D4 -260 Repower on the DOGHOUSE

[DOGHOUSE26]

I don't like to spend big coin but I'm telling you the 36K I just invested for another 10 years in the Doghouse has been some of the best money I have ever spent! The difference in performance makes for a completely different boat; forget about all that following seas nonsense, slow out of the hole, and trim tab concerns. This new package doesn't need tabs as it picks the stern right up out of the water and keeps the boat tracking as straight as an arrow, you just can't believe it until you jump aboard. Don was always against more HP but if he were alive today it would be a different story. I picked the boat up Friday afternoon late and went straight to Mission Bay for some Break In running (10 Hours required). I varied the engine speed every 3-10 minutes and towards the end of my session I took her up to 3000 RPM cruising speed(3500 is Redline) and was pleasantly surprised to see 25.6 knts on the GPS. My old WOT was 4000 @ 24.8 knts. Ended Up putting 2 hours on her, met John the next morning for more break in and detailed instruction on how to use the tach display to get all the function measurements digitally. John had to work on my autopilot to get it in sync with the Volvo Power Steering system. Bill from the Heron tagged along for the sea trial and we were off to Ski Beach where John promptly redlined her to 3600 with 3 people aboard with full bait and fuel tanks to a speed of 31.8 knts; white knuckle if you were standing on the gunnel on the starboard side next to the bridge holding on to the bridge railing and wrapping your feet around the lower railings such as I was. We checked trim angles and tab positions for the best overall ride; the tabs are only needed for slow (<16 knts) operation.
Went fishing on Sunday and it didn't take long to get bit on the troll, we had 6 YFT on rapalas off porpoise between the 9 and the 224. the boat still gets bit!

Here's a few pics of the installation:

The Outdrive and $1500/set bronze props:
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/medium/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_002.jpg
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/medium/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_001.jpg

The Flush deck hatch remained flush even though this new packge is 1" taller:
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_003.jpg
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_004.jpg

The new stainless steel gutter which is removable for future service:
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_006.jpg
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_007.jpg

New Rocket Motor:
http://www.bocaboardcom/data/579/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_009.jpg
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_010.jpg

The electric shift servo:

http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_012.jpg

And the new Helm, Dash, and Electric Throttle/Gearshifter which takes some getting used to! :
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/579/DOGHOUSE_REPOWER_9-5-08_015.jpg

Here’s a list of the engine statistics we observed while breaking in our new motor off Ski Beach in Mission Bay, Our first tests were taken with only one person on board; after 1/3 break in time we tested with a full load of 3 persons and full bait tank. The Compressor Operating Range was 1600-2100 RPM. The first number is RPMs, the second black number is unloaded knts, the third red number is loaded knts, and the fourth blue is GPH

Idle 650 RPM 3.8 kts 3.8kts
1000 5.9 5.7 .7 GPH
1200 6.9 6.6 1.0
1400 7.6 7.2 1.5
1600 8.4 7.7 2.7
1800 9.5 8.4 3.9
2000 12.5 10.1 4.7
2200 14.4 13.3 5.8
2400 17.0 15.6 6.6
2600 20.1 19.5 7.1
2800 23.0
3000 25.8 25.6 8.8
3500 31.8


You won't believe the ride, call me and I'll give you a shot behind the wheel !

[fireescape]

Very sweet Jeff...... That is so nice to have all that room to work on things! Fuel savings alone will pay for most of it. congrats zack

[Honeygirl]

All I can can say Is F-ING SWEET.

[NoSlack]

Looks sweet Jeff.
1.5 GPH at 7.5 knots gets you 750 miles with 20 hours of fuel left. Time to buddy up to Yale and start seeing the world in a whole new way.

If you want the pictures to show in the post, right click on the photo and a box will pop up. Hit properties at the bottom of the list and the address you see in the second box is the one you need to copy and paste.

[Professor]

I’m leaving for Benitos/Cedros on Saturday 10/18 returning Tuesday 10/28. Love to have you on the trip as long as you don’t keep reminding me that I’m burning over twice the fuel you are. You’ll still have to fuel up at turtle bay with that nasty old cheap MX diesel though.

[Freespool]

Very nice. Now you can run with the Parkers:D . Have you run it over 30 knots with the bow trimmed down? If so how does it act? Mine gets a bit tipsy if you trim it out like you would other boats. Just wondering if the weight difference helps with that.

[DOGHOUSE26]

You can't trim it all the way down @ 30kts in the ocean unless you like water on the back of your ears!

Thanks for the help Mike!

