repowering a 53MY movie

[MarioG]

Thanks to Seabrooke I found this 40 min movie on a full repower including generator on a 53MY. This is by far the best documented movie production I Have ever seen! the sea trial at the end is awesome and shows the 53MY hauling butt. they claim 24.7 kts WOT

This is a must see and well worth the 40 mins.

enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqQPlavvD5I

 

[Seabrooke]

Thanks Mario. It really is great, hey!

When I became seriously interested in the 53MY I started trawling (pardon the pun) youtube for any videos I could find and this is definitely the best.

I did email the company to ask roughly what the work cost but have not heard back. It must be nice to be that busy...

I'd like to see more general cruising and operating videos up there but we get what we're given I suppose.

 

[MikeP]

Nice video!


I didn't recognize the engine that they pulled out - looked totally different to me than the 8V DDs but maybe it was the angle or something. In fact, nothing about the engine room looks like our 53 except the shape. I guess there were major changes in equipment, layout, through the years.

I really like all the extra space you get in the eng rooms with the engines out!

 

[rsmith]

Nice video!


I didn't recognize the engine that they pulled out - looked totally different to me than the 8V DDs but maybe it was the angle or something. In fact, nothing about the engine room looks like our 53 except the shape. I guess there were major changes in equipment, layout, through the years.

I really like all the extra space you get in the eng rooms with the engines out!

Cummins, I think the old 370's suprized they lasted that long.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Yes Cummins. I tried to purchase that boat in 2004. The broker, Gregory, let me do all of the leg work on the engines and history of the boat, then he bought it out from under me. I never should have given them the info, but I had no idea they would do that.

I called the day after looking at the boat with an offer. They told me they would fax me a form to make the offer. It never showed up so I called back. Then they told me that they had a full-price offer. I said well won't you take my offer to the seller as well, maybe it will be more. They said no and then later I see the owner of Gregory running the boat around.

What do you think happened?

 

[rsmith]

Yes Cummins. I tried to purchase that boat in 2004. The broker, Gregory, let me do all of the leg work on the engines and history of the boat, then he bought it out from under me. I never should have given them the info, but I had no idea they would do that.

I called the day after looking at the boat with an offer. They told me they would fax me a form to make the offer. It never showed up so I called back. Then they told me that they had a full-price offer. I said well won't you take my offer to the seller as well, maybe it will be more. They said no and then later I see the owner of Gregory running the boat around.

What do you think happened?

Happened to my Dad before we bought the 34. He put a deposit on a 36 Zobel Sea Fox and had a verbal agreement from the owner. The salesman sandbagged his deposit check and went back to another buyer to up the ante. We drove down to Cape May to pick up the boat and found out it was sold. My Dad was so pissed we went across the street and ordered the 34 Hatt (I had been trying to get him to buy the Hatt all along) Sometimes things work out for the best. Sky your boat looks alot better than that turkey with the Cummins.

 

[TopHattandTails]

Agree...but 25 knots would be AWESOME! Wonder what kind of bow stearage she makes going that fast.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Agree...but 25 knots would be AWESOME! Wonder what kind of bow stearage she makes going that fast.

Still looks like a typical 53MY with the bow up even at that speed. She probably handles quite well. The thing I noticed was the roll going over that wake. Obviously they didn't add stabilizers while they were in there.

As far as pricing for the job, I'll bet not even Scott Gregory knows what he's got into it. Looks like he had his crew working on it all winter between other jobs. It just goes to show that the only way to do this is to own a boat yard.

 

[saltshaker]

Still looks like a typical 53MY with the bow up even at that speed. She probably handles quite well. The thing I noticed was the roll going over that wake. Obviously they didn't add stabilizers while they were in there.

As far as pricing for the job, I'll bet not even Scott Gregory knows what he's got into it. Looks like he had his crew working on it all winter between other jobs. It just goes to show that the only way to do this is to own a boat yard.

Could never justify the price if you had to pay to have it done. I'm sure you're right that they worked on it between other projects. I'm sure they aren't too busy up there in the winter and this project was a way of keeping his crew busy. If it was me I would have gone for a Cummins package over those Yanmars. A pair of remaned QSM11's would have really made her go.

