40 dc gassers

[JJWYC]

Hi everyone,I’m looking at a 40dc with fresh gas engines. Does anyone have experience running this boat with gas engines? I’m looking for speed and rpm information as well as Fuel numbers I love the boat I’m just wondering if it’s too big for gas enginesThanksJJ

[lake of the woods]

Hi, I own a 1989 40 DC with 350 crusader gas engines. This boat is not really designed to go fast. It is very difficult to get on plane so if that is what you are looking for then you need to look at another hull. Even with diesel engines it does not get on plane very easily. It is a short, stubby boat that weighs a lot. However if you want a nice boat to cruise around 8 to 10 knots and an engine that is easy and inexpensive to maintain then you should be happy. In 4 hours I can easily do about 40 miles at about 1 gallon per mile. We love our boat and it has treated us well. All depends on how you plan to use your boat.

Mark
Lake of the Woods
1989 40 DC series 1

[BobWaz]

I also had a 1987 40' with 350HP crusaders. I would run 2,000 RPM, get 10 MPH at 12 gal per hour. I was happy with this as I came from a trawler. If repowered make sure they are Crusaders. There is nothing better. I had mine for 6 years, very happy.

[Freeebird]

Hi, I own a 1989 40 DC with 350 crusader gas engines. This boat is not really designed to go fast. It is very difficult to get on plane so if that is what you are looking for then you need to look at another hull. Even with diesel engines it does not get on plane very easily.
Mark
Lake of the Woods
1989 40 DC series 1

Huh?

Which diesel did you run to come to that conclusion?

Most have 3208TA's rated at 375HP, and they are anything but difficult to get on plane and cruise nicely in the 20MPH range, and they do that very efficiently. I could go back and look at numbers, but the one I moved from Fort Pierce, FL to just below Chattanooga, TN a few years ago got around .75MPG on plane and better than 1MPG at hull speed.

[lake of the woods]

Hi Randy,

I defer to your experience on 40 DC Diesels.

I should not have made my comment on the diesel capabilities for that boat as I don't really know. The best I can muster on my gassers is about 15 -16 knots and she pushes water more than planes on top.

I admit I should stick to what I know and not extrapolate to something I don't know.

Cheers,
Mark
Lake of the Woods
1989 40 DC (series1)

[dmoore1200]

I had a 44 Chris craft with gas. Biggest mistake I ever made. We had new(ish) fuel tanks… and ended up with a gas leak of 500 gallons in the Bilge. Among other things… easy to work on and parts available everywhere. Bad bad on consumption… melt your credit card on a weekend.

[cww]

I had a larger sea ray with 454’s and man did I spend half my life and money at the fuel dock. I would never go back from diesels.

[Freeebird]

Hi Randy,

I defer to your experience on 40 DC Diesels.

I should not have made my comment on the diesel capabilities for that boat as I don't really know. The best I can muster on my gassers is about 15 -16 knots and she pushes water more than planes on top.

I admit I should stick to what I know and not extrapolate to something I don't know.

Cheers,
Mark
Lake of the Woods
1989 40 DC (series1)

Nah man, it's all good. I thought maybe you had run one that had been repowered with smaller diesels.

[Freeebird]

I had a larger sea ray with 454’s and man did I spend half my life and money at the fuel dock. I would never go back from diesels.

I've had similar experiences with Sea Ray's, especially the 40 footers. That's why I was shocked when I saw my 41DC cruising down the river, fully on plane and gracefully moving across the water at 20MPH. Would have thought it was on the pins or close until I talked to the then owner when he came into the dock with it.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... and again... and again. My 41DC with 7.4 MerCruiser's dispels any notion that diesels of that era are/were more efficient I get over 1MPG at hull speed and cruise 20MPH @ 3,000 while getting .75 MPG. I have yet to see a DD powered unit that beats it in any category other than hull speed mileage. Even then, it's negligible, and no way will they touch my cruise mileage or my top end speed.

The 40DC is way different than the 41DC, so I'm sure there is a huge difference in the gas vs diesel versions of those boats. My only point is, it is indeed possible to have a very efficient 40 foot gasser.

[cww]

I've had similar experiences with Sea Ray's, especially the 40 footers. That's why I was shocked when I saw my 41DC cruising down the river, fully on plane and gracefully moving across the water at 20MPH. Would have thought it was on the pins or close until I talked to the then owner when he came into the dock with it.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... and again... and again. My 41DC with 7.4 MerCruiser's dispels any notion that diesels of that era are/were more efficient I get over 1MPG at hull speed and cruise 20MPH @ 3,000 while getting .75 MPG. I have yet to see a DD powered unit that beats it in any category other than hull speed mileage. Even then, it's negligible, and no way will they touch my cruise mileage or my top end speed.

The 40DC is way different than the 41DC, so I'm sure there is a huge difference in the gas vs diesel versions of those boats. My only point is, it is indeed possible to have a very efficient 40 foot gasser.

If your boat only weighs 25000lb that's probably the key to it. Hatts got heavier as time went on, to an absurd degree, that 40dc is a good example, a foot shorter but weighs 38000lb dry. That is a 66% weight increase over yours with probably the same amount of power. Sea rays used to be light but by the late 80's early 90's came to suffer from the same weight problem. I think a lot of this has to do with that.