Owen Grassby

Yanmar - The Smart Choice for Professional Fishermen

Owen Grassby is one very satisfied Yanmar diesel owner. Based in Lakes Entrance on Victoria’s picturesque Gippsland Lakes region, Owen recently repowered his commercial fishing boat with a new 350 mhp Yanmar 6HA2 marine diesel and has since recorded a stunning result in overall boat performance and fuel economy.

Owen Grassby and his 20 metre displacement fishing vessel have been a part of the Gippsland Lakes fishing community for over 30 years. Owen’s regular trip sees him and his crew spending 8 days at a time offshore fishing for shark around FIinders Island and often clocks upwards of 1500 operating hours per year.

When his old 3.5 tonne 240hp Gardner diesel began using substantial amounts of oil, Owen knew he had a choice of either reconditioning the 24 litre, straight 8 cylinder diesel, or look at a new re-power. But when Owen was told the price to recondition would be the same as a brand new Yanmar engine, he knew it was upgrade time.

Owen had the choice of a range of diesel engine brands but the Yanmar 6HA2 met all his requirements including a mechanical governor system, long service interval and low operating costs.
Owen’s vessel was off the water for two weeks during the installation which saw a new Yanmar 6HA2-HTE diesel fitted to a brand new Tonanco gearbox delivering a 5.14:1 ratio. Installation was straightforward with new engine mounts fitted plus a new fuel system and freshwater cooling connections also installed. The existing 52”x52” 4-blade propeller was also used.
 
 “On my old diesel, the boat would hit a top speed of 10.5 knots at 1150 rpm and cruise at 900rpm while using about 20 litres per hour. My new Yanmar 6HA diesel is over two tonne lighter and can push my 70 tonne boat to 11.5 knots at 1950rpm and a cruise speed of 9.5 knots at 1400rpm. The fuel burn with my Yanmar is now only 12 litres per hour.”

The Yanmar 6HA2- HTE model is an in-line six cylinder marine diesel engine that displaces 13.14 litres and weighs 1340 kgs without the gearbox. Power output is rated at 350 mhp (259kW) at 1950 rpm. Cylinder block inspection hatches are standard equipment to facilitate maintenance together with a centre mounted fuel injection pump and mechanical governor system.
“I have done over 1500 hours in my first year I am won over by the Yanmar’s fuel economy and the lack of any oil leaks,” said Owen.

“We’re a pretty close-knit fishing community in Lakes Entrance and a lot of talk is going on down here about my Yanmar’s performance. I know I’m using 1000 litres less per trip than a brand new 400hp diesel from a rival manufacturer onboard one of the local boats in the area. The savings are significant when you consider what we have to currently pay for diesel so I am very happy with my decision to go with Yanmar for my propulsion power needs”

During the last 12 months of operation, Owen has faithfully serviced his Yanmar engine every 500 hours with genuine Yanmar oil and parts. While constantly in and out of gear, his new Yanmar engine and gearbox package are performing perfectly with low levels of vibration and smoke through the 6” dry exhaust system and muffler.

Owen Grassby

Yanmar delivers for me.