A trip to the dark side

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JonnyBoats
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Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 4:54 pm
Location: Wiscasset, ME
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A trip to the dark side

Post by JonnyBoats »

Yesterday I attended Trawlerfest in Stuart, FL and had the opportunity to board and view several powerboats in the 50-65 foot range with price tags of 1-2 million plus. The trip was for business, and I am not ready for a powerboat, and I certainly could not afford one of these!

There is much to like, such as stand up headroom in the engine room (otherwise known as the holy place), plenty of everything (power, space, cabins, and unfortunately bills for fuel, dockage etc.) and the fact that everything is new and looks great.

What surprised me was some of the corners that were cut. Two quick examples:

1) lack of proper seacocks with backing plates on the raw water intakes for the engines, and these are not small thru-hulls either.

2) Racor filters without the heat deflector shield (metal under the clear bowl at the bottom).

I guess it just goes to show, buyer beware!
John Tarbox
S/V Altair, a LeComte NorthEast 38
http://www.boatmaine.us
LazyGuy
Candidate for Boat-Obsession Medal
Posts: 349
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:31 pm
Boat Name: Paper Moon
Boat Type: Luders 33 (Allied Boat Co.)
Location: Mystic CT

Post by LazyGuy »

What do you expect for $1 to 2 mil plus. I wonder if you get bedding compound on those through hulls.

I used to travel to the Stuart area all the time. Always tried to get to Crawdaddy's.
Cheers

Dennis
Luders 33 "Paper Moon" Hull No 16

Life is too short to own an ugly boat.
Quetzalsailor
Master of the Arcane
Posts: 1100
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 9:53 am
Boat Name: Quetzal
Boat Type: LeComte North East 38
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Post by Quetzalsailor »

The Racor without the heatshield protecting the plastic bowl is for truck and other land-based engines; the version with the heatshield meets USCG requirements for marine use. Guess what that heatshield (and the sticker) is worth as a percentage difference in the price for the two versions...

Similar to the price difference between breast pumps and attachments and the identical, but differently labeled pump sold for bleeding brakes.

Bet the pumps sold by West System and also sold for condiments are similarly priced, too; athough the restaurant business forces may reverse the differential.

To give a benefit of doubt for the fine folks who design and build those powermonsters, I wonder whether the hull layup is so much more robust, than what we're used to, that backups would be redundant. Though the 500lb standard for strength is probably not the same for bigger stuff, 500lbs would be a more trivial percentage of the strength inherent in a larger throughhull fitting.
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