Were you going to re-power her or keep the old Cummins? Looks like she would have needed some serious ER work if she wasn't re-powered.

 

[rsmith]

The 53 my and Conv hulls are the same and there are a lot of 53c's with a the hp to run in the mid 20's. The bigest thing I saw from the ones that I've been on is the need for full length spray/lifting rails. They get the boat out of the water and the extra stability is amazing. Once these hulls get on plane it dosent take a whole lot more HP to increase the speed. I think Pascoe says the MY is lighter than the C but with all the extra superstructure and glass I find that hard to believe.

 

[MikeP]

I have a marina-friend that put spray rails on his 58MY - he said they made no difference at all that he could tell as far as speed or planing. He did say it reduces spray. He used to operate his 58 on plane most of the time and says he got 20k out of her. I don't know if that speed was measured with GPS or not - it was a few years back when fuel wasn't that much of an issue. Now he runs at displacement speeds like the rest of us.

I'd love to be able to cruise at 20+k...I would not love to pay the fuel bill!

But as I have said before, every time we run our 53 on plane, my reaction is, "This is how the boat's SUPPOSED to feel!"

 

[rsmith]

You need the extra power to get it over the hump before you will see the benifits of the rails. I had a friend had a '74 53c with 12N's He repowered it with TI's in '78 but didnt see that much speed difference untill he put on the rails. He added 3" with a 2^ pitch down angle on the rails. No GPS in those days but I was on the boat and saw 22kts LoranA bearing to bearing over a more than hour run. The boat would still send spray clear over the tower.

 

[saltshaker]

The 53 my and Conv hulls are the same and there are a lot of 53c's with a the hp to run in the mid 20's. The bigest thing I saw from the ones that I've been on is the need for full length spray/lifting rails. They get the boat out of the water and the extra stability is amazing. Once these hulls get on plane it dosent take a whole lot more HP to increase the speed. I think Pascoe says the MY is lighter than the C but with all the extra superstructure and glass I find that hard to believe.

I think the added weight from the bigger engines, running gear and fuel capacity could make the 53C heavier than the 53MY.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Could never justify the price if you had to pay to have it done. I'm sure you're right that they worked on it between other projects. I'm sure they aren't too busy up there in the winter and this project was a way of keeping his crew busy. If it was me I would have gone for a Cummins package over those Yanmars. A pair of remaned QSM11's would have really made her go.

Were you going to re-power her or keep the old Cummins? Looks like she would have needed some serious ER work if she wasn't re-powered.

According to the Cummins dealer, the history of the engines did not look too bad. I had planned to keep the VT370M's, but who knows. Sometimes you get in to more than you bargained for.

 

[rsmith]

I think the added weight from the bigger engines, running gear and fuel capacity could make the 53C heavier than the 53MY.

Mine shows 64k on the travel lift at Crackerboys in Ft P.with 500gal fuel and 50gal water.

 

[jim rosenthal]

One of our club members has a 53 MY which has 480C Cummins in it- he gets about this performance or a little better, although the rated HP is a bit less. Boat is named Freebird, I think. Very nicely done. I would have gone for the Cummins as opposed to Yanmars also. Lots of room in there after you take the old V8s out, like Mike said.

Mike, don't get any ideas on this...

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I still think I could buy one that somebody repowered and pay a substantial premium, then sell mine and still have less into it than paying for a repower myself.

 

[MikeP]

"Mike, don't get any ideas on this..."

A couple of Mopar Hemi SS motors would be WAAAY more HP than any of those stinking Diesels and you get that great "rumpty-rump" idle!

 

[Seabrooke]

"Mike, don't get any ideas on this..."

A couple of Mopar Hemi SS motors would be WAAAY more HP than any of those stinking Diesels and you get that great "rumpty-rump" idle!

Now you're talkin' skipper.

Maybe airbrush some candy or pearlescent flames on the hull too....

We could do a new reality TV show........ "American Motor Yacht"

 

[TopHattandTails]

I went back and watched this again. Perhaps if i removed the granite from the galley, counter tops, all heads, replaced the chain with rope, fixed any coring with kevlar, tuned up the 871ti's, added lifting and spray rails, and got some great additives, I might touch 20 knots on low fuel and no water... would be sweet nonetheless. Then again, I'd then have to switch to bud light in cans!