My wife and I just bought a 1976 30', we will probably repower before it goes in the water in the spring, and I amleaning toward the Vetus 16 HP, mostly because of ease of installation and price. Anyonehave an suggestions on props, or prop size. I guess the vetus spins in opposite direction from the old Yanmar. I have attached a link with engine specs
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Just a thought...
Hi Bob, I see from your post that you're going to be repowering with a 16 HP Vetus engine. I'm curious if you've investigated getting a few more horsepower, or are you looking to replace the old engine with a similar one? The reason I ask is that I own a 1979 H30, and with the old YSM12, it seems grossly underpowered (in my opinion). I'm usually under sail as soon as I get away from the dock, so I'm not one of those "sailor wanting to be a powerboat" guys, but when I need to crank my engine, it's usually for a very good reason and I find that 12 (or even 16)HP may be on the skimpy side to get me upwind in an approching storm or against a strong current in an ICW land cut somewhere. I'll probably be repowering in the next few years myself, and right now, I wouldn't consider going less than about 20 HP. Just a thought. Keep us posted on your progress.
Hi Bob, I see from your post that you're going to be repowering with a 16 HP Vetus engine. I'm curious if you've investigated getting a few more horsepower, or are you looking to replace the old engine with a similar one? The reason I ask is that I own a 1979 H30, and with the old YSM12, it seems grossly underpowered (in my opinion). I'm usually under sail as soon as I get away from the dock, so I'm not one of those "sailor wanting to be a powerboat" guys, but when I need to crank my engine, it's usually for a very good reason and I find that 12 (or even 16)HP may be on the skimpy side to get me upwind in an approching storm or against a strong current in an ICW land cut somewhere. I'll probably be repowering in the next few years myself, and right now, I wouldn't consider going less than about 20 HP. Just a thought. Keep us posted on your progress.
I am so confused
I am really on the fence at the moment, The vetus, from what I am told is the easiest to install as it shares the same motor mount measurements that the existing Yanmar does, and it is a lot cheaper then both Yanmar, Bukh, Beta and Westerbeke (HP) equivalants, and it comes with a two year warranty. One of the people on here has a 16HP in his 26 and thinks its just wonderful. Another has a 24 in his 30', but got it for a steal and purchased it for that reason. The second of the tow said (I think) in retrospect that if he was shopping for a replacment he probably would have gone with the 16 HP Vetus. So at this stage of the game I am in a quandry, the next step up from the vetus 16HP is a 24HP, it shares the same dimensions and is about $500 more. I am looking for any and all input, but I have plenty of time to decide. Having in mind what I paid for the boat, even if I stepped up to the 24, and did all the other repairs, I will still be under $10,000.00 total (purchase and repairs) so its not a money issue at the moment.
I am really on the fence at the moment, The vetus, from what I am told is the easiest to install as it shares the same motor mount measurements that the existing Yanmar does, and it is a lot cheaper then both Yanmar, Bukh, Beta and Westerbeke (HP) equivalants, and it comes with a two year warranty. One of the people on here has a 16HP in his 26 and thinks its just wonderful. Another has a 24 in his 30', but got it for a steal and purchased it for that reason. The second of the tow said (I think) in retrospect that if he was shopping for a replacment he probably would have gone with the 16 HP Vetus. So at this stage of the game I am in a quandry, the next step up from the vetus 16HP is a 24HP, it shares the same dimensions and is about $500 more. I am looking for any and all input, but I have plenty of time to decide. Having in mind what I paid for the boat, even if I stepped up to the 24, and did all the other repairs, I will still be under $10,000.00 total (purchase and repairs) so its not a money issue at the moment.
Prop?
Frequently people feel they are underpowered and it is simply a matter of the wrong prop. For comparison my H37C is over 18000# and only has a 20hp Yanmar. And on Lake Erie there are times I cannot make headway, like directly into four and five footers with 25+ knots of wind. Then I bear off with a reefed main and just take longer. But I have compromised. I prefer sailing so I have a two-blade folding prop. My feeling is that a good power 3-blade would not make enough difference to compensate for fast sailing. In my opinion those horsepower per foot charts are useless unless they also take displacement into account. A C&C 37-footer displaces a little more than 10000# compared to my 18000# for example.
