Shippng a yacht

[Johan Leopard51]

I agree with the advice about floating her and towing her or look for an on-barge or on-deck sea transport. By the time you have installed the two motors and done all the related balance of systems stuff you need just in order to have the motors functional and the yacht safe for trip home, most of the project is complete.

I’d also rather do the proper new motor run-in procedures from home base than along the ICW. You need extended 3200 RPM in first 50h and then a full fluids and filters service, by agent, with Yanmar diagnostics or your warranty is shredded. Don’t nurse her up ICW for days at 1250 RPM 8 knots with brand new motors. At 3200 RPM you will presumably breach speed limits on ICW.

While you get her sorted, some other advice (we have the Leopard51 from 2014 same motors):
1. Fit catch cans on the crankcase breather lines. I have the German Mann something or other. Do not go for the cheap copy catch can ex China. Returning oil misty air to the one turbo air intake plus having EGR was a stupid concept.
2. Fit a parallel diesel polishing system, can be as simple as a fuel pump plus a big Racor that T’s into offtake and return lines and run on a schedule. That V8 is fancy but very sensitive to diesel contamination. Diesel that stands other than full-full will contaminate. It is far easier cleaning your polishing system than cleaning the inline system while underway.
3. Pay attention, especially after a major accident like yours has had, to checking the bow collision bulkheads regularly. There is a drain plug under forward cabins that would show you if any water in collision bulkheads when you unscrew the plugs. Water does get in there I suspect from deck fittings, maybe 53 sorted, but on 51 we collect a liter or so every month.
4. Get yourself a neat little wet vacuum or even just a pump and hose to take out last from bottom of bilges. Maybe the 53 sorted that, but on 51 the bilge pumps and hull design and fuel tank designs left a persistent half inch that you can only really get dry-dry while boat is moving.

Lastly, good luck with your PROJECT. I’m biased but the Leopard offers a really excellent family cruising (and fishing) platform. You will enjoy her.

[Flipz1]

If I had a mountain of cash, I would not be "hellbent" on doing the work myself. On top of saving a pile of cash, doing a lot of this myself means I'll know the boat inside and out which is always a good thing when something goes wrong.

[danno7]

Flipz1, I give you a huge amount of credit for your adventure. I have my own adventure underway.

I have a wild idea that has not been discussed, but what about building a temporary wooden rack on the aft and mounting a couple of 40 or 50 horse outboards on it? Bolt it to that swim platform. Then you have power to move it yourself. It could save a bunch of cash. It would be slow, but could be done. I have seen it done on other boats that have motors temporarily disabled. You could buy the motors and sell them when you get to your destination.

Going a bit further with this wild idea is a wilder one. Buy an old boat with about a 80 horse motor and tie it under the center of your boat. Tie it so it is always powering straight ahead and pulling your boat from the center underneath. This gives you the momentum, and steer with the rudders on your Leopard. I do not think you have enough bridgedeck height to allow this.

I am with the others, the $15,000 to move it on the road seems way too low. Maybe I gave you another option?

[Flipz1]

So funny. I thought long and hard about buying two 75HP outboards. One for my future tender, and another I'd sell. By the numbers, I could do 6-8 knots with 150HP.
Doing this requires having full throttle control of the outboards while steering from the helm. I have NO IDEA how that would/could be done.

Also, I'd have to restore power to the boat for running lights, windless for anchoring, and powering the swim platform.

Yea - I can think of lots of better ways to spend $15k (or more) for transport.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by danno7

Flipz1, I give you a huge amount of credit for your adventure. I have my own adventure underway.

I have a wild idea that has not been discussed, but what about building a temporary wooden rack on the aft and mounting a couple of 40 or 50 horse outboards on it? Bolt it to that swim platform. Then you have power to move it yourself. It could save a bunch of cash. It would be slow, but could be done. I have seen it done on other boats that have motors temporarily disabled. You could buy the motors and sell them when you get to your destination.

