Diesel / Petrol ? in a 22ft boat

[Happy1]

Could anyone advise me if it is worth spending £9,500 extra to put a diesel in a 22ft cuddy boat, this is the extra cost for a KAD32 compared to a 5.0L.

I understand that in a larger boat you can travel further and would perhaps stay on the boat longer, so get better value from it, but on a 22ft boat it is more a day boat with the odd night weekend thrown in.

When you are spending the diesel cost of £41k (this includes £4.5k discount for purchase before end Oct) for the 22ft boat, you are in the realms of being able to buy a bigger petrol boat with full facilities on board e.g. a 24 / 25 ft one.

I then think that even in a 25ft boat it is not seaworthy enough to go very far, and do you need the extra facilities if you are only using it as a day boat. I would think most people at an MDL marina would use the marina facilities, which makes it pretty pointless having a shower and fixed toilet on board. So perhaps 30ft plus is the only answer, but where do you stop?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[wakeup]

No - nm

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<hr width=100% size=1>.....can't be arsed.....<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by wakeup on 23/10/2003 11:59 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[AndrewJ]

quick question: what is the cost of diesel and the cost of petrol these days, both for marine use if there is a difference between marine and land use?

thanks

<hr width=100% size=1>The only easy day was yesterday

 

[Happy1]

Hi Andy, I think petrol is 93p litre and diesel 29p or so. I have just done a calculation on diesel at £1.20 and petrol £4 per gallon, based on 100 hrs use at 6 gallons per hour, this gives a cost for diesel of £720 per year, and petrol of £2,400. The saving of £1,680 divided into the initial extra cost of £9,300 would take 5.35 years to break even, less the interest on the initial extra investment. There could also be a surprise in 2006 as mentioned on here in the red diesel debate, so is a loss of performance worth it? I guess there is a possibility that the diesel will retain a bit more value, but then you have to find someone who wants to buy a small diesel boat. I don't know when a diesel becomes viable, that is what I am trying to work out.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[wakeup]

You've fogotten to add at least 30% on to the servicing costs pa for a diesel.

You have kinda answered your own question, just not worth it sub 25ft ....

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[ChrisP]

It all depends on what you want it to do. If it's short hops to other marinas 5 or 6 times a year then the 22 footer is ok. Speed should be considered for hopping between bad weather. Diesels are usualy more reliable and tend to be less trouble if the boat is used infrequently.
If the boat is to be used for more extended trips and more often should you be looking for something a bit bigger where it won't matter if your caught short and have to stay in a harbour without all the facilities. The cost of the fuel only becomes relevant as your usage goes up. Forget the bit about payback it never works out that way.
Boat and engine choice is a compromise that is driven by your intended use and expectations. Best way is to make a list of all the things you and your partner want from the boat the look at the market. For 41K a look at the used market could produce just what you want.

ChrisP

<hr width=100% size=1>What do you mean the sea gull in front's walking !!!

 

[Happy1]

The reason I have been concentrating at 22ft is that I could trailer it to the South Coast from Chatham. I can't for the sake of me think I would ever want to spend a weekend in Chatham marina, and there is not too much about for weekending in a small boat that way. I like the fact that I can use the boat in the evenings as Chatham is pretty close, but I do enjoy the South Coast weekends at Poole and Soton. With a trailer costing £3,500 + for a 2,000kg boat, you have to look at the feasability of just having it transferred by a transport company 2 or 3 times a year for the S.Coast fun, even the maintenance of a trailer adds to the cost, plus fuel, so this is looking interesting. We could even go bigger then as long as a transport company could shift it for us, I don't know the length of boat that they would transport without it turning to silly money.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[MarkH]

Am I missing something here ?...6 gallons an hour for say a 5ltr petrol engine ?

I thought that it would be closer to 10-15 gallons an hour if used as intended ....

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[Alistairr]

No, Happy1 is right, My 5.0mpi is using 4.4 gallons per hour, And i average 40mph.



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[toobaz]

It's not really diesel v petrol is it? Your answering your own question here.
Small boat, trailer, petrol, flexability. Verses larger boat, fixed location, more expense......................................What do you want a boat for, that's the question?

Baz

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[ChrisP]

"add at least 30% on to the servicing costs pa for a diesel" Sorry chum don't understand the numbers. I have my two diesels serviced every year for about £300 including the bits and oil by a fully qualified mechanic. By the way thats 2 engines for £300 not each.

<hr width=100% size=1>What do you mean the sea gull in front's walking !!!

 

[wakeup]

Then CHUM you are getting a bargain CHUM, you wont get a petrol serviced for £300 round near me let alone one diesel engine CHUM! By the way did I mention CHUM?

<hr width=100% size=1>.....can't be arsed.....<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by wakeup on 23/10/2003 13:59 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[BarryD]

£100 an engine (diesel 4.2) when I had them done before it was taken away from me...

<hr width=100% size=1>Or then again...

 

[ChrisP]

Your profile shows Afghanistan as your location. Must be a real pricey area or is it the call out charge from your local VP dealer. Maybe one of the mags would commission you to do an article for them on the joys of desert boating, that should help out with the costs..Chummy.

<hr width=100% size=1>What do you mean the sea gull in front's walking !!!

 

[wakeup]

Like I said "you wont get a petrol serviced for £300 round near me let alone one diesel engine CHUM! By the way did I mention CHUM?"

Ahhh now I understand you get a massive popous smart ass discount from your engineer........errr CHUMTY CHUM CHUM


<hr width=100% size=1>.....can't be arsed.....

 

[MickJ]

"A 25ft boat isn't sea worthy enough to go very far"

How far do you intend to go? I use my 25ft diesel boat every weekend, spend holidays on it with my wife, and travel up the east coast when practical. When the weather is bad enough to stop me, I dont see many 30ft+ powered boats leaving the marina with a smug look on their skippers faces in the knowldege that they can go out when I cant.

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[whisper]

Er.... excuse me MUSH, but 4.4gals per hour at an average of 40mpg equates to 9.1mpg. If that is what you are getting then that's fantastic. What bhp is the 5.0mpi ?

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[whisper]

Re: No - nm

No from me as well if you're only going to do 100hrs per year. Double it and it perhaps becomes economically sensible which, with diesels other advantages may swing the balance in its favour.
We've got a 23ft boat in which we chose to have the diesel option. If bought at the time of the models launch there was no difference in price - petrol/diesel - but we ended up paying about £3500 more for the privilege. We think this will still have been a definite winning choice. We shall see !!

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[wakeup]

I have the 5.0 and that's bang on 9 gph in cruise, WOT is 19gph so I think someones definitely got their sums wrong.

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[tico]

"A 25ft boat isn't sea worthy enough to go very far"
Sorry H1 , but thats another incident when youve laid down the law from a position of ignorance!

Ok so 'muda is only 26' but i've been thru waves that that wd scare the sh*t outta you, and i dont call trips of 50-60 miles off the SW coast of Wales not seaworthy.

BTW with deference to our raggie friends, there have been many circumnavigations in boats this size.

<hr width=100% size=1>Been there, done that, got the oily T shirt