Hans Christian 39 Pilothouse; Rebuild oldd engine versus repower with new

Hans Christian 39 Pilothouse; Rebuild/Replace old engine versus Repower with New

First off let me preface this by saying this not your ordinary boat buy, well perhaps it was. We fell in love with what she could be, not what she was.

Her hull is gorgeous, and one of four still water worthy of the 9 made.

When we got her however she was someone else's project vessel they had thrown in the towel on. She is now our dream manifested.

Our old engine is a Yanmar 3qm30H with the Kanzaki KH18.

It is dead. Doornail dead. Needs to be rebuilt or replace dead. On top of that we are already going to be redoing the following due to her condition.

-electrical
-exhaust
-fuel
-water

Our options are as follows.

1. Buy a rebuilt engine from Schooner Bay Imported Motors in WI, have it shipped out and installed or install it. The Rebuilt is $4200+core (fee or engine our call).

Pros- This engine requires no new stringers.

Fits existing mounts. Was what the boat was built with.

Much less $$$

Cons- Very hard to get parts for if something does fail.

Leave the very large boat still slightly under modern power safety
suggestions (though we care not for motor sailing and would rather
become better sailors).

No solid review information about Schooner Bay to be found. What
can be found is mixed, at best.

1a. Have Mack Boring rebuild our current block and get a rebuild Kanzaki from a guy known to be the best in the business.

Pros/Cons- The same, excepting we may spend a little more.

2. Repower with a Yanmar 75hp. This engine will cost us about $11-12,000. In addition this will not fit the current stringers. We tried that last year and it was a 6 month debacle costing us more than stringer work would have to have the repower marine specialists try and fail for 6 months to do so with every configuration they could muster. Stringers are a must.

Pros- Brand New

Easy to source parts for

No longer slightly underpowered

Cons- Engine is easily twice as much (that is kitty money or money for
other systems it is eating)

Stringer work is another 6,000 to 10,000 dollars based on our
current estimates

Possibly more power than we truly need, since modern suggestions
assume motor sailing

Some other things about this boat.

She is heavy. About 30k with all her original gear on her but without people or food or water.

She is large. 38 feet LOA, 33 feet LWL, with bowsprit/pulpit and pushpit on her we come in just a hair under 50' (49'11") with a 6 foot draft.

The repower specialist we are using in Everett Washington considers her underpowered to the point they are afraid for our safety under 33hp should we encounter adverse conditions.

I need some help on this one as I am not knowledgeable enough to make this call without professional advise.

I could theoretically afford the repower. It would put my kitty back a good chunk and that money could do many of the other systems I need to do.

I know, falling in love with a hull is a lot of work. And she is an odd one.

But We love her to death and she is the most beautiful thing in the work yard. People come over form their boats just to ask us about her and most realize ho rare she is.

We could not be happier with the choice, we just want to do right by her and ourselves. We are not wealthy by any means but are at least able to do what needs to be done.

Caille