Frequently people feel they are underpowered and it is simply a matter of the wrong prop. For comparison my H37C is over 18000# and only has a 20hp Yanmar. And on Lake Erie there are times I cannot make headway, like directly into four and five footers with 25+ knots of wind. Then I bear off with a reefed main and just take longer. But I have compromised. I prefer sailing so I have a two-blade folding prop. My feeling is that a good power 3-blade would not make enough difference to compensate for fast sailing. In my opinion those horsepower per foot charts are useless unless they also take displacement into account. A C&C 37-footer displaces a little more than 10000# compared to my 18000# for example.
Ed your reading my mind
I thought about what you said and started a quest for prop information, two of the companies responded with prop information (13" 11 pitch, 3 bladed prop) as the most well suited, but they both asked if there was going to be enough power with the 16 HP Vetus. There has to be a compromise somewhere, and I am leaning towards the 16 with the right prop. But I am still open to suggestions.
I thought about what you said and started a quest for prop information, two of the companies responded with prop information (13" 11 pitch, 3 bladed prop) as the most well suited, but they both asked if there was going to be enough power with the 16 HP Vetus. There has to be a compromise somewhere, and I am leaning towards the 16 with the right prop. But I am still open to suggestions.
I'm so confused
I think I have reached Repower Overload, just when I thought I had all the info I needed, two prop manufacturers threw a wrench in the works, by suggesting more power. The Engine dealer says 16 is more than enough, who knows, I guess boats are sometimes like life...a crap shoot
I think I have reached Repower Overload, just when I thought I had all the info I needed, two prop manufacturers threw a wrench in the works, by suggesting more power. The Engine dealer says 16 is more than enough, who knows, I guess boats are sometimes like life...a crap shoot
Feeling your pain Bob.
Pain, anguish, or whatever. I went through that and maybe I still am. Realize that Hunter changed the engine from a 2cyl/20hp to a 3cyl/30hp after only a year and a half of production of my H37C. So most boats like mine have at least ten more horses. Then towards the end of the model run(1984) they added another ten horses! But then I remember that 90% of the time I am making six knots at 2200 rpm and burning a half gallon per hour. Like you, though, that other ten percent creeps in. What about the day I could barely get out past the lighthouse because of wind and current in the river? Your boat weighs half what mine does and you would have only four fewer horses. Plus your wetted surface is much less. So I would guess that 95% of your motoring would be fine. Is it worth the expense for installation and fuel for that other five percent? The answer might be "absolutely" if there is a safety issue. It depends on your sailing grounds I think.
Pain, anguish, or whatever. I went through that and maybe I still am. Realize that Hunter changed the engine from a 2cyl/20hp to a 3cyl/30hp after only a year and a half of production of my H37C. So most boats like mine have at least ten more horses. Then towards the end of the model run(1984) they added another ten horses! But then I remember that 90% of the time I am making six knots at 2200 rpm and burning a half gallon per hour. Like you, though, that other ten percent creeps in. What about the day I could barely get out past the lighthouse because of wind and current in the river? Your boat weighs half what mine does and you would have only four fewer horses. Plus your wetted surface is much less. So I would guess that 95% of your motoring would be fine. Is it worth the expense for installation and fuel for that other five percent? The answer might be "absolutely" if there is a safety issue. It depends on your sailing grounds I think.
Bigger is better
I have a 1980 H30 with a 15 HP Yanmar (2QM15)- an upgrade from the standard 12 HP at the time it was new. Even with a proper three blade prop the boat feels underpowered under certain situations. For calm days, I have enough power for 5-6 knots at 2,800 RPM and 1/2 gallon per hour and I am mostly happy. When towing a dinghy or motoring into head winds and waves I wish I had more horses. You will note that most of the new Hunter 30's these days have the 18 HP Yanmar while Catalinas and other makers opt for larger engines. Go for the larger engine if you can afford it and it will fit your application.
I have a 1980 H30 with a 15 HP Yanmar (2QM15)- an upgrade from the standard 12 HP at the time it was new. Even with a proper three blade prop the boat feels underpowered under certain situations. For calm days, I have enough power for 5-6 knots at 2,800 RPM and 1/2 gallon per hour and I am mostly happy. When towing a dinghy or motoring into head winds and waves I wish I had more horses. You will note that most of the new Hunter 30's these days have the 18 HP Yanmar while Catalinas and other makers opt for larger engines. Go for the larger engine if you can afford it and it will fit your application.
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