New toy: Avon Searider 7.4m

[tworotorturbo]

The diesel inboard just sold on ebay. Time to go outboard hunting

[tworotorturbo]

[office888]

How much wood rot have you found?

[tworotorturbo]

So far, I found some rot under the lifting hoist mounts on the deck. Going to drill some holes in the transom and see whats going on in there.

4 of the 6 transom shield studs were broken. PO took it to a shop last spring, they said that they tightened the nuts

[willk]

Originally Posted by tworotorturbo

The diesel inboard just sold on ebay. Time to go outboard hunting

You thinking of an extended bracket?

[tworotorturbo]

I don't think so, mainly because I want to keep costs and overall length down. Down the street , there's an outboard converted SR 7.4 with twin 150s hanging right off the transom and I like the way it handles. I'm most likely going to go with a Yamaha 300 V6, around 580 lbs for the 30".

Love the low freeboard of a rib, but I still had to deflate it for clearance. Made it by just a few inches.

[tworotorturbo]

New seats arrived. I wish...



Got the diesel boxed up for its new life in Alaska.

[cgoing]

That looks like it is going to be a nice project. There is a 7.4 floating around New England . Trying to scoop it up last year but the owner was not ready to part ways with it.

[atypicalguy]

I am curious to know if the ride quality changes much. Having the lump in the middle sounds like a smoother ride in chop.

[tworotorturbo]

Still need to take care of the holes in the deck and the transom before the Yammie 300 can meet its new home. In the meantime, we had to get some time on the water so I stole the keys to this 28' RIB. Ran about 40 miles offshore, past the islands. 3' wind waves mixed with huge swell out there and then got into some 12' breaking swell in the San Francisco Bar on the way home. Interesting to be keeping pace between two walls of water spaced so closely together. Now I see how an underpowered boat can get into trouble in some situations. That Protector is a beast though and handled the rough stuff with no problems. Might consider one when I win the lottery.

[tworotorturbo]

Old tank is out. The hardest thing about getting it out was dealing with the people replying to my "Free 40 gallons of diesel" craigslist listing.

[Diver Brian]

Updates?

[tworotorturbo]

I almost have all the glass work done. New 90 gallon Moeller is sitting in the old engine bay.

Its been slow because I am still recovering from sticker shock on the price of a digital Yamaha control, which is what I need for the F300.

[ncp]

Get the 4.2 L 250hp. Same block, uses 87 instead of 89 octane, can use mechanical controls, pretty much the same engine until you get to the higher rpms. And unless you're running 5,000-6,000 rpm all the time, I'd bet you couldn't tell the difference.

Remember, you have to use 89 octane to get the full 300 hp!

Originally Posted by tworotorturbo

Its been slow because I am still recovering from sticker shock on the price of a digital Yamaha control, which is what I need for the F300.

[office888]

Originally Posted by ncp

Get the 4.2 L 250hp. Same block, uses 87 instead of 89 octane, can use mechanical controls, pretty much the same engine until you get to the higher rpms. And unless you're running 5,000-6,000 rpm all the time, I'd bet you couldn't tell the difference.

Remember, you have to use 89 octane to get the full 300 hp!

After using digital controls, I never want to go back to mechanical. So clunky by comparison.

[ncp]

Originally Posted by office888

After using digital controls, I never want to go back to mechanical. So clunky by comparison.

People have told me the same thing - they're great.

But, I've heard $4,000 for digital controls plus whatever the difference in price is between the the 250 and the 300 hp could add up to a nice chunk of change (I haven't gotten quotes on either one so I don't know exact numbers).

[Bigtalljv]

Wow The Suzuki AP fly by wire wasn't that much more than mechanical. Or I've blanked it from my mind. Love my fly by wire. Easy to hook up too. No fat cable yo pull.