Grand Banks Discussion Forum

[Blaine]

Hi Tony, Mike, or. . .

Can you please tell me the approximate year(s) when the GB 42's started coming with engines large enough to push the boat beyond hull speed?

Thanks,

Blaine

[Mike Negley]

You would first have to define "hull speed". If you are thinking about the formula for displacement hulls (1.3 x square root of water line length" it does not apply since a GB is a semi-displacement hull where both weight and power apply. An example would be the GB-42 with a single Cat 3208 375HP engine which cruised at about 11 knots and could attain nearly 15 at WOT. When GB changed to the wide body 42 hull it then became possible to use a pair of these engines and reach even higher speeds. My point is that 375 HP was capable of moving a GB-42 at above displacement hull speed so technically a pair of 200 HP engines could do the same thing and the Cummins 210 HP engines were available in the 80's in a 6-cylinder configuration that would fit in the pre-wide body hull. In the early 90's Cat's 31xx series of 6-cylinder engines became available in excess of 400 HP each. The fact that many did not last long is another story.

[Blaine]

Hi Mike,

Thanks. What was the first model year of the widened hull design?

[Mike Negley]

David Hensel at Grand Banks says the first wide body 42 was built in April, 1991 on hull #42-1204. He believes it was about this same time the Cummins 210 HP engines were also made available, but will check on to be sure.

[Blaine]

Hi Mike,

Thanks very much. I should have known you'd give me the exact hull number

After an unanticipated career change, I've recently become a yacht broker and I'm doing my best to disseminate accurate information.

As always, Mike Negley to the rescue. Thanks again!

Blaine