Repower Time
Chip Lawson replaces the engine and doubles the fuel tankage as part of the refit of his Pearson 40
One of the most complex tasks undertaken during Passion’s refit was the complete replacement of her auxiliary power system—engine, V-drive and fuel tanks. I needed more horsepower, which drove the need for more fuel capacity and a larger V-drive to handle the higher engine output. I began my search for a new engine by developing a list of requirements which included:
Easy world-wide parts availability
Low-cost parts
Easy to self-service
Quiet operation
Easy to prime
Strong technical and customer service support
My search for a new engine then moved to the fall/winter boat shows, where I visited every engine manufacturer offering a diesel in my horsepower range. The top three requirements quickly limited my search to marine engines based on a Kubota block. Kubota is the world’s largest manufacturer of small (under 75hp) diesel engines, and parts are available from tractor and industrial suppliers worldwide. Since they end up powering machinery in some very remote locations, they are designed to be easy to service and have a reputation for reliability.
Next, I talked to other Pearson 40 owners about their repowering experience. While a wide variety of engine manufacturers had been selected over the years, Beta Marine seemed to be the most popular, and their owners loved them. I had also already pestered Stanley Feigenbaum and Farron Peffer from Beta Marine for endless hours at the shows, and they were always helpful, supportive and educational, and that clinched it.
After I decided to go with the Beta 50, Stanley and Farron also helped me select the correct new Walter V-drive, verify that my existing shaft was sufficient for the more powerful engine and that all the new couplings, flanges and Drivesaver were correct.
The last steps were to customize the engine mounts for add-on equipment, like a compressor and bilge pump, as well as choose other options, such as a remotely mounted oil filter. Beta offers many optional and custom features, and Stanley, Farron and I discussed them all before finalizing my order, which was sent to the factory in the UK where the engine would be custom-built to my specifications.
That done, and while waiting for the new engine to arrive, I turned my attention to removing the old one, along with the V-drive, fuel tank, surrounding cabinetry and the original
engine and V-drive beds. Because the larger Vdrive required that the latter be relocated, that meant the engine needed to be moved slightly aft as well, which in turn necessitated new ones for the engine as well.
FUEL THOUGHTS
While all this was going on I also began planning for additional fuel capacity. Using the engine specs for the Beta 50, I determined I wanted to upgrade from the original 46 gallons of fuel to 100. Since diesel fuel weighs approximately 7lb per gallon, we’re talking about 700lb in all, which requires some careful thought regarding the tank’s location—or as it turned out in my case, the location of two tanks. You can’t put 700lb just anywhere on a boat, because it will have a significant impact on trim, both fore and aft, and athwartships.
My weight distribution calculations also needed to include any other new heavy equipment I was contemplating, like the 195lb generator I was building. With a little creativity I was ultimately able to come up with a two-tank solution, with a 20gal tank and the generator installed on the starboard side and a 78gal tank to port. The balance was nearly perfect.
I now needed to move quickly in order to have the tanks fabricated and installed before the engine arrived. One little known fact is that to be legal, marine fuel tanks must not only be built to ABYC and USCG specs but also pressure tested. I have now used the same marine fabricator, JTR Enterprises, in Gulfport, Florida, on three different boats over 35 years. For three generations the Dudinsky family and JTR have been premier marine fabricators and builders of ABYC/USCG spec tanks. During the heyday of boatbuilding on the west coast of Florida, (think Morgan, Endeavour, CSY) JTR supplied many of the industry’s stainless and aluminum fabrications.
When I contacted JTR to discuss tank materials, venting, fuel lines, filler pipes and mounting, their recommendation was to use aluminum, because properly coated and cared-for, aluminum tanks will outlast stainless and have far greater strength than plastic. Using JTR’s input I sthen ketched out the design for the two tanks and JTR went to work. One caution from JTR was to make absolutely sure that the finished tanks, not just the ends, would fit through the hatch and could be maneuvered into place once below. Following this recommendation, I built a simple cardboard and wood batten mockup. Thankfully the larger, nearly 6ft-long tank fit, although with only a couple of inches to spare.
ENGINE BAY RETHINK
The next task was to design and install the