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Have done enough cruising to accept the fact that the engine is
used about 35% of the time.
You need a good engine and you need to have almost an intimate
relationship with it.
The above resulted in the decision to build a center cockpit
design, which provides lots of engine work space, with a hard
Bimini for mounting lots of solar panels and use a "Lugger"
engine from Alaska Diesel.
The "Lugger" is a basic 6 cyl, long stroke, low RPM, John Deere,
naturally aspirated industrial engine that is marinized by
Alaska Diesel, and sold primarily to the Alaskan fish boat
operators.
Coming from the MidWest, John Deere products are no strangers.
If Deere is good enough for guys who make a living using an
engine, it is good enough for me.
Operating at about 2,000 RPM, using about 2-3 GPH, that Deere
will run forever and drive the boat at hull speed.
Since it is a wet sleeve design, it can be rebuilt in place, a
very BIG plus.
Use isolated sending units (oil pressure, engine tempersture,
etc), and you eliminate the possibility of ground currents, even
in a "hot" marina.
Add an AquaDrive and the power train is almost complete except
for the prop.
Having had to install an AquaDrive in my last boat to minimize
reduce vibration problems, I'll never have another boat with out
one.
THe engine installation is planned to take full advantage of the
AquaDrive features.
The jury is still out on the prop.
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