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My Monterey
Alan

On Board marine Generator

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Hello Boat Enthusiasts:

 

I have owned a 250 CR for over one year and enjoy the boat. My wife and I have spent several week ends over night on hook utilizing a portable generator (Honda EU2000) with out incidence. However I am becoming more concern for our safety and others around us also on hook. My question is has any one considered or completed such a task installing a proper marine generator on this size boat. I have been looking into the Westerbeke gasoline 3.0 BPMG 60 Hz at 165 lbs dry weight with a foot print of: 24-1/2"L x 13-1/2" W x 14-1/2" T. It appears this unit will fit on the port side with re-orienting the water tank. Would like to hear positive and / or negative responses regarding this consideration.

 

Satisfied Monterey 250 CR Owner

 

Alan

post-17313-133160268925_thumb.jpg

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How much time do you run the genny??? I have never heard of anyone installing a genny in this size of boat. What is wrong with the Honda? Do you run it on the rear swim paltform? Let us all know how you make out!

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It is possible to install a generator, as long as it's footprint fits in the space you have. It's quite a task. You need to

add thru hulls for exhaust, intake, electrical connections, fuel fill, also must be inspected by proper authority to make sure

it is properly installed, and conforms to all USCG specifications. If you do this kind of work for a living, then you probably

can pull it off. If not, leave it to a professional to install it. My guess is the gen-set and install will cost over $3,000.

Is it reallly worth it ?

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Is your boat pre-wired to accept a generator? If it is, it will make the job much easier.

 

Hello Artemus:

 

No my 250 CR is not pre-wired for a gen. I believe if I do such it will be performed by some one professional who is qualified to in stall a marine generators.

 

Alan

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How much time do you run the genny??? I have never heard of anyone installing a genny in this size of boat. What is wrong with the Honda? Do you run it on the rear swim paltform? Let us all know how you make out!

 

Hello RSUMRTOY2:

 

Last out on hook over the week end I ran the Honda about 8 hours straight. And yes I strap it down off the swim platform with the exhaust pointing out. In all the times I have used the Honda I have had no issues at all, however, the last time out using it after anchoring and setting up the gen on the back and getting running, a fellow boater pulled up anchor and moved further from where we were at. He had no gen and I believe he simply moved away for their own peace of mind.

 

If I make a decision regarding this I will post the results with pictures.

 

Alan

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It is possible to install a generator, as long as it's footprint fits in the space you have. It's quite a task. You need to

add thru hulls for exhaust, intake, electrical connections, fuel fill, also must be inspected by proper authority to make sure

it is properly installed, and conforms to all USCG specifications. If you do this kind of work for a living, then you probably

can pull it off. If not, leave it to a professional to install it. My guess is the gen-set and install will cost over $3,000.

Is it reallly worth it ?

 

Hello Rip5:

 

If I decide to go through with this, I will have a professional installer fit my boat. And beleive me, if I could get this done professionally for what you have stated $3,000.00, I would have it in the shop already. The Westerbeke 3.0 MVP new runs $6,000.00, plus all the electrical accessories which go with it not to mention installation. And yes, it would be worth it, I like my boat, size, fuel economy and being able to trailer it to other places in the state such as down south to the Key's. The only other option would be going larger which brings good and bad, although I may just be delaying the obvious moving into a larger boat with pre-installed generator.

 

Thanks for the input and if I change I will post my results.

 

Happy Boating

 

Alan

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Genny updated, a friend of mine just got a quote for his 278 Four Winns, Complete, electrical, water, fuel, exhaust and supply a 4.0Kw without a sound shield $6,200.00 Canadian! I bet now the honda portable looks good!

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Genny updated, a friend of mine just got a quote for his 278 Four Winns, Complete, electrical, water, fuel, exhaust and supply a 4.0Kw without a sound shield $6,200.00 Canadian! I bet now the honda portable looks good!

 

Hi RSUMRTOY2:

 

The Honda has always performed well and the best part about the Honda, it's paid for, the issue though remains, potential hazard to my wife, others and myself. As stated earlier, if the unit I am looking at will work, I believe the pros will out way the cons even considering the cost. I was hoping to have found someone who may have installed one in a cruiser same size as mine. For know I will continue my do diligence with this task or simply up grade to a larger boat with a built in gen. I appreciate your input.

