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| Originally Posted by LA BUC Really glad to hear all these different points of view....CATS are preferred due to our location in LA. We keep the boat in Venice and Grand Isle as well. I have good mechanics that can work on anything, but they are CAT approved mechanics and parts are easier to come by, etc.
I also realize that there are CAT engines on boats that are crap, and I steer clear of those as well.
Engines are the reason I'm throwing in the older 54 Bertram into the equation as well as a great ride. I am having difficulty in finding Vikings and Cabos with CAT engines, although there are a few, these are usually newer boats in the 48 size range.
Keep this going please, I am getting great insight. |
Another avenue is to find an older 54' Bertram SF (or similar) with tired Detroits, and have a new set of CAT's installed and ride out with full warranties and engines that will probably last you the life of the boat. I wouldn't be afraid of something with Detroits either as long as they're the 71 series. A set of C18 cats in a 54' Bertram SF, the boat would fly. I ran one with 12v71's TI's (hardtop) with 4600 hours without rebuilding them and the boat ran 30 knots at 1950 rpms........Cat's would probably cruise the same boat around 36 knots.......maybe more.
As for the Cabo's and Vikings not having CAT's they both heavily installed the pre-common rail MAN's from 98-2002. MAN was offering great incentives to manufacturers, the HP to weight ratio was higher then the CAT's then and fuel consumption a little less and a little more speed. But, you'll still see some CAT boats if you look......That was until they started seeing a LOT of problems with the MANs, also a lot of complaints about the rough running at trolling speeds, maintenance costing 3x the CAT's, black soot, and fumes. There was then a MASS exodus towards CAT's when the C series came out and you'll see most all of the Vikings and Cabo's from 2002-2005 have primarily CAT's.......until the common rail Man's came out and that's sort of leveled the playing field.........