Maybe It's The Only One On The Planet!

rnbenton

rnbenton

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Well, as a lot of you have read, I just completed a diesel repower on my boat.

So, now I have a 1987 Carver Voyager 28 with twin Yanmar dieaels. Are there any other diesel Carver 28 Voyager/Mariners out there? I know Carver offered a diesel option in 1989 but I don't know how many, if any, actually sold and launched.

Does anyone know of another one or is mine the only one in existence? :)

Bob
 
We sold ALOT of 28 Mariners in it's day, but never a diesel. I'm sure most of the boats that went overseas were diesels. I've been following your progress and it sounds like you've done what you planned on doing! Good luck with the new installation...I've always liked the Yanmar diesels
 
Bob,

You have to really love your boat to do what we did.

We did a number of other mechanical upgrades with the engines in 05. HVAC, replaced water heater, electronics, guages, added insulation, bilge hose/pump upgrades an rebuilding of the entire sanitation system. The genny was replaced two years prior.

Although our hulls are old, cosmetics aside we each have a new boat on the mechanical side with warranties in place.

I believe the biggest cost of boating is depreciation. Something neither you or I will experience as a result of what we've done.

We both have superior propulsion systems than when these vessels were new with those lo-tech carbed gassers. We now have the advantage of long term reliability, longer life expectancy and effeciency of modern diesels all at a fraction of the cost of a new vessel.

Some new fabric, corian, granite and fittings and you are there.

My boat was featured at the 1983 Miami Boat show. I'm the second owner. First owner had her for 18 years, that says something.

It only works if you love your boat.

RWS
 
RWS, Well said.

I have also done a lot of what you mention above. so, mechanicals and infrastructure are in damn good shape so now I can get going on the cosmetics.

Bob
 
Bob,

Some RO's may tell us we're CRAZY for what we did from a dollar standpoint.

Sometimes a boat becomes "worn out" and it's condition does not warrant bringing it back.

There are hulls that through engineering/design/condition that are worthy repower/refit candidates.

Neither of us would have done this upgrade if we owned a (brand X) vessel.

There are a good number of 1980's quality built/designed boats 12,000 lbs displacement and up that are or will soon be at a stage of life with those gassers that a decision will have to be made. It's not always the hours that kills them but a component failure. So what are the choices:

patch/repair the failed components - a continual process with little reliaility.

rebuild the existing system

replace the gasser with a complete 8.1 or 6.2?

move to diesel if the hull displacement justifies it.

Assuming something HAS TO BE done, that cost becomes the baseline- the cost of going to the diesel is simply THE DIFFERENCE.

Now, take that DIFFERENCE and amortize it over, say 10 years, you can factor in the decreased O&M costs as well.

At the end of that 10 years, for how much more AND how much faster and easier will your boat sell with the used diesels than if it had used gassers???????

Plus you had the reliability of all new components/systems over that 10 year period.

Therein lies the answer to those who think we're crazy.

By the way, it's been hard to type with this straitjacket, but the people at the Institute let me use thier computer. The WIFI signal comes through my padded cell quite well.

Well, gotta go, I'm meeting with Thomas Jefferson and Elvis for lunch.

RWS
 
ROFLMAO! RWS, I've been called crazy for a lot less than this. :)

Actually, as part of the prep process, I did the exact math you mention above. My existing gassere were absolutely going to need to be, at least, completely rebuilt along with the trannys. There was a lot of wiring that needed to be redone along with a good bit of just plain systemic upgrading. That was a given.

I'm not going to go over all of the numbers but with the increased economy and lower per gallon cost for marine diesel I have a 5-6 year pay back period, 7 years at the outside. since I really love my boat and have no intention of selling her, this was an easy decision.

What I gained that I value the most is the HUGE increase on effective range. I absolutely love putting around remote, isolated, small islands in the Bahamas and when doing so, fuel range was always a restricting issue with the gassers. Not any more. Putting along at hull speed, as I like to do, I can go just about anywhere I want to.

Crazy I may be but sorry for spending the money for my repower I am not. :)

Bob
 
quote:
Originally posted by RamSport47

We sold ALOT of 28 Mariners in it's day, but never a diesel. I'm sure most of the boats that went overseas were diesels. I've been following your progress and it sounds like you've done what you planned on doing! Good luck with the new installation...I've always liked the Yanmar diesels

Click to expand...


As far as I know, the only time a diesel option was offered on the Carver 28'ers was in 1989. That was a twin Volvo TAMD-31 set up, 109 HP each. I actually have a copy of the performance test report.

