Repower or New Build?

Part One in a Series of Considerations

Published: Friday, March 16, 2012 7:00 am
By: Fred Sparling & Konrad Marine

When you’ve decided that upgrading your boat is absolutely going to happen, buying a new boat is a decision made by many. However, in line with our country’s recent mortgage crisis, there is a surplus of very attractive, previously owned, midsized boats (25’ – 45’) available for sale as well.

Vessels in the upper Midwest/Great Lakes region are particularly attractive for renovation consideration due to the fact that they are more “gently used” than those in other parts of the country. A relatively short season, where boats are dry docked during the winter months, combined with fresh water exposure results in solid hulls with very little corrosion.

One of the major benefits of purchasing a used vessel is the tremendous opportunity for upgrades – and doing so on your own terms. You can pick and choose what to upgrade now, what gets replaced at a later date, and what to retain. This allows you to manage the level of your investment at a time when financing is increasingly more difficult to obtain.

To make repowering a reasonable and desirable alternative to a new buy, there are many things to consider. The primary concern for buyers is to identify an affordable platform which when renovated will meet their objectives, and this can be a challenge. The most common items changed are:

Engine and Propulsion
Electrical System
Navigation Technology
Fuel Source (Gas or Diesel)
Gauges, Trim and Steering
Other Systems such as: Generator, Air Conditioner, Water Heater, Fire Suppression, etc.
Fit and Finish – Paint, Interior, etc.

Depending on the vintage of the vessel, many times the existing framework is acceptable. However, the most common renovation is a new engine/propulsion system. It is a common occurrence for boaters to purchase a vessel that doesn’t fully meet the requirements of their application.

Step 1 in any rebuild or new purchase has to be a thorough analysis of your objectives. To enable the buyer to pursue the correct vessel platform, the following Top 10 considerations need to be identified:

What size vessel is needed?
What is the range of speed required? (cruise, maximum and trolling speeds)
What are the average operating conditions? (water, weather, small lakes, large lakes, salt water bays, near coastal, etc.)
What is my initial investment budget?
What is my annual operating budget?
What’s the duty cycle – how many hours per year will the vessel run?
Is protection for the weather or other conditions a consideration?
Will there be any commercial usage?
Are there any special requirements – such as long cruise distances, hydraulic needs, towing, or fast response requirements?
What are my most important objectives: Speed; Thrust; Trolling; Maneuverability; Acceleration; Efficiency

The more accurately you identify your requirements, the more likely you’ll be to meet them.

Once you’ve identified your objectives, you can narrow your boat selections to those which are feasible to accommodate the changes you require. Consulting with a naval architect, a marine engineer, or a marine dealer with repower experience is recommended to ease your search.

The single most influential factor will be the selection of your propulsion system – from engine to propeller – as this system defines the way your boat runs, and is often the largest portion of the repower when considering price and space consumed.

Though most boats you’ll find in the Great Lakes region will be gasoline powered, the advantages of diesel have been well documented, including:

Significant increases in efficiency
Major advantages in safety (gasoline starts fires whereas diesel does not)
Longevity and durability of the propulsion system
Longer range – it takes less volume to go further
Possible insurance advantages – check with your provider
Ability to run higher load levels, producing higher cruising speeds

When planning this portion of your renovation of an older boat, and if you’re trying to implement diesel propulsion, one of the best options available is stern drive propulsion from Konrad Marine. Konrad twin propeller, diesel solutions apply to nearly every marine diesel engine in the 4 – 8 liter, 200 – 560 horsepower range. This flexibility affords many options to provide durability, performance, and handling.

This article is the first in a six part series designed to help you plan and implement your repower project. Next time, we’ll talk about the hull – and how to analyze, plan and implement the new propulsion systems.

If you have questions in the meantime, you can call the professionals at Konrad Marine at 800-927-3545 or visit www.konradmarine.com.