Part 3 - More Power; "I'd Like To Start Next Week"

Diesel engines. What more was there to know that despite being loud and dirty, they are wicked fuel efficient? What I learned was that in the past 10 years, diesel engines have gotten even more fuel efficient, while getting quieter and cleaner. One of the greatest advancements was electronic controls, and that was probably the biggest decision I had to make in selecting an engine, electronically or mechanically controlled.

I had narrowed my decision making process to four manufacturers - Caterpillar, Cummins, John Deere and Volvo. The primary factors I was weighing were service, performance and price, in that order. Service was my most important consideration, because if I had a problem with the engine, I needed to ensure that there was a reputable, local dealer that could provide the service to get me back up and running. Parts had to be easily available, as well, because the best service in the world can't help if they can't get parts. From a performance perspective, I wanted an engine that would give me a boat capable of 20+ knots while providing around 10 GPH of fuel consumption. And of course, it couldn't break the bank.

I wanted to put a John Deere in the boat, that was my first choice. I had looked at some boats with Deere's with over 10,000 hours on them...without a re-build. I loved their simplicity, great availability and low cost of parts, and when it was time to re-build, they could be re-built in-hull, no need to R & R the engine. Electronic controls provided great economy, and no engine in its class provided more power. The downsides to the Deere were that they were the loudest, and they were the largest physical engine. But the biggest issue was performance. I talked to two fellas that had the 375 HP 6081AFM engines in RP 35's and neither could get 20 knots out of them. They could maintain 15 - 16 knots even with a couple hundred traps on board, but I needed the boat for charter fishing, not hauling lobster pots. And if I went up to the 450 HP 6125AFM, it wouldn't fit under the wheelhouse floor, and a raised engine box was out of the question.

Out of all the engines I looked at, probably the nicest was the Cummins. Here I had my choice of the 430 HP 6CTA (mechanical) or the electronic QSM 11 engine with up to 580 HP. These engines were great in terms of service, total cost of ownership and reliability. They were also the most expensive of the engines at which I was looking, partially because they were higher horsepower configurations. I was already in over my head opting to build a boat vs. buying one, and I had a budget that I was intent on keeping to. While I needed more than 315 HP, I didn't need 500 HP plus.

I took a quick look at the 74C series Volvo rated at 430 HP, also. The quietest of all the engines at which I looked and electronically controlled for excellent performance, the downsides of the Volvo were that parts and service were rather expensive, and the location of maintenance points on the engine (raw water pump, filters, etc.) weren't the most accessible. Combined with a higher price tag, as well, I knew I hadn't found the proper balance I was looking for.

That left me with the 3126 Caterpillar. With the Cat, I had my choice of mechanical or electrically controlled from 350 to 450 HP. Service and parts availability was perfect (a Cat mechanic lives in town), and a fellow charter captain has a Cat that is pushing 6,000 hours. My greatest concern with the Cat was some earlier issues with soft blocks in some of their 3116's (the forerunner to the 3126). The sales reps assured me there were no similar

It was settled. I felt comfortable with my decisions in selecting a hull and an engine, and now I just had to be patient until they started around the first of the year.

My 3126 Cat in her new home.  (Click to Enlarge)

That was until Joe called me up the first week of November and told me, "I'd like to start next week." The boat he was working on got delayed, and he had the opportunity to get started on mine...now! If I didn't get started then, my January 1st start date would likely get pushed back and I probably wouldn't see the boat until late Spring. I really didn't want to lose that much time, but would I be able to get the hull and engine to him in time?