Going a bit further with this wild idea is a wilder one. Buy an old boat with about a 80 horse motor and tie it under the center of your boat. Tie it so it is always powering straight ahead and pulling your boat from the center underneath. This gives you the momentum, and steer with the rudders on your Leopard. I do not think you have enough bridgedeck height to allow this.

I am with the others, the $15,000 to move it on the road seems way too low. Maybe I gave you another option?

I was resisting saying it but it’s exactly what i’d have done. bolt on a pair of outboards and move it yourself.

i second that plan

[Flipz1]

I'd need full throttle control. How could that be done?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Flipz1

I'd need full throttle control. How could that be done?

Google “outboard throttle controls”

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Flipz1

I'd need full throttle control. How could that be done?

all Outboards come with a separate purchase you make consisting of controllers and cables.. When you buy the Outboards, they will very, very happily sell you the accessories you need to control them from anywhere

[MicHughV]

Sheesh, don't over think this, rig a broomstick and a bedsheet as a sail, some odds and ends of string to hold this contraption up, and off you go.
My seat of pants guess is that you'll make a good 0.4356 knots, dead downwind, which is not shabby.
When time to dock somewhere, strap on some dive fins, jump in the water, and push.

See, not so difficult when you apply some thought to the matter.

[Flipz1]

Perfect

[Blakhomer]

I would also include bringing a deck hand with you that can monitor the outboards while you helm.

Good luck with the project. Definitely more space in the YT world for rebuilds like these.

[Lee Jerry]

Originally Posted by Flipz1

So funny. I thought long and hard about buying two 75HP outboards. One for my future tender, and another I'd sell. By the numbers, I could do 6-8 knots with 150HP.
Doing this requires having full throttle control of the outboards while steering from the helm. I have NO IDEA how that would/could be done.

Also, I'd have to restore power to the boat for running lights, windless for anchoring, and powering the swim platform.

Yea - I can think of lots of better ways to spend $15k (or more) for transport.

I would think that 2x 75hp would get you more than 6-8 kt, at least 10 kt. 2x 50 hp would get you up to 8 kt. (But maybe not fit your tender.) Regardless, if you have the shafts installed in the boat, remove the props so as not to drag them all the way.

Originally Posted by Flipz1

I'd need full throttle control. How could that be done?

As others have said, not too hard. I'd think your bigger issue is fuel (gasoline) - how much to carry (between stops) and where to put it. You probably don't want to put it in the diesel tanks. The standard portable 6 gal tanks won't go very far.



That said, I would tow it out of Key West, to wherever you can arrange, whether as far as NC, or Ft. Laud or anywhere in between. KW is one of the worst places (economically) to do this work, not just labor rates but the cost of everything. That way you don't have to buy the outboards, mount them (then repair the hulls), the fuel, and all the other hassles associated with them.

[Chotu]

fuel: either 55 gallon drums very well secured…. or these would be much more safe:


https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...UaAib3EALw_wcB

[BlueH2Obound]

Originally Posted by Flipz1

Also, I'd have to restore power to the boat for running lights, windless for anchoring, and powering the swim platform.

Yea - I can think of lots of better ways to spend $15k (or more) for transport.

Power for the trip would be easily supplied by a small generator. Run new, temporary wiring to the required loads (nav lights, nav equipment, anchor windlass, etc, as the existing wiring is probably suspect. Pick up two Harbor Freight quiet inverter generators, 1,600 watts continuous each. Can be paralleled for windlass of greater loads, two of them would give you redundancy, you will already have the gasoline on board for the outboards, just need to plumb in lines for the genny's. Probably all in for less than $1,500.00.

[MicHughV]

Outboards can burn a prodigious amount of fuel.
I have twin 150's on my fishing boat and at around 3,000 rpm am burning plus/minus 13 gal/hr. I'm sure twin 75 hp will be less, but 'jes saying.
An 8 hour day on the water is gonna suck some gas and I'd anticipate about a 50 gallon burn rate for the day.
Have no idea, what speed you'll be able to make, but likely less than hull speed.