Trojan Boat Forum

"Dream" is the key word there. Have you looked at the new 300hp hybrid from Steyr? It weighs much less and is smaller than a 454, burns 10 g/p/h and has been known to last well over 50,000 hours. Moreover, while slow cruising it runs on the electric motor mounted just behind the tranny. So, while the stinkin' manatee zones have me crawling, I'd be burning zippo! While running the engine, the electric motor acts as a generator making 7kw to run everything and recharge the battery banks. Best of all, the electric motor runs with the diesel to boost her up on plane in a hurry.

Of course, at $20k each I'd have to find a pair on the side of the road to make it worthwhile to this weekend warrior! But I'd certainly think twice before spending $16k on a new, gas big-block. A Steyr rep. at a boat show last week told me they have a 350hp hybrid coming in a few months. In the interest of my fellow Trojan owners, I'd be willing to test a pair of these in my boat if you all would like to buy me a pair -- you know, just to be helpful.
TC

http://www.mermaid-marine.co.uk/PDF/Ste ... HYBRID.pdf

http://www.steyr-motors.com/products/pdf/hybrid.pdf

way, way cool

20k per engine sounds cheap for a new 300hp diesel . The 10 gal per hour is about normal for a 300hp diesel at cruse . 50,000 hours ? sorry but I don't think thats going to happen on that engine . there is a posting on boat diesel now about a low hour failure , it is out of warnty but you would think the would do something .

In my humble opinion hybrid engines are going to be the new power standard for new boats in the next couple of years. And there are gas hybrids available that currently offer the long-life AND fuel economy of diesels for boats.

Even with fuel prices coming down to pre-2008 levels the economy and longevity, as well as the versatility of these power plants are a natural for boats, big and small. The biggest hurdle for cars has been the battery technology that dictates large, heavy nickle-based units, but lithium and other metal (and perhaps nano) based technologies will make the power-to-weight ratio much more feasible. But a boat has a lot more capacity for carrying heavier batteries than a car, so even current hybrid engines would be appropriate - just too damned expensive right now.

I'd be interested in a hybrid engine when it comes time to pull the 318 on the ol' Blue Heron if the price was comparable. Even if it was 20% higher it would make sense from a fuel economy as service interval point of view.

I traded in my suweeeet Chrysler 300C/Hemi V-8 on a Ford Escape Hybrid and after 16K miles I can say I still miss smoking the tires when the light turns green, but smile everytime I fill up after getting 34 mpg and changing the oil every 10K miles....

Tony, did you ever get your new project boat into production?

BTW In my book I have the F36 dream engine well close a QSB would be .

RWS wrote:Tony, did you ever get your new project boat into production?

Yes! It took forever to build those damned molds...still working on a few of the little pieces. Of course, the economy just HAD to crap-out as we became ready to sell...par for the course. One thing I hadn't figured was how many options, new products, gizmos, etc. a buyer has to choose from before we can start certain stages of construction. The first buyer decided to go with a single screw (rightly I think)...but it took him 2 months to decide! So, we're about 8 months behind overall - not too bad.
We just sprayed the gelcoat to lay the first hull. I'll get the pictures updated soon if all goes well.
http://www.britestaryachts.com

Tony

I would have never thought the hull would be blue .LOL

Yeah...hate that damned blue hull! lol...but it looks good in pictures so that's what our artist buddy colored for the website. We tried to get the first guy to go with sea-foam green, or that dark (flag) blue or something that looked neato to help us sell the next boat. But he insists on good ol' white.

Go figure people? A white hull when a color was free, he doesn't want a layer of kevlar in the hull for no extra money, saving $50k by having a single - but he wants this 10' gang plank that comes out of a trap door in the transom for lots and lotsa money. To each his own:
http://www.opacmare.com/ixProduct.jsp?i ... MenuId=348


I checked the prices the Steyr guy gave me. The 215hp model was 20k and the 300hp was $25k....but he was trying to promise someone with a boatbuilder's cert. would get 15% off that.
Just like the Lexus hybrids...you don't really save any money having one...or at least enough to make the price difference. But as often as I have to crawl through these manatee and no wake zones, it would be nice to have silence. I guess these hybrids are really just one more nice, technological advancement to piss your money on!

TC