Decisions...decisions...
Stodge
Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
The admiral and I have been debating for a while now. We'd like to travel more by boat. We love the layout of our 342, but she's a bit of a pig on gas at 1MPG. So we started looking at different boats that would get better fuel efficiency.
The most recent candidates where the Mainship Pilot 31 and Pilot 34. The 34 has the bigger layout, the 31 is better on fuel. Both have the advantage of being shafts versus outdrives which saves on maintenance and limits points of failure. Both are diesel which is cheaper to feed.
But at the end of the day, the price tag for a 2010 Mainship Pilot 31 is pretty hefty. The cruising speed would be lower than what we'd want before retirement and only got us to about 1.5MPG. So while the fuel cost of a trip like we are planning for July 2021 to Georgian Bay which is about 700 miles would be lower due to the price per gallon of diesel versus gas and the improved MPG. But we would not be able to squeeze it into the 2 week time frame that we have while still working.
Add to that the fact that I have a new (20 hours) starboard engine and the 342 becomes much more pocketbook friendly.
So now instead of going smaller, slower and more fuel efficient, we plan to swap out the port engine in time for the Georgian bay trip (early 2021) and keep the old girl. Our travel plans will be focused on Lake Huron and the adjoining waterways and lakes.
Think we're making the right decision?
The most recent candidates where the Mainship Pilot 31 and Pilot 34. The 34 has the bigger layout, the 31 is better on fuel. Both have the advantage of being shafts versus outdrives which saves on maintenance and limits points of failure. Both are diesel which is cheaper to feed.
But at the end of the day, the price tag for a 2010 Mainship Pilot 31 is pretty hefty. The cruising speed would be lower than what we'd want before retirement and only got us to about 1.5MPG. So while the fuel cost of a trip like we are planning for July 2021 to Georgian Bay which is about 700 miles would be lower due to the price per gallon of diesel versus gas and the improved MPG. But we would not be able to squeeze it into the 2 week time frame that we have while still working.
Add to that the fact that I have a new (20 hours) starboard engine and the 342 becomes much more pocketbook friendly.
So now instead of going smaller, slower and more fuel efficient, we plan to swap out the port engine in time for the Georgian bay trip (early 2021) and keep the old girl. Our travel plans will be focused on Lake Huron and the adjoining waterways and lakes.
Think we're making the right decision?
2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX
Comments
We don't make long trips every year, so the MPG alone is not enough to make up for the higher payments associated with a different/newer boat.
So when I kept putting pencil to paper I was paying lots more than I am now month to month, but costing less for the long trips here and there.
2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX
The Pilot 34 would be roomy enough for us. But we'd be no better off for MPG, which puts us at about the same cost we have now. So no real gain.
@Liberty44140 not sure what your goal is. But if you plan on going to a 38 to 40 foot boat even with diesels I think you'll be looking at getting less than 1MPG while cruising at 15-20MPH. For me that's going backward as the fuel cost of my trip just went up. Not to mention I'm either spending more time at the helm port to port, taking more time over all for the trip, or taking shorter trips.
If you goal is to be more comfortable with less maintenance regardless of the fuel cost then IMO you are spot on.
2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX
The cheapest ive seen is about 300k to over 600k. Seems the only thing more valuable than a trawler is a fast trawler.
I found a bayliner explorer 2650 a few months ago. The idea of going going a hundred or more miles to a tank of fuel was tempting but in the end the family wanted the rinker to get there fast so we can relax quicker or i would have stayed in my sailboat
300k would buy you diesel conversions, new drives and fuel left over for your entire retirement! Plus you know what you have with your rinker.
2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX
But, I agree with LaRea. Definitely fuel is a small portion of overall costs.
That Jefferson looks pretty good Handy! Curious what the maintenance costs are (not saying they're high, just curious).
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express
2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX
We've only done one REALLY long trip. I'd define REALLY long as over 300 miles and more than a week. when I get to retirement there will be time to travel, but may not be the money.
Who knows, once I retire I might just sell the house, putz around on a boat till we get tired of it, then sell that and get a condo somewhere.
2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX
Stodge I year ya on fuel. In our case we dont need the extra space, I just want diesel for the fuel economy. A 40' inboard diesel boat gets the same economy at cruise as my 342 so I can get the space without the extra fuel. But I'm not looking for trawler economy YET.
2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX
The 390 does pretty good (around 25kts is good cruise speed) and burns maybe 25gph. Same boat as mine, but burns a little more than half of what I do at 28kts.
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express
2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX