Commander 26,30,re-power older boat,newer,diesel....

PAUL ANDERSON

PAUL ANDERSON

Member
So I bought by first boat a couple years ago Double eagle 22’ and now I’m wanting to get something bigger and I’m down to a Commander, I’m really liking the rear kitchen layout on the 30’ but I’m also a little apprehensive on parking a boat that size and re-powering $$ if it was needed etc... there are a couple low hr diesel 26’ but there around 80k as well as some 30’ diesels in the 60k range or less for gas models but the diesels are lower powered models twin 200hp at best any advise or links to any upcoming boats for sale would be appreciated!!!
Thinking that I might try low balling a couple 26’, judging from around my area I don’t see the demographics of boat buyers getting any bigger, seems like it would be shrinking, thoughts on the boat market of today????
 
Hey Paul.
The guy you should talk to is Morley Munro at Canmar Yachts. He is the Commander guru and has been involved with them for 25+ years at the factory level too.
http://www.canmaryachts.com
here are his listings: https://www.yachtworld.com/core/lis...sturl=canmar&page=broker&slim=broker&lineonly

The Volvo diesels although expensive to maintain are very well made and good for 8,000 to 10,000 hours no problem. Great fuel economy too.
Parking with the twins is easy and many have bow thrusters.
Good luck!
 
Sir Reel said:
Hey Paul.
The guy you should talk to is Morley Munro at Canmar Yachts. He is the Commander guru and has been involved with them for 25+ years at the factory level too.
http://www.canmaryachts.com
here are his listings: https://www.yachtworld.com/core/lis...sturl=canmar&page=broker&slim=broker&lineonly

The Volvo diesels although expensive to maintain are very well made and good for 8,000 to 10,000 hours no problem. Great fuel economy too.
Parking with the twins is easy and many have bow thrusters.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Ok thanks for the info, I did intent to contact them, seems like most of the used boats go through them cheers
 
Sir Reel said:
Hey Paul.
The guy you should talk to is Morley Munro at Canmar Yachts. He is the Commander guru and has been involved with them for 25+ years at the factory level too.
http://www.canmaryachts.com
here are his listings: https://www.yachtworld.com/core/lis...sturl=canmar&page=broker&slim=broker&lineonly

The Volvo diesels although expensive to maintain are very well made and good for 8,000 to 10,000 hours no problem. Great fuel economy too.
Parking with the twins is easy and many have bow thrusters.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Bow thrusters are for charter boats lol.

But seriously though plenty of power in the twin 200s. Crazy good on fuel which ends up being a wash with the extra maintenance but still feels good to be out for a few hours out and only have it cost $100. Helps psychologically. I almost went 26' and ended up with the 30' and I'm so happy I did. The itis is real. And yes the rear galley layout is fantastic for when you're cooking breakfast and watching the rods.
 
Yea I do like that layout but the ones I’m seeing are the standard layout with the diesels, what kind of extra maintenance do you typically need to do with the diesels?
 
It might be a little early to really low ball people as lots of "hope" being thrown around by government right now. If you are parking a 30 footer you will need a 1 ton unless you go the smart route and get a boat hauling service to pull it out for the winter and put it back in the spring. I would really go over any of the boats and trailers with a fine tooth comb before floating any offer. Remember a trailer for them will cost 10-15k and require 2-3k a year in maintenance and the boat will likely be 10-25% of the purchase cost to maintain. It would be nice to chart a 26 or 30 of similar size but most charters are bigger.
 
PAUL ANDERSON said:
Yea I do like that layout but the ones I’m seeing are the standard layout with the diesels, what kind of extra maintenance do you typically need to do with the diesels?
Click to expand...
Well you don't have to replace spark plugs! Mostly fluid changes. Oil and fuel filters yearly. Drive oil every second year unless lots of use then yearly. Parts for the older diesels are a bit cheaper and you can get non Volvo filters like Fram or Wix.
The older 41 series do not have electronics so very simple to trouble shoot. Clean air and clean fuel
 
kaelc said:
It might be a little early to really low ball people as lots of "hope" being thrown around by government right now. If you are parking a 30 footer you will need a 1 ton unless you go the smart route and get a boat hauling service to pull it out for the winter and put it back in the spring. I would really go over any of the boats and trailers with a fine tooth comb before floating any offer. Remember a trailer for them will cost 10-15k and require 2-3k a year in maintenance and the boat will likely be 10-25% of the purchase cost to maintain. It would be nice to chart a 26 or 30 of similar size but most charters are bigger.
Click to expand...
I have a 1 ton and my friend here In kitimat has a trailer for his 30’ which I could use so that is covered luckily, not liking those maintenance numbers that 6k a season if I’m lucky at that!
Sir Reel said:
Well you don't have to replace spark plugs! Mostly fluid changes. Oil and fuel filters yearly. Drive oil every second year unless lots of use then yearly. Parts for the older diesels are a bit cheaper and you can get non Volvo filters like Fram or Wix.
The older 41 series do not have electronics so very simple to trouble shoot. Clean air and clean fuel
Click to expand...
yea that’s all good as long as valves and that kid of thing don’t need adjusting on the regular, I expect fluid changes, filters etc..
 
Nice, that you have the trailering figured! Yeah, maintenance costs are a killer. I was looking at a 22 vs a 26 boat, and it amazing how many extra pumps, steering components, wiring goes into the larger boats even before the cost of repowering is figured out. There are a few people who get away with low maintenance costs doing things themselves but most of us continually shovel money into our boats. I figure I quit drinking so what else am I going to do with the money!
 
Remember the Commander 30 is 12 feet wide so you need special trailing permits. As for maintenance costs the diesels will burn half the fuel the Gas engines would. If you put on 100 hours a year for 8 or 10 gallons more per hour could be $4000 to $5000 dollars in savings. Like RC said the 2 seem to cancel each other out.
 
I have a podded 26’ so if you have any specific questions I’ll help as much as I can. The 30’ are amazing boats no doubt but for me the biggest factor for podding a 26’ and not going 30’ was cost for one and also not having to deal with the twin I/O on the 30’. The diesels are great until one goes then you’ve got a significant bill on your hands to rebuild etc and still one old engine on the other side . For myself I wanted the 5 year warranty on my engines. A Commander 30’ diesel burns roughly the same amount of fuel as my 26’ with new outboards. The 26’ with a single diesel would be very economical.
 
Last edited:
PAUL ANDERSON said:
Yea I do like that layout but the ones I’m seeing are the standard layout with the diesels, what kind of extra maintenance do you typically need to do with the diesels?
Click to expand...
I should rephrase that. It's the large repair bills that are the killer. Like with any IO but worse being Volvo's. Mine is moored for 6k a year and I pull it out once or twice a year to pressure wash, check zincs, yadda yadda. I don't have anywhere to store a trailer so it's not even an option for me.
 
kaelc said:
Nice, that you have the trailering figured! Yeah, maintenance costs are a killer. I was looking at a 22 vs a 26 boat, and it amazing how many extra pumps, steering components, wiring goes into the larger boats even before the cost of repowering is figured out. There are a few people who get away with low maintenance costs doing things themselves but most of us continually shovel money into our boats. I figure I quit drinking so what else am I going to do with the money!
Click to expand...
haha yea having a boat will assure a guy he wont have drinking money
 
Thunder21 said:
I have a podded 26’ so if you have any specific questions I’ll help as much as I can. The 30’ are amazing boats no doubt but for me the biggest factor for podding a 26’ and not going 30’ was cost for one and also not having to deal with the twin I/O on the 30’. The diesels are great until one goes then you’ve got a significant bill on your hands to rebuild etc and still one old engine on the other side . For myself I wanted the 5 year warranty on my engines. A Commander 30’ diesel burns roughly the same amount of fuel as my 26’ with new outboards. The 26’ with a single diesel would be very economical.
Click to expand...
thanks!yea I saw your build, sweet rig!! I have the same concerns you had, as far as the 26 goes the is a couple low hour diesels for sale, the economy on those must be unreal, not really any priced that I could do the pod and outboards at the moment but im keeping my eyes open as I like that idea also, maybe one with a blown engine will come up.
 
I had twin 200 HP TAMD41B Volvo diesels in a 32' Chris Craft. Top speed was over 30 mph. You can cruise those engines at 80% power output & still have decent life. My engines needed mass work so I replaced with O/B's on a bracket - project is still underway. Many parts for the older diesels & unavailable & those that are being very expensive. The world wants the older diesels retired & replaced with cleaner EPA Tier 3 diesels. In the 300 HP & below market Volvo is the only company building purpose-built marine diesels; the rest are marinized road vehicle engines, which do not have the life of a true marine diesel - too much power from too small (displacement & weight) of an engine. Furthermore, marine diesels need to cool many components (turbo/exhaust/oil) with raw water, so maint./corrosion is much more an issue than a gas engine.

As for cost, new power is probably around $120 per HP or more. If you want to increase the power, new props, larger shafts etc. will be needed.

At $80K, a boat with a newer diesel is a good deal IF the engine(s) are in good condition.
 
ericl said:
I had twin 200 HP TAMD41B Volvo diesels in a 32' Chris Craft. Top speed was over 30 mph. You can cruise those engines at 80% power output & still have decent life. My engines needed mass work so I replaced with O/B's on a bracket - project is still underway. Many parts for the older diesels & unavailable & those that are being very expensive. The world wants the older diesels retired & replaced with cleaner EPA Tier 3 diesels. In the 300 HP & below market Volvo is the only company building purpose-built marine diesels; the rest are marinized road vehicle engines, which do not have the life of a true marine diesel - too much power from too small (displacement & weight) of an engine. Furthermore, marine diesels need to cool many components (turbo/exhaust/oil) with raw water, so maint./corrosion is much more an issue than a gas engine.

As for cost, new power is probably around $120 per HP or more. If you want to increase the power, new props, larger shafts etc. will be needed.

At $80K, a boat with a newer diesel is a good deal IF the engine(s) are in good condition.
Click to expand...

as a diesel mechanic, i think you are abit misguided in the difference of diesel engines
 
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