[Old Blue]

What a nice clean repower! I can't imagine having all that room in the engine box. Those speed/fuel burn numbers are THE BOMB!!! Try not to let it break your heart when your cruising in the 20s and getting 3knmpgs.

The best part is, you've still got the best part of the season left.:cool:

[Laura Mei]

Very clean install -- I like it.
Charley

[DOGHOUSE26]

I’m leaving for Benitos/Cedros on Saturday 10/18 returning Tuesday 10/28. Love to have you on the trip as long as you don’t keep reminding me that I’m burning over twice the fuel you are. You’ll still have to fuel up at turtle bay with that nasty old cheap MX diesel though.

I'd really like to Yale but I'm afraid I'll have to pass on this trip; I need to spend a little more quality time with my financier and she wants to travel up the coastline in a motorhome vacation the first week in November.

[Wa Mei]

Wow...I am drooling as I type. I have been eyeing the D4-225 for awhile now...maybe the 260 is the better way to go for the 26' Skippy...I got to stay away from these websites. My pocket book can't continue to handle these types of yearning!

[Knot Now]

Dam, I was afraid of that..................................
Maybe a D6-370 would be better :D

I think the D6-435 might be a little too much.

[Heron]

I was fortunate enough to be along for the ride. I have a D4-225 in my boat and that 260 is the way to go. The EVC controls are an improvement. All integrated. No need for FloScan. Blackman did a nice job of retro-fitting that new engine. Congratulations Jeff and thanks for the ride. bill

[Nomad]

Damn Jeff, that is awesome. Gotta get me one!!!

[Professor]

I understand. Next year we’re doing a US to Canada to the East Coast to the Southern US to San Diego trip in the camper. Probably six segments all told. In between I’ll be heading south and perhaps north on the Riley and company is always nice. I’ll keep you posted. Congratulations again on the repower.

[LABRISA DEL MAR]

JEFF,
Great DECISION ON THE repower!!! It looks like a lot of room to change the oil & maintance some day in the engine compartment.I am Very Happy for you. Great job by BLACKMAN BOATS!

David

[hijole]

I can't believe you didn't ask me for permission.

CAn it burn Mx diesel?

I paid $2.25 this morning at Otay.

[DOGHOUSE26]

I just put the DOGHOUSE back in the water today after it's first 50 hour service; John also installed an additional fuel guage and then he calibrated the fuel tank sender and programed the fuel monitoring programs into the display. So now when I'm running I can check my current gallons per hour burn rate, nautical miles per gallon, remaining % of fuel in tank, distance to empty, time in hours to empty, trip average fuel GPH rate, trip average NM per gallon average, and trip odometer.

So I did a little test to find my best NMPG and it was a little surprising. Naturally at idle (4.0 KNTS) it's something like 12-15 nmpg; at 6 nts it's around 8.0 , and @ 1550rpm- 7.2 it's 6.2 nmpg. Once the Compressor kicks in @
(1600-2100 rpm) 8.5-13kts it drops to 2.5-2.7 nmpg and until 2400 @ 16knts it stays about the same. 2500-2650 17-19.5 kts. it starts back up to 3.0 nmpg and from 2700 to 3000 (19.5-25.5 kts) it actually goes up higher to 3.3 nmpg. So I guess it might be cheaper to go faster, imagine that! This test was run with a full fuel tank, full bait tank, and one person on board; your milage may vary.

[yellowfin1]

OK Jeff,

I'm stoked for you and your new engine and the great fuel economy but, What caused your AD-41 to die? As a reletively new AD-41 owner I want to ensure that I do everything right to avoid the same fate. I love my 41 as it is fast enough for me (Ok almost) and it does outstanding in the fuel economy department. In addition it's easy for me to work on.

Do you know what happened?

Scott

[DOGHOUSE26]

Scott I think it just got tired. They say every hour you get after 5000 is a bonus and mine had 5150 on her. They haven't pulled it apart yet but the problem was excessive combustion blowby causing the crankcase to become pressurized forcing the oil out the dirstick. We were not running fast (2700 RPM @ 12nts.) and the motor didn't get hot. It was either worn out rings which finally gave way or a cracked piston, I don't know.

[Honeygirl]

Jeff it’s the same with the Honeygirl (well when it’s in the water and running) I have a sweet spot when the boat gets the best fuel economy. Sometimes it better for me to do 23-24knotts than to do 17 or 18. For you guys with out a fuel monitoring system they are worth there weight in gold. It will pay for its self very quickly and they are not the hard to install just takes a little time and patience.