Livefreeandrive

Sorry if you guys have already seen this.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/boats/fir...cht-238000.php

Riad

That does look nize!!

Seriously though a Dodge engine... common.

BlackCab996

Riad - I have a ton of respect for you and always enjoy your posts, so I'm not looking to start anything here...

I know you're just kidding around, but I have to go on record in saying that American motors are AWESOME in boats. Many boats designed for competition water skiing and wake boarding use US built engines. If I were slamming the throttle forward, I would rather beat on a Dodge or GM engine in a boat. They really roar and are much cheaper to maintain.

Riad

You're right I was only kidding... I would have zero issues getting that boat, I would want an engine that's inexpensive to repair and/or replace.

How much is a 997tt engine these days?

ronin996

That is a very good looking boat as I tend to like that style of boat. But I truly would be very surprised if they used a Dodge “VIPER” engine from a car in a boat. A boat engine actually to some point is different then what you would find in a car. Mainly due to the fittings and components would have to be made of stainless steal, brass or any type of corrosion resistant metal due to salt water.

Many high performance boats which is what this seems to be have engines that far exceed the price of even Porsche Turbo engines. I have a friend with a Cigarette Tiger 42 foot boat with dual 525 Cubic Inch engines and believe me when it came time to over haul it you would gladly pay for a new Porsche Twin Turbo engine! It ended up running him $50k + granted his is highly modified for Poker Run type racing.

It will be interesting to see how they modify the Viper engine for this application. Very cool thanks for sharing the link.

MitchB

High HP boat motors, although based on auto/truck V8s are fairly different internally. Boat motors spend a majority of their life above 3-4K (and up...) RPM for extended periods. This requires different tuning and components for longer life.
I have a boat with twin (GM) 502 cubic inch V8s, making 415 HP each. They are factory Mercruiser, and while not cheap, they are much cheaper than most of the Poker run type / cigarette boat motors that can have in excess of 800HP, and of course the price goes up considerably.
Point is, while boat motors are close to their four wheeled cousins, they are not the same...

CWay27

It's been done before but viper engine not the optimum powerplants to start off with. Marine motors don't need anything special because they are in salt water. Any water as a matter of fact is bad for an engine. The engine itself doesn't sit in the water, only the drives.

And BTW, nice boat but I wouldn't pay 300K for a 28 footer. That's just insane!!

ronin996

Actually the main form of cooling a boat engine is in fact with the water the boat is sitting in. Meaning it is pumping the salt water right through the engine. Some boats even pump water out the exhaust pipes to help with cooling of the pipes and even to lower the sound level of the exhaust.

There are some closed systems though that are similar to a car “radiator” but most are pumping the water right through the engine which is the problem with corrosion.

joes c4 cab

Homina Homina Homina - that thing is Beau-T-Ful. Seems a little pricey - that is about turbo-prop airplane cost, although not new.

Livefreeandrive

Very cool discussion, reminicient of the Porsche Mooney aircraft...........This is why I love this forum=There are people with so much knowledge beyond beautiful automobiles!

Rob in WA

The LT1 in our Mastercraft.



Sometimes it makes me feel like wearing gold chains.

gota911

Yeah, but that eliminates the RMS issues!

michael.s.under

very nice, very nice, you need some gold rings too, but not on your ring finger. i bet that baby hauls ***.

ronin996

Hi Rob, thanks for posting that picture of your boat engine. Great looking motor!
I believe these articles will explain better the differences between marine and car engines. The first one was to long to post so here are the links.
http://www.engine-builder.com/ar/eb110648.htm

http://www.boatfix.com/how/marineeng.html
SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AUTOMOTIVE & MARINE ENGINES
For those of us in the marine industry, a common occurrence is to be questioned by customers about auto vs. marine parts. A common scenario is to have a customer ask for a replacement part for his boat. The part in question is a starter for a 350 cu.in. GM block. You give the customer a price, and he looks at you with a blank look on his face. He, then states (very angrily) "I can get one at the local auto retailer for $29.95".
In the marine industry, this little scenario occurs all the time. Many boaters are unaware of the difference between an automotive and a marine engine and their respective accessories. The most notable differences include the exhaust systems, the cooling systems, the electrical systems, and the fuel systems. Additionally, items such as heads and cams are usually different. For the purpose of this article, we will only be hitting the highlights on select systems.
In regard to the cooling systems, one of the major differences is found in the water-circulating pump. This is especially noticable when you have a raw water cooled engine. Unlike their automotive counterpart, a marine pump works in an open cooling system. This type of system is extremely corrosive to the pump. Therefore, the pump must be altered for longevity. A marine pump has a special ceramic seal, stainless steel backing plate, and a bronze impeller to resist corrosion. An automotive style pump, with its stamped steel impeller, would fail due to corrosion in a short time.
The electrical systems in a marine application are also extremely specialized. In an automobile, any gasoline vapors that accumulate will readily dissipate through the bottom of the engine compartment. However, a boat with its sealed engine compartment, does not have that luxury. Therefore, any spark could literally cause a boat to explode. All electrical components in a boat are either completely sealed or specially vented to prevent such a catastrophe. This includes the starter, alternator, distributor, and many other engine electrical components.
Carburetors typically have what is known in the industry as J type fuel bowls. These allow for the extreme vibration, pitching and yawl experienced on boats. This allows fuel to be drawn in exteme conditions and keeps fuel from being ejected from the carburetor barrels.
Heads and cams are set up for a completly different torque curve. A marine engine must develop most of its torque on the low end of throttle range. This allows for the ability to use a single gear transmition system. Think of it this way:
You get in your car
Start it up
Drive to the highway
Put your foot to the floor and hold it there for an hour
Its a little different, well for most of us.
Although we have only briefly touched on some of the differences between an automotive and marine application; hopefully, it will serve to remind us that there is a difference, and that the reasons for these differences need to be shared with our customers and friends in the boating community. Hopefully, when shared, this information can eliminate some of the "blank stares" in regards to parts, and maybe prevent some dangerous situations.


Sorry, it’s just that I have been around boats all my life so I tend to look at them so differently and passionately then others may. “Not saying at all you aren’t passionate about boats or anything.” To me this is like saying there is no difference between a Boxster and a 996. Granted I love both cars dearly there is a difference. But to the casual individual there isn’t much, so I have been told.

So all said in done if this boat builder is going to use a VIPER engine it doesn’t really make sense. With all of the other proven and tested marine engines out there I’m just amazed they would go this route to modify a car engine.

Even Ferrari did it right with there joint effort with Riva boats, the Riva 32. Another beautiful boat but dated now. I still want one though!

Rob in WA

Hi Ronin - nice post. I'm not that much of an expert on marine engines, just enough to know how to change the oil, fog the intake, clean the impeller, etc. I just posted that to show that manufactures do put "car" engines in boats. I'm sure it's more marketing than anything.

Our sailboat has a plain old Volvo Penta marine diesel.