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That sounds like the same process I've observed for sailboats. I forgot to mention the measurements of draught. Weight is calculated by observing how high the boat floats on its lines. Am I correct in assuming that roll period was not part of the measurement process?

Agree on the recommendations for like replacement. Rebuilding almost always makes the most sense if it's possible. IIRC those engines were available in both rotations. Make sure there are no assumptions made on that.

You'll be fine. I'd suggest a foldable cart or wagon to walk with groceries. I used to carry a bike trailer, but have found that with most stops along your route there are grocery stores within easy walking distance. For big runs I'll sometimes walk to a store and Uber back. None of this...

I don't think we disagree. I appreciate the discussion as usual. My case is not contrived, and my boat is 50 x15 with high initial stability and the ability to add up to five tons of ballast in the flat bottom. And I don't go out in big waves. So I'm not going to lose sleep over capsize...

And.if I hire a pro, what steps will that pro take to give me hard numbers? Somehow I don't think that roll testing is going to play a prominent role in the determination.

I think most folks reading this understand that adding weight above the WL is going to have an adverse effect on stability. I'm still struggling to understand how to put this into practice. Here's a real world case: I'm considering adding ~1000 pounds of solar panels to the upper deck of my...

Sure. I got that point when you posted it. But I don't see how that helps in capsize screening for a new/unknown boat. Without a meaningful target or baseline you don't know whether the observed roll period is within the safe range for that design or outside it. Put another way, if I were...

It sounds like you're gathering information about the boat's design in order to determine what an appropriate roll rate should be using your judgement and experience. I get what you're saying and appreciate your perspective. But if you tell me that boat A has a roll rate of 1.1 and boat B...

I wasn't thinking of a roll test. I'm interested in your earlier point, but I was thinking more in terms of getting AVS and other stability related capsize factors. Im my mind that's not directly related to roll period. Seaworthiness is probably a function of both. Just thinking out loud...

There are lots of icebergs closer to home around Newfoundland and Labrador. Maybe a summer cruise in that area would be easier than the big U and equally satisfying?

That's me. Thanks for the mention. I've kept a travel log for the last 7 years/ 25k miles of solo inland/coastal trawler travel. One of these days I'll do some organization...

I've had incline tests done on sailboats where weights were used to determine initial stiffness, I.e. how much force is required to heel the boat a few degrees. That data is then fed into the computer with the hull design to give a calculated full stability curve. Without the complete hull...

Good advice, but it puts you in Chicago late in the season for the trip east if your destination is the NE. There are often traveling boats that get up to Paducah or so in the spring then wait until the Mississippi has crested and is on its way back down before tackling that section. But...

I didn't realize the boat had changed. Carry on then! If you're buying new consider the 340 as well. Not much weight difference if you can accommodate the length. I replaced the Yamaha 15 2 stroke with a Tohatsu 20 on my Highfield 340. Great upgrade.

In calm conditions I'll often sit on the tube with my left leg extended forward, my right leg tucked under with knee extended outboard and my right hand on the outboard hand hold. I find this more comfortable for longer trips because it minimizes twisting. But it does require hanging on :)

I can't see any need to swap your 310 for a new 310 FCT. Get the FCT kit and have a pro modify the motor, or swap it for new with elec start and trim. That'll cost a lot less than a new boat and give you the same outcome. I haven't seen any other good options for the operator. There really...

Cool. What did you end up with? Close to home the Chatahoochie River might be interesting. It used to be navigable from the Gulf up to Columbus and Bainbridge, but I don't know if the locks are still maintained.

I've heard that, and was considering a trip up in January. I'm in Memphis now. But I decided to keep heading south. Will get off the MS at Old River or Port Allen and down to Morgan City.

I agree they're consumables. But if the hype around modern smart chargers is to be believed they will extend the life of any battery over using a less well regulated charging source. I dunno, maybe it's hype. But I worry less about battery health and longevity when the bank has its own...

I don't disagree with Don L, but I wouldn't do it. For most situations the start batteries are charged by their engines, and survive just fine without a constant charge, just like a car battery. If there is a need, a dedicated 15a charger matched to the LA bank will take good care of it, and...

There shouldn't be any risk to the engine, because typically the HW loop is in parallel so no through flow is necessary for cooling. A mixing valve gives a bit more effective HW capacity because of higher temperatures, but otherwise either approach should work.

I had that theory until I did the math for my boat. When not in a rush on flat water I normally cruise at less than 7 knots and under 1 gph. Increasing speed to 9 knots more than triples my fuel consumption. So for me optimal fuel burn upstream means traveling at about 7.5 knots boat speed...

In this case they're identical engines with identical props. One is allowed to run a bit faster at WOT. They're going to have the same fuel usage at less than WOT. There really is no downside.

I generally agree, but in this case they bump max rpm between the M1 and M2. You can overlay prop demand curves for the two and IIRC they're pretty much identical until M1 max rpm.

I've studied the JD ratings carefully. The load factor is essentially average load, so if you ran the M2 at 80 - 100% load for most of the time you could exceed that threshold and an M1 would be more appropriate. But in practice recreational trawlers spend lots of time under low loads, so...