand name alone.

OPTI
01-11-2011, 06:29 PM
if your thinking trailable cat ,forget it .cats hate weight ,and putting a heavy diesel in one just turns it into a dog,a really wet dog at that

Smithy
01-11-2011, 07:24 PM
If it is the Sailfish with Steyrs don't touch it.

Opti,

I am sure all the KC boys with diesels will disagree with you there.

OPTI
02-11-2011, 03:17 AM
smithy the kevlacats with diesels arnt legally towable,i wouldnt consider diesels in a cat unless it was over 30ft

Smithy
02-11-2011, 08:46 AM
I wouldn't consider a cat over 30'! Once you get to about a 9m deep V mono the weight factor takes over and they start beating cats in real heavy seas. We've certainly blown a 40knot+ top speed 34' outboard KC away in a 34' 20knot top speed BW when the chips were down and we were back to 12-16knots.

Midnight
02-11-2011, 10:22 AM
There is no replacement for displacement ;)

Smithy
02-11-2011, 12:29 PM
Ain't that the truth!

Smithy
03-11-2011, 05:17 PM
The latest Bluewater magazine has a Sailfish cat in it powered by twin D-3 Volvos @ 170hp ea. Fuel consumption of 20-25 litres per hour per side whic is pretty realistic.

OPTI
03-11-2011, 06:26 PM
geez my thirsty optis drink that @30 mph cruze,what are the benifits of cats again??i forgot

Jarrah Jack
03-11-2011, 06:52 PM
geez my thirsty optis drink that @30 mph cruze,what are the benifits of cats again??i forgot

Did you see the fishing report where they did 120 NM for 555 ltrs with twin 225 optis on a big Boston Whaler. That was drinking.

OPTI
03-11-2011, 07:44 PM
yeah big boat though ,needs more power

jeffo
04-11-2011, 06:01 AM
Opti, i will have to disagree.....The 7.2kc with twinshafts is the safest feeling KC i have been in so far. the extra weight means she sits in the water alot more and doesnt get up and wander all over the place like the others, and we have fished in some rubbish seas in the past few years.

arvor
04-11-2011, 08:55 AM
hi jeffo i think the option of twin shafts would be perfect.as you can get the weight close to midships.
with diesel and legs im sure you would have to build in some ballast into the bows.not that is bad as ballast is a boaties best friend.
but again with shafts would be a very fine vessel.but how would you build a trailer?

fly_1
04-11-2011, 11:12 AM
Theres actually an 8.0m one with shafts for sale at the moment with a trailer. The shaft length on the kcats is very short, so can go on a trailer if required.

Smithy
04-11-2011, 08:17 PM
That's a great boat for the right person for a sharp price Trent.

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=11519739

Lovey80
05-11-2011, 08:30 PM
Smithy would 170hp a side be a little underpowered on a cat that big? For something like a sailfish it would be better as it is much lighter.

Smithy
06-11-2011, 04:07 AM
But with diesels it is the torque available to you that makes all the difference. That motor is a detuned 230/240hp so probably better engine life and a bit less fuel use than my 230hp.

Midnight
06-11-2011, 06:55 AM
Those little 170hp Yanmars go forever! I would think that it would perform ok, probably 18-20kts cruise I guess. Ask the seller the question. Remember it is still 340hp in a 26ft boat. The 28ft Berties with the same power cruise at 18-20kts and do about 25 flat out. It looks a good thing for the money, if you are after a cat that size.

Cheers,
Myles

julian1
07-11-2011, 11:33 AM
geez my thirsty optis drink that @30 mph cruze,what are the benifits of cats again??i forgot

Opti your trolling fuel figures are a bit high, unless you had a hell of a current going ? hell my old twin 250 verado's did better than that, my pair of 175 Zukes are down to 10-12 lph at 7ish knots lower if calm and not much current