"Up here, near Cape Cod, there’s a lot of support [from Cummins]. The Dunham dealership is open all the time. I also have Cummins X15’s in all my work and pickup trucks for my excavation company." — Capt. Anthony Belculfine 

Smart diesel QSC8.3 600 gets out in front of the fleet

The shocking combination of horsepower with efficiency is just one benefit of finding the perfect boat and customizing it, with form following function. After purchasing his sportfisher in December 2019, Capt. Anthony Belculfine commenced a complete refit on this 1999 Northern Bay designed by Spencer Lincoln. Belculfine switched out his CATs for Cummins, picking up speed and fuel economy. Before the repower, it took eight hours running 15 knots for his sportfisher to get to the giant bluefin tuna off the coast of Marshfield, MA. However, since repowering with a single Cummins QSC8.3 600HP engine, that voyage time was cut in half with his 36-foot boat charter now comfortably cruising 25 knots. 

This ongoing, owner-managed refit includes new Brazilian hardwood flooring for the sole, an upgraded interior with revamped A/C units, all new electronics, new ZF 305 gearbox, ACME propeller and a cool 3M camo wrap to sneak past paranoid fish. 

Having snagged over $22,000 in purses during the 2020 season in tuna fishing tournaments, speed truly matters to this charter fishing captain. Appropriately entitled M/V Shocker, Belculfine’s boat is determined to get out in front of the fishing fleet. He’s caught 12 giants as a commercial fisherman, the largest at 800 pounds measured 144 inches, no fish tale here.

“We removed the Caterpillar 316 and repowered with a single Cummins QSC8.3 600HP engine, picking up a lot of speed to get to the fish first,” said Capt. Anthony Belculfine. 

Shocker isn’t Belculfine’s first Cummins repower. Engine dependability, strong service and easy maintenance are reasons he replicates this successful refit strategy. 

“Up here, near Cape Cod, there’s a lot of support [from Cummins],” said Belculfine. “The Dunham dealership is open all the time. I also have Cummins X15’s in all my work and pickup trucks for my excavation company. As a big DIY guy, I personally prefer Cummins and feel it’s just the best commercial motor. They are simple to work on, not much crazy stuff going on.”

“I bought the Shocker last year,” said Belculfine. “I bought it right, but there were some things I didn’t like. You search for a boat and some can’t be found in this market. So I made this boat exactly how I wanted it. I run hard in the summer during fishing season, April to December, it all depends on the weather.”

Shocker is now faster, and more efficient, too. As a smart, diesel engine calculating optimal performance levels with digital diagnostics, Belculfine focuses on running the boat and keeping his lines tight.

“Before the repower, with the CAT mechanical motor, we cruised at 15 knots burning 17 gallons an hour, running wide open at 20 knots,” said Belculfine. “Since the repower with the Cummins QSC8.3, we cruise 25 knots, burning 19.5 gallons and top out at 33 knots. I wanted to get there faster than eight hours at 15 knots. The giant bluefin tuna are closer than the canyon, but the canyons are 110 to 160 miles, one way.”

Satisfied with his faster, more fuel-efficient, boat, Belculfine will incorporate another Cummins product into Shocker’s engine room as her retrofit continues: a new Cummins-Onan generator. 

“This is definitely now one of the nicer charter boats” he said. “You don’t see many lobster boats with a downstairs and bigger cabin - it’s all getting there.”