Question of the 4Lh 170s out there?

[Rob C]

what are the performance stats on the 170s out there? I know John's boat was cruise 20/21 @ 3000 burning 2mpg, from Freeport to Port Eads. Are there some others out there that have different styles, and stats? Is there a FBC w/ full tower, ? (that likes to take ALLOT of beer when heading out for a two day trip)? Thanks for any help.
Rob C

[Hal]

My 28 had the 170s and it was a slow ass pig. We had a full tower and genset and the boat was fully rigged and ready. Actually, it was a fine boat and very fuel efficient, but it was very underpowered and made about 16kts with an average load. Fully loaded we would sometimes be closer to 14 into a current. Of course, we were only burning about 8-9 gph, but it was a 9 hour ride to Port Eads from Pensacola.

The motors were very reliable and we had vey little mechanical problems, but they were just not enough to push Xanadu.

[JohnCranston]

Rob,

Don't forget I was running 2:08 to 1 gears. Maybe Capt. Pat will chime in on how the 170's did in Port Eads. Remember that Hal likes his tuna towers at least 4 stories high and usually has a few thousand pounds of contraband cigars with him at all times. Hal's tower on his 35 is so high that it'll make your nose bleed and give ya a overall feeling of light headedness. Well, maybe it was the V.O. that UV was passing off as Crown Royal...I'm not complaining..it did the trick.

[Kingfish]

Rob,
My 28 FBC no gen set, tower or hard top. It has an arch, bimini, 3 sided enclosur. Usaually fish overnites, leave 9-10 PM back to the dock 7-9 PM next nite.

Four fat boys, 65 gal. bait tank with 3 scoops of bait ( approx. 540 lbs.) 3-30 packs of beer +, rods-reels, misc and maybe some food.

If weather is good, cruise @ nite 12 kts, troll daytime 7 kts coming home 18-19 kts @ 2800-2900 RPM'S. Rarley do I push it above 3000 RPM'S. At 3400 RPM'S - 22-23 kts fully loaded.

Not a rocket ship, but very dependebale.

[Hal]

One thing I'll add is that we never determined our running by RPM. It was based on the pyrometer readings. We ran it at around 1100 degrees and never much more. Perhaps that is too conservative, but its what we were instructed to do to make them last and last. I think we put 1200 hours in .2.5 years with little trouble.

And, yes, the tower on Southern Breeze is a little tall, but that's why we have the elevator! And John, it wasn't the height of the tower - it was defninitely UV's hooch and the cigars that made for the lightheadedness.

At least you remember - some don't!

[Bruce]

Rob,
Decide on a speed you would like to cruise at and then pick your engines. Then decide whether those speeds can be achieved due to the average sea conditions based on your actual experience.

Installing engines that will make a boat do 40 knots is stupid if the the sea conditions and the design of the boat won't allow that to happen but maybe a few times a year.

Be very realistic with what you want to achieve.

Underpowering your expectations due to logistics or budget constraints will leave you very unhappy in the end.

Hope belongs in a chest, not in speed calculations.

[Rob C]

I want to be able to cruise at 20. We only fish on this boat if it is calm, but we like to do overnighters (3 day) sometimes up to 100 nm out. We have friends w/ large boats if the weather looks iffy. I think the 170s are on the line, from what I have heard, as to if they can push a FBC w/ tower loaded heavy? Just looking for similar boats w/ experience. With the current responses we see numbers from 14 to 21, big window?
Rob C

[capy]

And John, it wasn't the height of the tower - it was defninitely UV's hooch and the cigars that made for the lightheadedness.

At least you remember - some don't!

I remember your tower very well, but I bet no one remembers me... I just can't spare time to surf the site like a I used to.

At the last Port Eads UVI, your tower was the only way to get a cell phone call back home.........either that or climbing andre's vhf tower on his house boat.

That Port Eads sure was special.

[Hyena Love]

Hal's B28 looked to be a heavy boat. The captain's chair on the flybridge was like some sort of marine lay-z-boy. Then, there was the Alabama/Miss style tower, a cabin filled with stuff, and a decent sized genny in the belly.

John C's B31, in contrast, looked to be pretty easy to push relative to either Hal's B28 or the typical B31 FBC.

[Eddy G]

I don't know if a comparatively equiped B31 is harder to push than a B28, but my 170's would move my B28 (bimini w/enclosure, SeaPower alt / black box generator, 240 gallons fuel, 50 gals water and a full cabin of stuff) 18 knots at 2900 rpm. Fuel economy, reliability and the fact that you can run them at cruise speed regardless of sea conditions are the main advantages of the 170's. The size and space around the engines for maintenance are advantages of all 4LH engines. If you're not in a big hurry, and prop them right, the 170's are good, long lasting engines.
Eddy G.

[Hal]

Xanadu was for sure a heavy 28. I believe the 28s weigh the same as a 31. X had a 5kw yanmar genset, fridge, water heater, shower micro, stereo, v-birth, tower, 340 gallons of fuel, 40 clean water and 10 dirty, hvac, fighting chair and those comfy Pompanette helm chairs with the crazy wood ladder backs. The hardtop was overbuilt too, so I expect and have always believed it to be one of the heavier 28s around.

I'm sure a lighter boat would fare much better with the 170s and then things damn near made fuel. Actually, I bet a bahia mar without ac and genset might see 20kts without a tower. Surely, they're reliable and efficient and I would love to have had the same motors in the 27 Pursuit I had prior!

NIce to see you Capy! Remember though, we had to stand on the bench seat of the tower to get good reception.