edumacate me on shaft drives

[Spinal Tap]

I'm looking at a farallon 26 with a Ford FWC 460 and a shaft drive.

Can you guys give the advantages and disadvantages of a shaft drive?

Also, seller claims that that engine on a 26 farallon burns 4.7GPH at 20kts. possible?
Thanks

[Doug720]

My Farallon was a direct drive, and I had her for 16 years. I could not afford a diesel when I had her made, but I installed one a few years later. My boat had a Chrysler 360ci - 275hp gas motor stock with a 1.5:1 trans. She would cruise at 20kts and get 1 mile per gallon. With a KAMD42 Volvo cruise was 21kts (easy) and she got between 2.4 to 3 miles per gallon, depending on conditions.

I kept her in a slip about half the time I owned the boat. If your thinking about keeping the boat in the water, an inboard is the only way to go. The inboard also keeps the weight very low, which minimizes roll. Mine was a direct drive, so the engine was located amidships, which made the balance very good. With the prop, rudder and underwater gear under the boat, not behind it, fighting fish was easy with minimum things to snag or cut lines on.

A single inboard boat has a few low speed handling quirks, but you will get used to them quickly. You will also appreciate the low general maintenance of no complicated parts exposed to the salt water.

On the downside, I think a duoProp may be more efficient, and you get a built-in trim adjustment. I never had, nor think I ever needed trim plates on my boat though.

IMHO, Farallons are great boats.

[Dirtguy]

They've been around forever and have very durable standard parts. The mileage sounds high, but you can only compare it to same kind of boats. The engine will produce more torque lower so it might be possible.

In other big heavy boats, a Big Block does produce more mileage when compared to small blocks. You have to work a smaller engine harder to get it to produce the same torque. And the direct drive has a minimum of power flow directional changes.

DG

[skipjack-20]

Direct drive=good farallon=good

[Scrapper]

My boat is a 26' Shamrock with a V8 gasser direct drive. I get 2.4 MPG. Farallons are an excellant boat and you will love the lower maintenance of the direct drive. I love mine. They handle different at docking speeds, but there is a trick to that. PM me and I'll tell you how to do it.

[UncleSurf]

Nate,
I have the 20ft Shamrock Pilot House with a Perkins 4cyl. Direct drive. 2.5gph with a full load at 13-15 mph. Not fast, but the low center of gravity and the keel make it a very stable platfom and at 50, I appreciate not getting beat up in rougher water.

Docking can be tricky at the low speeds. I've seen Mike dock his Shammie (FFIV) and make it look real easy. Takes practice and patience. Mine is a piece of cake to dock at only 20ft, and that's just one of the things I love about my Shammie.

I don't rush the dock, never bumped another boat and I've squeezed into some tight spots in DD's.

I had more problems learning how to launch and recover the darn thing cause I always had trailers with bunks. The ezloader it came with has the rollers. I launch and recover by myself now and it takes me about 5 minutes in and out. But there were some interesting on ramp moments I had that were memorable.

OK, em bare arssing and memorable.
Like the time I couldn't get the boat off the trailer in reverse at Dana Landing in Mission Bay cause I left the safety chain on. My buddy behind the wheel of the truck at the time still ribs me about the tug of war we had.

Let us know how ya do and make sure to check with Mike.

US