Have I done the wrong thing ?????

[lanason]

I was chatting to my MD yesterday and told him that I had bought a boat. 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
ps I guess this post has been done many times before but humour me chap and chapesses


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

 

[ccscott49]

Petrol is OK, don't listen to all the doomsayers! Cars don't blow up all the time do they!! You will have to take a few more precautions, thats all. Make sure the engine room has proper extration blowers, make sure all the flexible fuel lines are new or nearly new. Check all other fuel lines. Electrics have to be perfect and kept that way, no loose connections, sparks!! The main thing about the fuel, is NO LEAKS. The tank(s) need to be perfect, with over the side breathers, the engine compartment is best sealed from the rest of the boat, with its own automatic and manual fire extinguishers. A few sensible precautions and you won't have any trouble. Costs, well petrol is expensive, but the boat will be light and fast, so you are not using as much fuel as you think, the boat is/was cheaper than a diesel equivalent in the first place, you have to consider how much you will use it and calculate the costs from there. I would have an expert, a real expert in petrol boats go over the boat and ensure everything is safe. Good boating!! Why would petrol boats be banned? I think he's blowing smoke up yer' bum!!

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by ccscott49 on Sat Apr 20 14:57:02 2002 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[kimhollamby]

You seem to have a few choices:

a) tell your MD that, as he values your life so much perhaps he will give you the necessary pay rise to fund the diesel upgrade;

b) tell your MD that he hasn't got a clue what he is talking about;

c) keep quiet but relax about your purchase and remember that, where boats are concerned, often it is awareness of the need for extra vigilance that keeps you safer than the chap who thinks he has the ultimate in foolproof whatever.

On reflection, c) is probably better provided you keep an eye on the installation, ensure it is well ventilated take particular care when fuelling.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[hlb]

Well Colin. That sounded very reasuring!! Main difference with boats than cars is. Cars have a big hole under the engine, so any petrol spills just drop out the bottom. But on a boat. No hole under. (Else it would sink). So if it get leak, then BOOM,BANG. Thingies start to happen. But then theres a hole in the bottom just like cars. Also now covered with water, so now very safe!!

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[ccscott49]

Hogwash Haydn! I worked on petrol driven tanks, the boom boom type, with sealed engine compartments, 12 cylinder 27 litre petrol engines and 1000 gals of petrol in the same compartment. We had big extractor fans to keep the compartments well ventilated. I never had a tank blow up, because we maintained them properly! I did once have a fire, but I used to smoke in those days! We did use to put out our cigarettes in a dish of petrol aswell!! You also have a red hot exhaust system in a car, not in a boat, the ones in the tanks, being encklosed, used to glow, in daylight!!

 

[hlb]

You daft bugger Colin. Course you didn't have one blow up. Cos your still here!!

Anyway I had a car set on fire going down a motorway. Not me driving of course. But then not to much problem cos just stop and get out. Getting out of boat not just as easy.

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[ccscott49]

Funnily enough I had a mini catch fire, when the handbrake cable broke, causing sparks at the back of the car, I had left the petrol tank cap off, so fuel splashed on the road and boom! What a set of circumstances that was to explain to the insurance company, I think they didn't beleive me but paid out anyway! I had an extinguisher with me, borrowed from the army, ahem, but since that day all my cars have had extinguishers! and my boats of course!

 

[hlb]

Well at least we've reasured Ian. Another good deed done today!!

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[Guest]

Relax - raggies are paranoid about anything flammable on board a boat (except potentially explosive paraffin stoves and masses of hot air!)
My father, a confirmed pole 'n' cloth man, warns against petrol engines using almost exactly the same sort of language so I suspect it's something that's been deciced at the clubhouse bar in sailing clubs up and down the coast.
Incidentally, he's also on the record as saying that LPG conversions were impractical, impossible and ridiculous in a boat. Tell that to the good people at Calor.
Need I say more ...?

 

[lanason]

Ian - who the "L" is Ian it's a little "L" not a capital "I".

DON'T CALL me IAN.
Kim can you change my name to Lanason cus this lot keep calling me Ian, and Sandra and Cleo ..........

ADRIAN

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

 

[hlb]

Oh! Sorry Sandra. Beg your pardon Adrian.

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[kimhollamby]

Lanason? As in the champagne (nearly)?

If you are sure about the name change PM me and I'll sort it...involves killing your ID and starting again I'm afraid.

I wouldn't worry though...I e-mailed Virgin Atlantic customer service to have a gripe about the runaround I got on their website the other day (probably just to get my own back on someone else for a change) and the reply came bace "Dear Samantha..."

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[lanason]

Thanks for the offer "Samantha" but no couldn't bear having to wait longer for my 1000 burgee.
Still it makes for light relief. Thought it might be a quick edit of a field in a table.
No its not from Champagne - its the name of a company my father started. long story... LANeAndSON
Too cleaver for this some me thinks )))

Shady Adey

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

 

[Wexfordian]

Re: Foolish alarmist talk

May be worth pointing out to Mr Lanasons MD that the vast bulk of sportsboats sold in America run on petrol, and very few of those boats explode in any season.

 

[BarryH]

Re: Foolish alarmist talk

I've never seen a boat go up that run on petrol. Seen a few oil burners go up though due to dodgy gas systems.

 

[hlb]

Re: Foolish alarmist talk

Tutt's did the boat closing down thingy last trip. Opened new gas bottle of gas instead of closing conected one. Hey ho! boats still there!!

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[BarryH]

Re: Gas Alarms

Been there done that. I installed 2 gas alarms in the boat, they were next to usless. They would go of if the wife ghanged the short persons stinky nappy next to one, ar you had a curry the night before, wont go there, But when it came to gas filling the boat the bloody things refused to register it! I know rely on the wifes nose, The butane induces uncontroleable snezzing. Works every time too!

 

[oldgit]

Re: Petrol or diesel

Depends on what you intend to use the boat for.If you intend long open water passages then diesel is the only way to go because of fuel economy.If just using boat for days out and messing about on river/estuary than petrol will prob do the job, only real aggravation is getting fuel to boat from your cheapest local garage.
Main reason that diesel owners recommend oil burners to other people is it gives them someone to commiserate with when the next bill for thousands and thousands of pounds comes in for sorting yet another shagged turbo and set of knackered pistons after only a few hundred hours use.Have a quick look around the forums and boaty sites and see which type of propulsion gives most webtime wailing.
IMHO.

Gedda petrol.cheaper,quieter,less vibration n simpler to maintain...

 

[Forbsie]

I'm obviously no expert on motorboats, but a friend of mine recently bought an 8.2 litre motorbike with a huge petrol tank right under his "bits".

Now that to me is folly in the extreme!!

 

[kittiwake]

I had the same thoughts when I was looking for a Fairline Holiday. I found only one diesel boat for sale. Petrol engines are the first choice for 90% of pleasure motorboats. On sailing boats, diesels are more common.

My 260 HP V8 Mercruiser is a joy to listen to and the difference in running costs is minimal compared to diesel for the number of cruising hours I expect to do.

Good engine and systems maintenance should prevent any problems.

As far as I am aware, propane is potentially more dangerous in boats, due to its density, compared to petrol and is a signiciant cause of fires in both motor boats and sailing craft.

Enjoy your boat - whether its petrol or diesel! Just dont light any barbecues on board.



Michael