Diesel Power

[mr fun]

somebody tell me if i'm out of my mind but i am wondering how a berkley pump would workcoupled to a small diesel, i realize rpm's are where it's at with jets and diesels are low rpm motors but could you put an overdrive in the transmission and make it work? and be more effecient than gas? i see the latest craze out of new england w/lobster type high end "pic nic" bouts in the 30 to 40 ft range are using diesels and jets, i would like a setup like this on a house boat so as to bump around the keys and not worry about breakin stuff if i accidently get to close to a sand bar or somethin, just think somehow it could work without spendin a new england fortune. feedback??? fun out.

[typhoon]

Hi Mr Fun,

Where I work, there used to be a diesel jetboat that was used for joyrides and harbour tours. It's since moved somewhere else, but I see it out evey now and then.
I had a lot to do with the owner and skippers, so I know a lot about it.
This boat was aluminium, about 25ft long, aluminium, 3 tonnes, big open boat. Had a Hamilton jet I think, with a 420hp Yanmar turbo diesel. Used to absolutely hammer when empty(for a boat built to survey requirements), was abit sluggish when full(22people).
It was direct drive, no gearbox. They were talking about installinga 2 speed gearbox, as the engine used to labour getting up on the plane when full, and was glazing cylinders because of it. I doubt it would be a factor on a pleasureboat.
Anyway, the guy had the boat built new for the business, and has every little financial detail and maintnence record on the boat. He was pretty happy with it overall as far as the mechanical side of things went.
www.harbourjet.com.au Go to the boat section, has some info.
Regards, Andrew.

[mr fun]

that is some good feedback, i find myself going "WOW" thinking about being on plane w/25 passengers. yanmar seems to be the ticket in the small diesel market. size and weight are hard to beat. mercury is marketing them under their banner. hamilton seems the norm for manufacturers such as little harbor, hinkley, and so on. i'm thinking in the seventies berkley must have produced thousands of units that are probably around and the small cost to accuire, then maby a new yanmar coupled to one on each side. thanks again Andrew, love that OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE! fun out.

[Raceboat Rus]

lots of those old jet boats in the 70`s used Olds motors in jet boat , just substitute an olds deisle in the place of the455 and you could swap exsaust manafold and lots of other parts

[mr fun]

good thought, i had a blazer w/ 6.2 diesel and you would not belive the number of times i had to convence people it was a true diesel and not a conversion from gas. the olds was a conversion and i don't belive their reliability was all that high, or avalilability these days. it could be done i guess, that 6.2 was a very good running unit which became the 6.5 after chevy turbo mod. and was in production until this past year, i'm told the heads have catapillar stamps inside them, still to go buy stuff at auto zone or discount auto parts and they require the song and dance to convence the experts behind the counter. thanks for the idea though, there is a company doing a marine conversion of the 6.5 called predator, they claim all the way to 300 hp. the stock 6.2 i belive is like 175. the conversion from gas car motors probably would come in at around 100, 125? let me know when your ready to trade the hallet for the action, get a little wind blowin through the hair again! hehehe fun out.

[Racemore]

I owned a 16' tahiti with an LS6 Chevy/Berkley w/A impeller,it will take an overdrive to get any speed at the rpm range of a diesel with a berkley but I know where there is a Hamilton pump that has the capability to perform well but still needs 3000rpms at cruise at a resonable efficent speed. Remember gas or diesel,there is no substitute for horsepower.You won't be happy with under 300hp at 3600 if you want to maintain a 20-25kt.cruise
In reality they are not efficent just reliable.