Diesel or petrol boat for Med. cruising?

michaelchapman said:
Typically during winter there will be a couple of days with winds of over 100mph in the marina. Last year we had 183km/h in the marina which I am hoping is a bit of a record - i.e. does not get repeated too often.

No idea what it is like offshore in those conditions, and I hope to never find out.
Click to expand...

Which marina are you in?

183 kph = 99 kts
100 mph = 87 kts

I don't envy you. We are in Pt Napoleon, which is very well known for its winds and we regard a strong Mistral as over 60 kts. I have seen gusts over 75 kts but very seldom. The idea of anything vaguely approaching 100 kts would send me running to the caves.

I have been sailing for over 60 years and have been a full time live aboard for 17 years and the worst I have ever known was freak Bora In Croatia. It is on u-tube as the perfect storm. There was a lot of damage. Trees were split in half and, of the 50 odd boats on the outer harbour wall, 38 were damaged. There were aircraft at Split airport, which were trying to take off on their own and had to be tied down. We had 36 hours of gusts at +/- 100 kts.

I do think you should have a look at your figures before you scare too many people to death. :D
 
Last edited:
rustybarge said:
It all going to be a marvellous adventure, in touch with the elemental sea, at one with nature. Dolphins jumping on my bow wave as I surge through the breaking surf. People in the street nodding knowingly at me, admired as a real sea dog. Surely this is how legends are made. One man against the sea.
Click to expand...

Err. Surf tends to be close to the beach. If you are going to drive your MF that close to the shore, I don't think either of you will last long. Just IMHO. :D
 
Frankie-H said:
I have been sailing for over 60 years and have been a full time live aboard for 17 years and the worst I have ever known was freak Bora In Croatia. It is on u-tube as the perfect storm. There was a lot of damage. Trees were split in half and, of the 50 odd boats on the outer harbour wall, 38 were damaged. There were aircraft at Split airport, which were trying to take off on their own and had to be tied down. We had 36 hours of gusts at +/- 100 kts.
Click to expand...

Not so freak. I was anchored in Istria (Veruda Soline bay) this year in July when on 23rd the bora was registering 127km/hr in Trieste. In our sheltered anchorage it was touching 60 knots. And I've experienced worse boras in my over 30 years cruising Croatia. Really.

Many anchored yachts were dragging and going into the nearby marina - one of them after hitting me and wiping all my stanchions away, splitting my heavy teak capping rail and gouging into my coachroof. :mad:

The next day, the surveyor sent by my insurance said that any other than my old HR, built like the proverbial outhouse, would have been really smashed up. So much for Rusty's constant "light is better".
 
Last edited:
Frankie-H said:
Which marina are you in?

183 kph = 99 kts
100 mph = 87 kts

I don't envy you. We are in Pt Napoleon, which is very well known for its winds and we regard a strong Mistral as over 60 kts. I have seen gusts over 75 kts but very seldom. The idea of anything vaguely approaching 100 kts would send me running to the caves.
Click to expand...

Port Leucate.

It does have a bad reputation within the Golf de Lion area.
 
Remember the old one about a half-empty bathe containing the same amount of water as an half-full bath.
Therefore an empty bath = a full bath.

The OP is mirroring this logic.

Yes, a power boat "probably" makes more sense in the Med than a sailing boat
And yes, for a lightweight boat petrol probably makes more sense than diesel.

But we don't have to share his "through the Looking Glass" logic or waste our time in arguing with one so patriotically paranoid.
 
charles_reed said:
Remember the old one about a half-empty bathe containing the same amount of water as an half-full bath.
Therefore an empty bath = a full bath.

The OP is mirroring this logic.

Yes, a power boat "probably" makes more sense in the Med than a sailing boat
And yes, for a lightweight boat petrol probably makes more sense than diesel.

But we don't have to share his "through the Looking Glass" logic or waste our time in arguing with one so patriotically paranoid.
Click to expand...

Hi Charles,

Witness the new wave of 2012 factory boats from the manufactures, eg. there are now 7 & 8 & 9mtr outboard models with twin outboards, they are not even offering the option of diesels. So the new lean burn petrol engines can exactly equal the fuel economy of diesels, but only cost half as much to buy and weigh only half as much as well.

There is now a new technology appearing: light weight motorboats with light weight power = low cost running costs.

All you old fogeys are getting left behind. Long live the revolution!

(On the other hand cars seem to be getting heavier and heavier)

This 9 mtr Barracuda weighs 3.5 tons, and has a Beam of 10'!
 
Last edited:
rustybarge said:
Hi Charles,

Witness the new wave of 2012 factory boats from the manufactures, eg. there are now 7 & 8 & 9mtr outboard models with twin outboards, they are not even offering the option of diesels. So the new lean burn petrol engines can exactly equal the fuel economy of diesels, but only cost half as much to buy and weigh only half as much as well.

There is now a new technology appearing: light weight motorboats with light weight power = low cost running costs.

All you old fogeys are getting left behind. Long live the revolution!

(On the other hand cars seem to be getting heavier and heavier)

This 9 mtr Barracuda weighs 3.5 tons, and has a Beam of 10'!
Click to expand...


Why not contact Pondweed you might be able to get together to save costs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top