Marine diesel engines for Grand Banks trawlers
Grand Banks covers two quite different eras of boat, and the engine advice diverges completely between them.
The two eras
The classic timber and early GRP trawlers, many decades old now, were built as displacement cruisers with modest power. Ford Lehman, Perkins and Caterpillar units are common in the older Australian fleet, generally on shaft drive, single or twin.
The modern Grand Banks, semi-displacement and faster, carries considerably more power, commonly Cummins, Caterpillar or Volvo Penta, on shaft.
Which one you own changes almost everything below. Check the plate.
Classic Grand Banks: the parts question
An engine that has been out of production for decades raises a real ownership issue: can you still get parts?
Some of these engines remain remarkably well supported through specialists and the industrial base of the block they were derived from. Others are getting hard. This is the single most important thing to establish before committing to a rebuild rather than a repower, and it is exactly the situation our repower or rebuild guide is about.
Other classic-era considerations:
- Timber hull movement affects shaft alignment more than a GRP hull does. Alignment checks matter more, not less.
- Original wiring looms and instruments are at the end of their lives.
- Raw water systems decades old have often been repaired rather than renewed.
- Sound insulation is frequently degraded and sometimes hazardous to disturb on very old boats — worth a professional opinion before you start pulling it out.
Modern Grand Banks
Conventional twin shaft installation with contemporary engines and good dealer support. The considerations are the standard ones for a semi-displacement cruiser: alignment, raw water side servicing on an Australian schedule, and twin-engine costs.
Access
Grand Banks engine rooms, in both eras, are better than most production boats of comparable size — the trawler layout puts the machinery under the saloon with real access. That is a genuine saving on labour.
Frequently asked questions
What engine is in my Grand Banks? The classic boats commonly carry Ford Lehman, Perkins or Caterpillar; the modern ones Cummins, Caterpillar or Volvo Penta. The plate on the block is authoritative and the eras are very different.
Can I still get parts for a classic Grand Banks engine? It depends entirely on the engine. Some are well supported through specialists; others are getting difficult. Establish this before choosing rebuild over repower.
Does a timber hull affect the engine installation? It affects alignment. A hull that moves needs alignment checked more often than a rigid GRP one.
Is engine access good? Better than most production boats of similar size, in both eras. The trawler layout puts the machinery where you can reach it.
Is repowering a classic Grand Banks worth it? Often, when parts for the original engine are becoming scarce and the surrounding systems are the same age. Compare it properly rather than on engine price alone.