This article was pretty cool about the little Tropy 22 foot walkaround. Mercruiser and cummins apparently teamed up for a efficient little diesel package. This isn't a brand new article by any means, but thought i'd post a link.

http://popularmechanics.com/outdoors...er/index.phtml

 

At $12,000 a motor.....I dont think so.

 

Pretty sweet setup, though. If I had the cash, I would definately go with the Cummins. If you read the whole article, you can see real advantages to the diesel. And diesel fumes don't explode.

 

If that style of boat were appealing, I'd definitely get the diesel..

 

I guess I would have a whole lot of questions about this set-up before I bit. I'm really not sure that a diesel belongs mated with an out drive, I would worry about the torque. I also wonder about where the diesel idles if you are gonna troll this set up it needs to idle down or another expense of a kicker motor. Most boats powered by diesels are straight inboard variety and use expensive trolling valves to adjust the trolling speed. I have run cummins diesels on a 38' pursuit and they run very well, they will troll all day long with trolling valves( about $6,000 for the valves) and they also will run all day long at 3500 rpm if you need to make long runs. on the smaller walleye boat I like the 350 MPI MAG Mercruiser but still with a straight inboard. ( no out drive not ever)this motor makes 310 H.P. and will run 3000 and more hrs. if you keep it up. I don't see the value in the diesel over this set-up you have to start pushing some real weight or be in an area (central Americas) were gas is not available. yanmar has also teamed up with mercruiser and is putting a 120 hp set=up in some catamarans. the one I saw was a 27' sportfish ( nice outfit) but I just can't find an application for the diesel on these sport walkarounds if you used that boat hard enough to need the diesel the hull would be the weak link. just my 02 but I do spend 500 hrs a year trolling.

Blackjack
sportfishing charters

 

I have a 79 sleekcraft with a bored .40 455 olds. And that thing screams with just open headers NO baffles but the only problem is that it was a gas guzzler. Now if you could fit a Cummins with that amount of power and not make it SINK i would be one happy camper. ;D How much weigh difference you think that is?

 

Been thinkin about re-powering my 36 Hatteras with 370 HP Cummins Diamond series.....but at $18,000 each with a tranny plus a diesel onan generator.....It's too big a hit for my thin wallet!

 

The Navy is using little CTD's in thier RHIBs. Now they have a common fuel source and less flamm worries.

Its my experience that most any diesel powered boat has much better range than a comparable gasser. And diesel fuel is definitely cheaper here on the Chesapeake Bay than gas is. Couple that advantage with less explosive hazard, what a deal!

 

psdctd, where are you getting a 370HP Diamond for 18K with reduction gear? That is a good price. Let me know.

 

Cummins has the best marine engines in existence. The B5.9 is one of the very best. I know, I've got two of them in my 55-ft tug. In line, on one shaft. They replaced two Mercedes I-6's. And a B3.9 for a genset. The big tug (85-ft) has a pair of KTA50-M2 (V-16) in it, that replaced the EMD-8-567's. It's a dry stack 47-ton bollard heavy puller. It takes four to six offshore barges btwn Kodiak and the Aleutians.

Cummins is supplying engines to MerCruiser. Go to www.cummins.com then click on products, then marine group. Engines less than 15L.

 

Cool! I don' t know why there aren't more diesel pleasure boats out there. I would love a diesel ski boat! It uses so much less fuel and the fuel is much safer. I wonder how much it would take to convert a dodge cummins diesel to marine use? You could get one kinda cheap from a wrecker. It probably would break most boats though!!

 

Yeah, you still have the weight penalty for most smaller boats, then you'd probably need a transmission to fully use the diesels powerband in a lighter highspeed boat.

Other than purchasing all the ancilliary hardware needed for marine use, it shouldn't be that hard. I didn't say cheap. I'm also not sure if the marine versions are 24V engines or still the 12V engine.

I did see a 40 foot fountain that had a pair of large Cummins' in her. Coupled to a pair of Arneson surface piercing drives, she would cruise at 60mph. I think it was at least a few hundred bills to buy one. From here, you could probably be in lower Manahattan in the boat quicker than you could in a car.

 

There is a boat in Cape Canaveral, Fl that is a 30ft 1969 Prowler
that has been totally refirbed,, has two 12V 450HP 5.9's. At 2000 RPM's its running at 27Kts. (knots=1.15mph) In my truck 2000 is 70MPH. Its one of the fastest Sportfishing Boats in Canaveral. Only on other faster 60 Scarbourogh with 2400 hp. That thing sounds sweet.

Dave

 

There is a boat in Cape Canaveral, Fl that is a 30ft 1969 Prowler
that has been totally refirbed,, has two 12V 450HP 5.9's. At 2000 RPM's its running at 27Kts. (knots=1.15mph) In my truck 2000 is 70MPH. Its one of the fastest Sportfishing Boats in Canaveral. Only on other faster 60 Scarbourogh with 2400 hp. That thing sounds sweet.

Dave,

Do you have any other Particulars on this boat. I run a 38 Pursuit on the great lakes for Salmon It has a pair of Cummins 6cta83 480 H.P. 1:719 : 1 gear in it also 24X27 Nibral prop with #7 Cup. @ 2000 rpm's this set-up makes 18-19 Kts. (20.9) It will run 27 Kts. @ 2500 (30.25 mph) These numbers are off my GPS.
I Make most of my living fishing and have never seen a sportfishing boat that makes 27Kts @ 2000 rpm's. That boat has to be screaming @ 2800. A boat built in 69 if it is glass has really got to be heavy. Don't get me wrong I am not saying this boat won't do it I am just wondering How?
The original post here is about diesel power in a 22' I still don't think that expense in a small boat has any return for the investment.

 

You all are funny. Talking about how long it will take to pay for the engine in a boat. They are nothing but big holes in the water you try to fill with money. 6 Miles Per Gallon has a huge fun factor. I've got a friend on this list that is looking at a $14k 4 stroke outboard just to get 3mpg. Hi Bob.
500+ mile range with 85 gallons. Wow. Grab the sleeping bags, we'll be gone for days. For So Kal. fishing, that would be great. I'd imagine I would be able to buy tax free fuel. I'm not sure if that's true. If it is, the savings over gas would be huge.
I guess it would come down to how much you use it. Kind of like a CTD in a truck. V10's do pretty good till you factor fuel over many miles. I think the 8.1 chevy outpulls my stock CTD. My payoff (till I juice it up) is the mileage. Instead of camping 50-100 miles away I go 2-400 miles. I see that boat doing the same thing. It brings the Tuna a lot closer. The diesel would probably handle things like large bait tanks a little better as well.