But, I have searched and searched but can find no evidence that any were actually ever sold.

I'm still looking but so far, meetings of the "Carver 28' Diesel Owners Association" are pretty boring affairs. :)

Bob
 
I dont think you are crazy.. Just very certain.. I could never be that certain I will own my boat long enough. Economics.. Foot-itis, etc.. I'm always looking a bigger better, smaller cheaper and everything else. I admire you sense of certainty and contentment.
 
I don't think you're nutz ! you got my wife and I thinking about doing it to our 3607 when the time comes our 454's have 950 hours on them and we love our Carver the room and shape of it is just right for us and our Cavalier Spaniel and two un-wanted tag longs (weekend guest)

I'd like to talk to yanmar about a repower.
 
Bob,

I got my check today from Yanmar, did you get yours?

RWS
 
congradulations Bob are you going to be at the Carver float in next moth in Stuart? I sure would like to see it
 
quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

quote:
Originally posted by RamSport47

We sold ALOT of 28 Mariners in it's day, but never a diesel. I'm sure most of the boats that went overseas were diesels. I've been following your progress and it sounds like you've done what you planned on doing! Good luck with the new installation...I've always liked the Yanmar diesels

Click to expand...


As far as I know, the only time a diesel option was offered on the Carver 28'ers was in 1989. That was a twin Volvo TAMD-31 set up, 109 HP each. I actually have a copy of the performance test report.

But, I have searched and searched but can find no evidence that any were actually ever sold.

I'm still looking but so far, meetings of the "Carver 28' Diesel Owners Association" are pretty boring affairs. :)

Bob

Click to expand...


Bob,

I don't want to ruin your thunder, although I am EXTREMELY jealous. I know that the diesels were offered on many model years from 83-90. I am sure that not many domestic mariner/voyagers were delivered with diesel power, but I have seen 2 at my marina locally (mostly transient marina traffic) and a decent amount over the years on boat/yacht trader.

None as fine as your new installation though!

Best of luck and I hope I someday get the balls to do such a project.

Jim
 
Bob,
A very long time ago I stopped justifying costs for a boat, bottom line, if you like it, why not?
 
Walt wasn't that when you bought a boat like the rest of us? ;)
 
quote:
Originally posted by ChefJunk

quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

quote:
Originally posted by RamSport47

We sold ALOT of 28 Mariners in it's day, but never a diesel. I'm sure most of the boats that went overseas were diesels. I've been following your progress and it sounds like you've done what you planned on doing! Good luck with the new installation...I've always liked the Yanmar diesels

Click to expand...


As far as I know, the only time a diesel option was offered on the Carver 28'ers was in 1989. That was a twin Volvo TAMD-31 set up, 109 HP each. I actually have a copy of the performance test report.

But, I have searched and searched but can find no evidence that any were actually ever sold.

I'm still looking but so far, meetings of the "Carver 28' Diesel Owners Association" are pretty boring affairs. :)

Bob

Click to expand...


Bob,

I don't want to ruin your thunder, although I am EXTREMELY jealous. I know that the diesels were offered on many model years from 83-90. I am sure that not many domestic mariner/voyagers were delivered with diesel power, but I have seen 2 at my marina locally (mostly transient marina traffic) and a decent amount over the years on boat/yacht trader.

None as fine as your new installation though!

Best of luck and I hope I someday get the balls to do such a project.

Jim

Click to expand...

I'm quite sure there are others out there that I just can't find. So, if you know of another diesel 28 or come across one I sure would like to have the owners contact information. I've got lots of questions I'd like to ask. :)

Bob
 
quote:
Originally posted by willysross

congradulations Bob are you going to be at the Carver float in next moth in Stuart? I sure would like to see it

Click to expand...


Carver float? What's a Carver float?

Bob
 
The Carver boat owners club is having there East Coast Rondevous on February 26th at the Harborage in Stuart. I am not a member but thought i would go over since i live acroos the way. The word float in comes from when i lived on the west coast. That is what we called them there.
 
quote:
Originally posted by willysross

The Carver boat owners club is having there East Coast Rondevous on February 26th at the Harborage in Stuart. I am not a member but thought i would go over since i live acroos the way. The word float in comes from when i lived on the west coast. That is what we called them there.

Click to expand...


Oh, OK. There for a minute I thought it was something involving some ice cream, some rootbeer and a Carver. :)

Bob
 
O.K.

So if it was my brand getting together it would be called a Trojan Float?

If there were a lot of us it would be a BIG TROJAN FLOAT or justa bunch of Trojans hanging out?

RWS
 
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