Repowering 280 with diesel

SearayPaul

SearayPaul

Active Member
Oct 11, 2006
961
Simpsonville, South Carolina
Boat Info
34 Downeaster
Engines
Cummins 5.9 480hp
Well as I posted a day or so ago I lost my 280 not because of me or the seller and I am done boat shopping for this year.

While I steam about the circumstances I have been thinking, which is probably not good.

Has anyone thought about repowering a 280 with a single Cummins Merccuiser diesel? Since boat sales are not good at this time and the economy is not good if the right 280 could be located that needed a repower this might be an intersting challenge. The ideal boat would be a 2002 or newer with a single 496 that was bank owned and in other wise good shape. Block might be cracked because of poor winterization etc.

This little Cummins diesel has some good torque numbers and good fuel burn numbers.

http://www.cmdmarine.com/4.2es320.html

The 5.9 would be even better but probably too heavy and too much torque.

Are the stingers strong enough? Would the boat be shaken to death? Would the boat perform? Would the cut out for the stern drive be similar for the bravo drive? Of course the generator would have to be changed to diesel. Shifter would be easy to change with the new electronic models. Probably would require a bigger seacock for the raw water line.

Lets hear your ideas for this as I have a whole year to pull this off since I am keeping the 240 for the summer.
 
Sounds pretty expensive. Diesel fuel is now so much more expensive than gasoline that the decision would be made on considerations other than effeciency. Gas is about 52 cents per gallon cheaper than diesel in Michigan and averages $4.00 per gallon nation wide according to today's new reports.
 
It would be hard to justify on a cost basis. Maybe for safety reasons but you'd be a spending a lot of money for very little, if any gain. If you could get someone from Europe to feed you some mpg figures with a diesel you could at least determine your fuel useage and gain in range. I think you'd have to be putting on a lot of hours on an annual basis to make this worthwhile. If the boat had a gennie, you'd have to swap or convert that too. I think it would be easier to buy one in Europe and ship it to the U.S.!
 
If you go to the Cummins Mercruiser Diesel engine site you will find Cummins matched to Alpha and Bravo drives.
 
Its not going to be cheap. You'll have to change out the genset to a diesel as well, thats going to be $10K alone.

I'm guessing $35K minimum for the engine + install, genset + install, new fuel system, gauges etc. Then add in a donor 280DA. I'm not saying its a bad idea, just don't think you'll be getting it cheap.

Unless you need something trailerable..... Why not just get a Mainship 30 Pilot with the single yanmar diesel? It'll cruise at 21mph and get 4mpg. Can be found for under $80K easily. Plus with an inboard + jackshaft it'll be cheaper to maintain than an I/O, and most come with bow thrusters so they are super easy to handle. Nicely built boats too. Not as sexy as an express cruiser but very useful space. Put a nice teak table and chairs in the cockpit and you've got a great cruiser.

-Dave
'04 280DA T4.3A's
'07 Sea Hunt 220
 
I looked into this last year for our 220. It was 30K just for the engine/sterndrive. You need a new helm with gauges and controls. A new fuel tank, and fiberglass work on the transom and possible work in the bilge.
 
In the UK the 280 with a diesel lump is pretty much the norm. Mine has a single Volvo Kad44 which isn't going to break any records but the performance is adequate. Cruising at about 25kts I burn about 5gals per hour (UK gals so slightly bigger than yours). Currently diesel is about $5.60 per gallon here where Petrol would be $11.35 a gallon. See the attraction?

That said, new legislation comes into place here in Novemeber which is going to see us paying nearer $12 per gallon.

I've tried a 280 with twin 4.3's and there's obviously a massive difference in performance, but apart from that the Diesel is a good option. Smooth, relaible, relatively quiet and a much extended cruising range over the Petrol.
 
gerryb said:
Ian, I was looking at your pics...

This particular picture is impressive..I bet some of that guy's scotch bottles got tossed about that day...

http://www.photobox.co.uk/shared/photo.html?c_photo=1336403054
Click to expand...

That photo was taken mid English Channel on our way home from France. It's our friend's boat, a Sealine S23, so smaller than a 240. It was quite an experience, 80 miles crossing one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, especially when the fog closed in and visibility dropped to less than 30ft. Luckily we were with 25 other boats, most of whom had radar and are cross-channel veterans.

The Dinghy works a treat. The snap davits were a doddle to fit and takes away all the hassle of using it. The dinghy is 2.3mtrs long so doesn't protude the sides of the boat and slow me down. Everything counts with this single diesel setup!
 
I repowered my 1989 220DA 10 years ago with a Yanmar 6LPDTZE with Mercruiser Bravo 1 outdrive. I love it. It doubled my range. I operate almost entirely in the Sea of Cortez where there is no Coast Guard if you get in trouble and where diesel fuel is currently around $2/gallon.
 
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