SUGAMAR is an 1984 EGG HARBOR, 41’ Tournament Sportfisherman purchased in 1989. The boat came with CAT 3208 TA engines rated at 355 hp 2800 rpm. Its weight was close to 33,000 pounds full of fuel and water with a hard top and dinghy. Its speed on this condition was 13 to 14 knots top cruising at 2300 rpm. The engines had over 1300 hours and look that a overhaul was required to recover some power. The boat is based in Venezuela at the PUERTO AZUL close to Caracas City.

I am very satisfied with the EGG HARBOR boat, very stable handling, strong construction, large cockpit, nicely done teak interior, with a layout very comfortable for everybody. My only concern was its slower speed to reach the fishing spots and week end cruising to the islands.

The repowering idea began in 1995 when the new 6 cylinder engines with power up to 430 hp showed up in the market. My goal was to cruise full load at steady 18-19 knots.

In our country there are very few professional marine mechanics to do a repowering job, so the design was oriented to make it simple, economical and easy job as possible. After studied many engines, I decided that the new engine power should be around 375 hp and 2800 rpm. This in order to keep the same shaft diameter of 1 ¾" and the same transmission gears which were TWIN DISC 507, with 1.51 to 1 ratio. This gear will handle up to 400 hp safety. The new CAT engine 3116 at 350 hp was about the same power I have. The CAT 3126 at 420 hp look to much power for the shaft and transmission. So we spend almost a year trying to make a decision around another engine’s. Fortunately CATERPILLAR in 1998 offered a new CAT 3126 at 385 hp 2800 rpm which was perfect for the design, with stable torque over 760 lb-ft from 2000 rpm to 2700 rpm. Sam Santelises at PANTROPIC POWER, Miami Florida helped me with the decision since the engines were in stock ready for export. The new engine was 2.8 inches longer but 6.5" narrower and 6.2" less height. Weigh reduction was 550 lbs. total.

Being an electrical and mechanical engineer, I decided to do the installation job myself with help of some marina workers. As soon the new engines arrived, we took out the CAT 3208TA with special crane built specially to fit the boat, that also help to install the new 3126 engines. The transmission gears were removed, replacing the front and rear oil seals and new oil added. The gear housing matched perfectly with the new engines, both engines are SAE #3 flywheel.

Physically CAT 3116 and 3126 are exactly, so this repowering is also valid for a 3116 engine. Moving up from 3208TA with the 3126 (or 3116) makes the installation simpler and easier. Following are some of the advantages that mades more easier the job:

A) The exhaust tube is 6" diameter, same as for 3208 and 3126 so we used the same 3208 original hoses, elbows and fiberglass piping.

B) The sea water pump is located at port side of the engine, same for 3208 and 3126, so water strainers stayed in original place. However, the inlet sea hoses were changed from 1 ¾" to 2" to match new diameter.

C) Fuel inlet port and fuel outlet port are located at port side on the 3126 engines. For the starboard engine we installed the same pervious hoses and RACOR with no changes. On the port engine we have to relocate the RACOR filter and add 3 feet of fuel inlet hose only.

D) The starters for 3208 and 3126 are located in the same place, (rear mounted to starboard), so we used exactly the same batteries cables.

E) All the electrical control cables from the 3208 were used in the 3126 with very few cable extensions required for temperature senders and new tachometers. All wires came from the port side in both engines.

F) the governor throttle are located at the port side of the engine, same for 3208 and 3126, so we used the same throttle cables. Only we have to reverse the push-pull operation at Morse controls at bridge.

G) Center of gravity moved a little forward and toward starboard, which helped the EGG HARBOR boat design for better balance and stability.

For new instruments, I purchased two tachometers for new inductive pick up, and new temperature gauges for the water temperature senders. We replaced the new oil senders from the 3126 with the old senders from 3208 in order to keep the same oil gauges.

The alarm horn at bridge was reconnected. On 3208TA the horn sounds when senders go to ground. (Oil and Water). Horn in always positive (12 vdc). On 3126 the senders are positive on engine, and the alarm horn sounds when it goes to ground. (Alarm for oil, water temperature and water level). It is very simple to rewire the polarity.

For maintenance work, 3126 engines has 11 zinc rods and one oil filter. 3208 has only three zinc rods but two oil filters.

By using the same transmission gear, we kept its rear mounts at the same place and position, making a lot easier the final shaft alignment.

The area that required more time was the front mounts. This because the boat stringer spacing was 32 inches, and the front supports for 3126 are spacing at 28 inches. To solve the problem, we welded an extension steel plate ¾" thickness to the front metal supports supplied with the new engine, keeping the same 3208 front bed rubber supports.

Choosing the adequate propellers also took some time. Originally we have 22 x 21 Nibral – cupped three blades. Having some 1.51 to 1 gear and the power of 385 hp, we purchased from Michigan Propellers, two 23 x 23 Nibral full cupped three blades. A complete white paint job was done to the engine room, to match the new CATS engines.

Complete installation took us around five months and finally on April 99, then we were ready for our first sea test.

TEST CONDITIONS: 370 gallons fuel, 140 gallons water. Temperature 80 F, humidity 60%, 3 persons, full gear, bottom fairly clean, wind 7-9 knots, sea 2-3 ft. Speed by GPS Furuno GPS 50. Trim Tabs in operation.

SUGAMAR got in plane at 1600 rpm at 11 knots. At cruising speed 2200 rpm, we ran at 20 knots with a top of 23 knots at maximum 2550 rpm. Since the engines did not turn 2800 rpm, I contacted Rudy Lehnert at EGG HARBOR, who recommended to rework the old props to 22 x 22 cupped. After these props were installed, we ran 18 knots at 2200 rpm cruising speed and top of 24 knots at 2750 rpm. Results were very satisfactory.

In order to use the Michigan purchased propellers, we took out the cup, so they became 23 x 23 no cupped. After installation, we ran 19 knots at cruising 2200 rpm with a top of 25 knots at 2700 rpm, with better pull in the region from 700 rpm to 1700 rpm before boat planning.

Fuel consumption improved because speed increased. A round trip of 183 miles burned 317 gallons with 3208’s and tool 13 hours. Same trip burned 268 gallons with 3126’s and took 9 ¾ hours. Fuel cost is cheap in Venezuela at $0.275 a gallon. Another benefit, less heat is transferred from the engines to the engine room, after 4 hours of cruising it was more cooler than the 3208 engines.

Final costs were around $43,000 for engines including ocean freight and import taxes. New propellers and instruments $2,960. Labor and local parts around $3,000 (Not including owner engineering hours). The old engines 3208 were sold for $16,500 a pair.

It is very emotional to feel your boat at that new speed making the unique sensation that you have a totally new boat. I was real impressed with the performance obtained. I highly recommend the repowering.

Gonzalo Martin

PO Box 49166

Caracas 1042A

Venezuela

fax 011 58 2 751 5913