 

BTW, how's boating up north this time of year, sounds like you guy's have had a mild winter.

 

Alan

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The $3,000 I mentioned was for a used gen-set, that was installed by someone who is qualified to do it themselves.

Cheapest it could possibly be. Professional install, new gen set is more like the 6K you mention.

 

IMO, it's not really worth it on that size of boat. Nice to have, but you will not re-coup that expenditure once you sell the boat. Seems to me the Honda is dong what it needs to for now. Stick with that and look at moving up to a 320SY. ;)

 

Boating is possible up north here, but our 282 is still in storage until first week of April. Changes are in store for us soon I hope. Have a deal in the works for a new Monterey, that hopefully will complete in the next week or two.

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Hi Alan...Could be the guy pulled up and left due to the noise, some boats equipped with gennys make noise as well...I met a guy this summer with a 2008 (?) Searay Sundancer 340 with the world's quietest genny! He is a marine mechanic who "spent over 10 hours" tuning his genny (so he says) I didn't even know it was running! He even took a piece of hose about 8" long and forced it in his water discharge so other boaters didn't hear the water splashing out. Noise is noise and you can't lease everybody, was he a sail boat by chance...

 

Boating up here in Canada, especillly in the 1,000 Islands starts mid April. Alot of the Islands are owned by the Federal Government and run through Parks Canada and last year most Islands are now Genny free. That is why I installed the 5 extra batteries.

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IMO, it's not really worth it on that size of boat. Nice to have, but you will not re-coup that expenditure once you sell the boat. Seems to me the Honda is dong what it needs to for now.

 

I completely agree! Save your money for that bigger boat you know you are going to want, a year or two down the road. wink.gif

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I appreciate all the comments and the boat who pulled anchor and left was a boat similar in size to mine. Being night time when they left, I could not tell as to why they moved nor did I see them the next morning. Though for me the inevitable may just be a larger size boat with built in gen possible 320 as Rip5 mentioned. Good luck to all with your boating season up north, here in northeast Fla. it's boating season year round and as gas prices continue to rise, it brings hesitation thinking of a twin engine consumption to feed. HA, my 06 250CR w/ 350 MPI Bravo III, utilizing the Honda gen will be my ticket for now or at least until I hit a big money Lotto.

 

Happy Boating to all.

 

Alan

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This is an interesting custom install I ran across of a portable Honda genny installed in the "trunk" of a Four Winns 26 foot cruiser. Looks like exhausted is routed outside the area, but still not much better than one on the swinplatform.

 

11_3.jpg

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I hope they run their "custom" install with the door open, just imagine all the carbon monoxide entering the boat through the holes for the wires etc....

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This is an interesting custom install I ran across of a portable Honda genny installed in the "trunk" of a Four Winns 26 foot cruiser. Looks like exhausted is routed outside the area, but still not much better than one on the swinplatform.

 

11_3.jpg

 

Hi Rip5:

 

Is this someone you know who would give credible feed back on such a (as you put it) custom install.

 

It is interesting, especially the exhaust adapter with the 90 degree bend. I would only guess Honda techs would not approve. Wonder how the electrical connects to the Honda.

 

Live long enough and you may get to see it all.

 

Alan

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Unfortunately, not someone I know. Just a picture I stumbled upon while researching the topic.

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Is an interesting thread. There are all sorts of reasons to want a proper marine generator on your boat many of them having to do with safety. I do run across a few people with a generator on their swim platform and as a general rule I move away from them because of the noise. If you can fit the Westerbeke I see no reason not to do it. As a few others have posted the install has some complexities but it is not rocket science as I installed a Kohler in my old boat. Just remember that the unit will need to be serviced so make sure your installer keeps that in mind. You may want to put an equal amount of weight in your boat in the spot you are thinking of for the genset to make sure it does not tip your boat to one side. You will also need another battery so figure out where you plan on putting that. If you do not already have a working CO2 detector in your boat please go out and get one now! Your safety is the most important thing there is.

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