Can this forum decide ??

[lanason]

I was chatting to my boss yesterday and told him that I had bought a 23 ft sportsboat. It was fine until I told him had a 170hp PETROL inboard engine. He went on and on about dangerous, time bomb, only got one family, any leak is critical, fume build up and electrics dont mix. Should never have bought it - All petrols should be banned - impossible to sell and anyway it wont be long before Petrol inboard are banned in boats anyway !
Then the running costs ......
He is a raggie so what does he know ???
Or is he right ???
All other thing equal I would prefer a diesel but not many 1980's boat have them.
Have I done the wrong thing ??

Adrian

Don't call me "Ian"
Cleopatra - yellow hull called Court Jester. Have you seen her ?

 

[Guest]

You'd better believe all he said. That is why boats of all sorts since about 1980 have inboard diesel engines fitted. The points you mention are so valid that at least one manufacturer is now building diesel powered outboards.

 

[yoda]

While there is no doubting some of what he said may be true there is still a huge number of time bombs out on the road being driven by some quite incompetent ideots at times. The truth is that many yachts and motor boats have been going around quite safely with petrol engines for a long time and if correctly looked after, loved and maintained will continue to give great service. As for petrol engines being banned the government seems bent to drive up the cost of diesel for cars because they are not considered environmentaly friendly (not my view) so why should they ban 4 stroke cars. As for 2 strokes ......... Anyway the cost of changing engines is beyond a lot of us unless we actually have to. There are ways to minimise the dangers by regular checks, maintenance, valves in the fuel line that close the supply in the event of a fire, ventilation fans etc. All a lot cheaper than changing the engine. Even with the lower cost of the fuel for diesel it takes quite a few hours every year to justify the change.

I have a diesel car and petrol engine in the boat!

Yoda

 

[peterk]

hi,
I delivered sailboats on the West Coast of the US and Mexico.
The long distance racers in the seventies all had gas engines(Atomic 4), for weight
reasons.
As long as you are real conscious about ventilation, there should not be
a problem.
How many cars have you seen lately engulfed in flames,
except on TV?
Also: watch for corrosion.
I have owned both types of engine
before I decided to go totally without.
Diesel exhaust fumes caused me to be seasick on more than one
occasion...

kepp on truckin' momma
truckin my blues away...

...peter www.juprowa.com/kittel

 

[HaraldS]

What's the sail area?

 

[Guest]

Do you smoke ? and are you rich ?

There are probably a few hundred thousand boats like your's in the USA and YERP, and statistically, you stand more chance of becoming a rag and stick merchant rather than blowing up.

But the UK is not USA in petrol costs and you will have to learn to maximise your 'poseurness' for the minimal miles of 'horsepowerness'.


' The follies which a man regrets most in his life, are those which he didn't commit when he had the opportunity'

 

[tonyleigh]

Guess you've answered your own question - your boat's clearly survived 20 years without catastrophic immolation and I doubt you would light a barbecue in the engine compartment! There's another potentially lethal liquid out there called water but I know of no planned legislation to outlaw it - guess we just devise strategies to co-exist!

 

[lanason]

Well I could "sell" it, but I think I would advertise it nationally. Do you think it matters what Sale area I use ??? p.s. you can't spell. ;-))
Adrian

Don't call me "Ian"
Cleopatra - yellow hull called Court Jester. Have you seen her ?

 

[HaraldS]

o.k. I think "nationally" the petrol engine would be safe.

 

[BarryH]

Re: Sorry dont agree....

.....you can order new boats with petrol fuel engines todat if you want. While at the london boat show my wife and I looked at a Arvor fitted with a V8 petrol engine. And the point that people are making about desiel being safer, it will still burn at the right temp. How mant fires have you seen started by fuel alone! It needs something to ignite it.

 

[Guest]

Ask your "raggie" boss if he carries an outboard? If so, where does he store it and its spare fuel container?
Sounds like the guy is so hung up he's airbourne- bye the bye, I'm a raggie!

 

[ccscott49]

Read my reply in the other post!

 

[BrianJ]

I agree with your boss.. Guess it will be best for us to keep looking at the "Situations Vacant " ads to see how you get on.
BrianJ

 

[david]

I chose diesel, Why?

In 1977 I was the proud owner of a brand new deep V power boat fitted with a seven ltr V8 Mercruiser inboard/outboard, it had flame arresters, auto fire extinguishers and auto ventilators for fumes within the engine compartment.

In September 1977 whilt making a passage from Brixham to Sharpness we stopped over in Penzance harbour where on the following morning it blew up when we were readying to put to sea.

This was the first time I had used the boat when my two sons of then 7 and 9 years old were not with me. I am in no doubt if they had been on board I could not have saved them as I was blown from the helm over 30 feet away from the boat.

Also on board that day was my father and two brothers who were saved by the quick thinking of the sailing club who threw life rings to us, and the skipper of a local fishing boat who was comming in to the harbour when my boat exploded and with quick manouvering managed to gather all of us from the harbour before further explosions.

At this point I would personally like to thank all who helped that day, I owe you my life.

In conclusion, It was never discovered why it blew up, but it took me two years of hard work and finally I had to sue the insurers to get any money from them. I now am a rag and string man, the only petrol on board is kept in an outside locker for the outbard.

David Beckett.



David

 

[ccscott49]

Re: I chose diesel, Why?

Bloody hell! You and your crew are very lucky men! good on yer'. I probably wouldn't get in a boat after that little lot, but if I did, it wouldn't stop me buying a petrol one, just as I didn't stop riding motorbikes because they almost killed me. I still do not believe petrol boats are any more dangerous than other types of boats with inflamable liquids/gas on board.

 

[Guest]

Enjoy!

Maybe he's jealous. How old is his boat? Petrol is great if you want to go really fast - but doesn't the cost of fuel scare you?

I realised this morning that last year I paid more for propane bottles for the galley than I did on diesel all year. What's more I sailed to three countries!

Humperdinck

Email: HJ@Seacracker.org
Website: www.seacracker.org

 

[Guest]

Re: Can this forum decide ??: C/man938

Who is offering diesel outboards in the U.K please?
Saw plenty up river in China, every bloody sampan has one! Out there they seem to use the same little one-lunger for everything - rotovators, tri-carts, pumps etc. Bit noisy though.
Regards, Rod.

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Can this forum decide ??: C/man938

Yamaha do one, but I don't know if it's readily available in UK, probably.

 

[david]

Re: I chose diesel, Why?

Propane in a vented outside housing designed for the job I can live with.

Adding to that explosion, yes we were very very lucky in an ironic sort of thinking, the engine cover (deck) was never found, every window including the frames were blown out, every bulkhead was ripped out.

As I said already we were picked up by a local fishing boat, that was in less than 30 seconds, we then crossed the outer harbour and were put ashore by the road probably another two minutes, as I stepped on to the quay I remember looking round at the now burning boat which was adrift as the fire brigade arrived, all they managed to do was blast my boat with the pressure from the hoses into several other yachts causing more damage. In the space of less than five minutes the boat had burnt to the water line, so don't ever think a fire extinguisher will always save you.

I don't argue with anyone who has a petrol engine fitted but I prefer them not to moor alongside me, it's their choice but as I have seen the destruction having petrol on board can do I chose diesel.

David

 

[ToMo]

In a word, \"NO\" nm

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