RollerCoastr
Well-Known Member
- Nov 15, 2007
- 3,885
- Boat Info
- 1997 400DA
340HP 7.4 Mercruiser Bluewaters
Garmin 741, 742, 8212, 24HD, Intellian I2
- Engines
- 1999 280BR
Twin 250HP Merc 350 Alpha Ones
I don't apply the length of the boat to this discussion at all. I'm not sure it's ever a factor. B_Arrington's Back Cove is a 34. We've had other members here with similar sized Sea Rays who appreciated their diesels. The opposite is often true too. Those with thinner wallets and without plans for distant travel etc should think twice about this "over 40' must be diesel" docktalk.
I think it's much more about who is going to use the boat and how. Some friends of mine bought into the "over 40'" advice when honestly, at their income level, I don't think they had any business buying a boat with high performance diesel engines. Sure enough, they faced $40,000 worth of repair expenses in the first year.
Some of my closest friends have a diesel 46 footer. I was jealous as various trips took them from Chicago up, and around and through the Great Lakes, down the eastern seaboard, over to The Bahamas... That boat is only 1 year younger than mine, and as much as I love my boat and as far as I've taken her, I wouldn't even consider doing that in my 22 year old gasser 40. Getting back to that trip though, they arrived in Palm Beach on 1 engine. By the time they had it torn down, they discovered that the meticulously maintained engine was toast. Estimates ranged from $29k for a rebuild to $50,000 for a new replacement. The insurance company helped by delaying the repair by several weeks before saying, "good luck with that, it's not our problem." (or something to that effect)
If I get another boat, it will likely be larger, I'll take her even further and anchor overnight much more often. For those reasons it will be diesel. That's not to say that for a minute I regret having my 40 gasser.
I think it's much more about who is going to use the boat and how. Some friends of mine bought into the "over 40'" advice when honestly, at their income level, I don't think they had any business buying a boat with high performance diesel engines. Sure enough, they faced $40,000 worth of repair expenses in the first year.
Some of my closest friends have a diesel 46 footer. I was jealous as various trips took them from Chicago up, and around and through the Great Lakes, down the eastern seaboard, over to The Bahamas... That boat is only 1 year younger than mine, and as much as I love my boat and as far as I've taken her, I wouldn't even consider doing that in my 22 year old gasser 40. Getting back to that trip though, they arrived in Palm Beach on 1 engine. By the time they had it torn down, they discovered that the meticulously maintained engine was toast. Estimates ranged from $29k for a rebuild to $50,000 for a new replacement. The insurance company helped by delaying the repair by several weeks before saying, "good luck with that, it's not our problem." (or something to that effect)
If I get another boat, it will likely be larger, I'll take her even further and anchor overnight much more often. For those reasons it will be diesel. That's not to say that for a minute I regret having my 40 gasser.