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50 ft chris craft 501 late 80's

Discussion in 'Chris Craft Connies, Commanders & Catalinas' started by Dave Ball, Jun 8, 2011.

  1. Dave Ball, Jun 8, 2011
    #1
    Dave Ball

    Dave Ball New Member

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    Apr 6, 2010
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    Location:
    Delaware Bay
    Looking at a late 80's 50 foot chris-craft 501

    looking for comments from owners and captains about quality, and running.

    Looking for the inside scoop!

    burn rate of fuel etc, please help with any type of feed back!
    thank;)
  2. RER, Jun 9, 2011
    #2
    RER

    RER Senior Member

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    Newport Beach CA
    As far as I know the 501's all had DD 6v92's. Thirsty motors.

    I ran a 45' sportfisher with a pair of 550hp 6v92's... 1900 rpm - 14 knots - 48 gph
  3. SeaEric, Jun 9, 2011
    #3
    SeaEric

    SeaEric YF Historian

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    out on the dock
  4. CaptOlin, Feb 12, 2013
    #4
    CaptOlin

    CaptOlin New Member

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    Location:
    Kent Island, MD
    Constellation 500 Fuel Burn Rates

    The Constellation 500s and 501s have Detroit Diesel 6V92s (both TIs and TAs).

    At 2000 rpm they burn about 38 gph and you get about 18.3 knots. Their fuel burn is about the same as any other 54,000 lb. diesel powered motoryacht. They are neither frugal nor thirsty.

    But since 2006 most owners are running at about 1400 rpm and getting about 10.5 knots. In this semi-trawler mode they burn about 14 gph (for the pair) which gives them a fuel mileage of about 0.75 NM/gal.

    The picture below shows my Connie 500 at rest on a quiet October evening.

    CaptOlin

    Attached Files:

  5. Capt J, Feb 12, 2013
    #5
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I worked on one briefly a while ago, and it appeared to be built fairly well structurally. However, whoever did the engineering for the boat should've been shot as there was little thought to how hoses were run. The engine room had bundles of rubber fuel hose running everywhere as well as other hoses and some wiring and stuff. For example, they ran bundles of rubber hose to the rear of the engine room to fuel tank selector valves that you accessed from under a step to the master, then the fuel hoses ran all of the way foward again to the engines. Instead of putting the valves much closer to the tanks and then running the lines directly to the engines. Same with the a/c water hoses as well if I remember correctly.
  6. CaptOlin, Feb 12, 2013
    #6
    CaptOlin

    CaptOlin New Member

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    Location:
    Kent Island, MD
    Hi Capt J,

    Yes the fuel system on the Connies is messy. But on the other hand it is reliable and quite sophisticated. The fuel system has four tanks for 600 gallon capacity and fuel can be drawn from any one or all of them.

    Considering what has to be done the plumbing is about as simple as it can get. If you are interested I can post a diagram of the fuel system. You can even draw fuel for the starboard engine from either one (or both) of the port tanks and of course vice-versa for the port engine.

    Since the engines are diesel you have to have two lines (a supply and a return) for each tank. That automatically means you are playing with eight lines rather than four. Plus all the lines necessary for switching tanks.

    However, the biggest problem with the fuel system is that the 25 to 28 year old aluminum fuel tanks are beginning to develop pinhole leaks. But this is quite common in all 25 year old boats with aluminum fuel tanks.

    CaptOlin