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  1. #1

    38' Hatteras - Outriggers

    38 Hatteras outriggers -

    Has any one used Top mount outriggers and installed on hard top rear corners and removed the standard Sidwinder style?
    Last edited by 69Conch; 07-19-2022 at 06:20 PM. Reason: Deal to purchase fell through on 36

  2. #2

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    Yes, this has been done on quite a few of the Series 1 36 convertibles. Including mine.

    The best fit and performance are Cummins B series, with ZF IRM 200 down angle gears. My boat has Cummins 370 B series, but the newere common-rail engines make more power, use less fuel, and are quieter. They are also available on the Cummins reman program. I would estimate that more than 400hp per engine is probably a waste of money, as it's difficult to get enough wheel under the boat to absorb all that hp and put it in the water. If you are on the East Coast I would recommend buying the engines and gears from T&S Marine in Crisfield, MD- they are very experienced, they ship all over,a nd I have done business with them for over thirty years. PM me if you want more details.

    All the 36 convertibles were built the same, so the fuel return fittings are already in the tanks, if you have the original tanks, and all the boats had 1/5" A22 shafts which is good up to about 380hp with (I think) a 1.5:1 gear ratio. As repower conversions go, it is not a particularly difficult one.

    I had my boat repowered twice. The first time with Cat 3116s, which were a disaster, and then with the Cummins. Night and day difference.
    Last edited by jim rosenthal; 05-20-2022 at 05:15 PM.

  3. #3

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    The shafts working for the conversion is really a big deal. I had a 36' Trojan I completely renovated and loved...took it everywhere. It badly needed conversion to Cummins BT 330s. They tend to fit where GM big blocks were. But changing the struts, shafts, props, shaft logs and all the other stuff related to the engines was simply too much, even with rebuilds.

    It just wasn't worth it. So, I sold her when the 502s started getting tired...and I've regretted it ever since.

    If you love that boat, make it work! Get it right and keep it.
    At the mouth of the Caloosahatchee
    1984 52C

  4. #4

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    The Hatteras struts are overkill and can be bored out to accept new cutlass bearings. Did that on my 34 and could have gone to 1 3/4" shafts if needed. But yes all those are associated costs.

    Either the 330 or 370 remans would be a great fit. If you go 370's you get a bit more top end but must reduce prop pith to ensure the engine can reach rated RPM. In the real world cruise RPM and speed is king. I would bet Jim runs his at around 2300-2500 RPM's for a nice cruise speed.

    Either will give great performance and fuel burns. The electronic higher HP versions are kinda overkill as the hull only will go so fast and above 30-32 MPH lean over. But your choice of course.

    Great boat, great lines, dockside conversation piece, and built like a brick poophouse!
    1966 34c
    1982 46 HP

  5. #5

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    Thanks Jim and others for response. Working out the details to have the boat delviered to the yard and then work commences. Figured I work aesthetics first ( exterior ) and wait a couple months to see if engine prices come down a bit. I'll start posting when work begins. Best to all...

  6. #6

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    They are terrific boats, adn the Cummins B engines every bit as good as the boats themselves. The advantage of staying under 380 hp per side is that you can keep the struts, shafts, etc all the same, just change the wheels. Or you can have the struts bored out a bit, and get up to 1 3/4" shafts. You'd have to fit thinwall bearings in the stern tubes, though, I think. So far, I have not had any trouble with the original shafts. I did fit a new set of Veem Conquest wheels about 2 years ago, which are smoother, but WOT is still about thirty knots.

    I cruise her about 2200 revs, which, depending on the weight and fuel, is 21-23 knots over ground.

  7. #7

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    Over the years I’ve never thought diesel conversions were worth it vs. just buying a boat with diesels, but I suspect with these fuel prices the calculus has changed.

  8. #8

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    What condition are your LBCs in?

    You may want to think about this long and hard.
    Investment vs use vs operating cost vs return when sold.
    It may be a harder balancing issue with todays confusion and economizes.

    I have converted LBCs to 5.9 Cummins/down angle ZFs and all was very well.
    Those projects started 15 years ago. Last project 8 years ago.

    Today, That LBC may not need to be replaced so fast unless you are looking at many (MANY) hours per year, for a long time.

  9. #9

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    Both diesel and marine gasoline are priced at the 'disgusting' level, with no end in sight.

    There are some other advantages to having a diesel boat, besides the fact that diesels burn less per mile, though. Diesel boats are safer, I think, and the fuel is more stable than gasoline with alcohol mixed in (although some marinas have pure gasoline without alcohol in it) Diesel boats have a higher cruise speed. And they are worth more on resale, although you will never even get close to what you spent to have them put in.

    Part of the cost of a diesel repower on an older Hatteras is the "while you're in there"s- detailing the engine room, moving the seawater intakes, replacing the generator set, painting everything... you'd be surprised how quickly it adds up. But I'm not sorry I did it.

    Postscript: my BBC gas engines ran fine when they were taken out. I sold them, I think an ad in a local boating magazine, this was long ago. They went to two different guys. Within a year, one of the guys had blown up the engine he bought from me. He didn't blame me, but who knows- it could have been me that it happened to.

  10. #10

    Re: 36' Convertible - Diesel Conversion

    My dad bought a 1965 34 new just as a price comparison to today he paid 25000 with the 290hp Chrysler engines. The 34 was a tank and we would routinely fish the offshore canyons in the NE but the range was limited. He added 75 gallon saddle tanks but it was still marginal. When Hatt came out with 36 in 69 they were putting the 3160 cats in it. He had a friend that had one and the diesels really made the boat. The extra weight and power made a huge difference in handling and performance. By 70/71 the Chryslers were shot He was just going to drop in new gas engines but decided to go with the 3160 cats and duplicate what Hatt did in the 36. I just came across the invoice after he passed recently and the bill for the entire job was $13,900 the quote for the gas engines was 5200. My mom kept all the receipts for everything and in the same folder I found he bought a brand new 1970 Caddy fleetwood brougham for 7100. He used to say he could have bought two caddy’s for the price of the engines. IDK what a new Caddy costs today but 75/80k two caddy’s 150k in today’s dollars may be cheaper today than way back when. But the repower went great and the 34 with the same engines was faster than the 36 by several knots.
    You may want to look at 3208 cats a number of 34 and 41’s were repowered with them and while out of production their are tons of them out there used and remaned and they’re relatively inexpensive.
    "DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU READ OR HEAR AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE" - BEN FRANKLIN




    Endless Summer
    1967 50c 12/71n DDA 525hp
    ex Miss Betsy
    owners:
    Howard P. Miller 1967-1974
    Richard F Hull 1974-1976
    Robert J. & R.Scott Smith 1976-present

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