A 1991 Triumph boat named "Plankton" gets its gas engines replaced with diesel engines

This is a non-mechanic’s guide to help a recreational boat owner with understanding engine choices, understanding the scope of the project, and cost management. It is structured specifically for 32-36-foot boats with a planing hull, v-drives and 454 gas engines re-configuring to diesel engines because I wanted to stay within my personal experience of re-powering Plankton. However, I did learn some good principals along the way that should apply to other engine configurations.

I am not an engine person or a boat designer and I take no responsibility for any part of your project. This is really only a structured list of things I wish I had before personally re-powering my boat.

It is often said that a boat owner needs to own the boat for at least five years after the re-power to reach a financial break-even point for the re-power cost. I now understand there is an emotional toll to re-powering as well. We are still in the first year of using the boat and I am still smarting from the unplanned expenses and the frustration of the project. I am hoping it won’t take five years to reach an emotional break-even point.