Greg01
Active Member
Has any body owned a lpg converted boat, if so I would like to hear from you regarding the reliability and power delivery and how it has stood the test of time.
LPG, has any body had any experience of owning a gas boat.
- Thread starter Greg01
- Start date
RobEllis
Well-Known Member
I'm sure Dave Snelson will be along soon.
adrianb
Well-Known Member
Dr. Walter Scott, Hunton called Causation.
He's started a group of like minded individuals, they meet quite regulary I beleive.
MBM I think it was did a feature a few months back - raid their contact list !
He's based in Shamrock now.
Pass on my regards if you reach him.
Adrian
He's started a group of like minded individuals, they meet quite regulary I beleive.
MBM I think it was did a feature a few months back - raid their contact list !
He's based in Shamrock now.
Pass on my regards if you reach him.
Adrian
Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
I have alot of experience trying to get it done, only to be met by an industry which is full of bodgers, half-wits and people who haven't a clue. It took 6 months to get no-where and ended up in me selling the boat.
I'm sure the product works well, but the people left tryiong to install it are a shower of sh!t and I wouldn't let any of them near my boat again.
I'm sure the product works well, but the people left tryiong to install it are a shower of sh!t and I wouldn't let any of them near my boat again.
Dave_Snelson
Well-Known Member
Indeed he will - and here I am! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Your biggest problem will be supply. Do you have a ready supply near you? If so you are probably based on the south coast - or we'll be neighbours in Pwllheli /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Your second biggest problem will be conversion costs, unless like me, you are buying converted already.
I hate to say this coz it tempts the hand of fate, but my two V6's love gas. Much better burn than petrol and I have been using the stuff extensively for over 3 years now without any problems.
The power output appears to be an improvement over petrol but thats probably more to do with my setup as technically speaking, gas has a lower calorific value and is therefore less powerful. It does have a much higher knock (Octane) rating at about 116 and if you remember the old 5* petrol used to be 111 Octane - and thus the flame front in the chamber is much more progressive, and hotter, so you get much smoother running and I can idle my engines without stalling at 400rpm, or even less - in gear!
Other benefits are a cleaner engine. When I drop my oil at the end of the season, it is still honey brown colour, nearly like it went in.
What boat are you thinking of and what engines?
Your biggest problem will be supply. Do you have a ready supply near you? If so you are probably based on the south coast - or we'll be neighbours in Pwllheli /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Your second biggest problem will be conversion costs, unless like me, you are buying converted already.
I hate to say this coz it tempts the hand of fate, but my two V6's love gas. Much better burn than petrol and I have been using the stuff extensively for over 3 years now without any problems.
The power output appears to be an improvement over petrol but thats probably more to do with my setup as technically speaking, gas has a lower calorific value and is therefore less powerful. It does have a much higher knock (Octane) rating at about 116 and if you remember the old 5* petrol used to be 111 Octane - and thus the flame front in the chamber is much more progressive, and hotter, so you get much smoother running and I can idle my engines without stalling at 400rpm, or even less - in gear!
Other benefits are a cleaner engine. When I drop my oil at the end of the season, it is still honey brown colour, nearly like it went in.
What boat are you thinking of and what engines?
Dave_Snelson
Well-Known Member
Hey Jez!!!! Happy birthday buddy!
You are right to warn of bodgers. Get a good rep auto converter to do the job. Cheaper and better probably!
You are right to warn of bodgers. Get a good rep auto converter to do the job. Cheaper and better probably!
Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
Cheers Dave
KevB
Well-Known Member
I had my first boat converted to run on LPG, £5000 for two 5ltr petrol volvo's with LPG capacity of 320ltrs. I had the installation done by a company in poole who's name I can't remember.
Had absolutely no problems what so ever. Boat ran smoother on LPG than it did on petrol.
Problem nowadays is LPG isn't available. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
I sold the boat for £10k more than I paid for it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Had absolutely no problems what so ever. Boat ran smoother on LPG than it did on petrol.
Problem nowadays is LPG isn't available. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
I sold the boat for £10k more than I paid for it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
gjgm
Well-Known Member
well if they re running well at 17 years old, i guess its all alot of crap about exploding petrol(ok gas) boats, and they dont work in a marine environment. I cant believe it...!
Greg01
Active Member
Hello,
I am looking to buy a Sunseeker Tomahawk with either 7.4l or 8.2l engines. These boats can take a huge amount of lpg so I have found from an owner, who has converted his Tomahawk to take 870l of lpg without reducing the petrol tanks.
I am looking to buy a Sunseeker Tomahawk with either 7.4l or 8.2l engines. These boats can take a huge amount of lpg so I have found from an owner, who has converted his Tomahawk to take 870l of lpg without reducing the petrol tanks.
goldsmithsteve
Member
Hi
I have twin 7.4ltr with gas duel fuel and am convinced they run smoother and the best bit is the fuel costs.
One more thing fit the largests tanks that you can as there is no use paying a third of the cost of if they run out too quickly and you end up switching back to petrol.
I have twin 7.4ltr with gas duel fuel and am convinced they run smoother and the best bit is the fuel costs.
One more thing fit the largests tanks that you can as there is no use paying a third of the cost of if they run out too quickly and you end up switching back to petrol.
mercman
Well-Known Member
Speak to xenopus he has a Hunton thats gassed.
We look after a few but they are quite a rare site here on the south coast with the demise of the marinas selling it and the installers going bust etc.
All the ones we maintain still retain excellent compressions and run absolutley fine.
We look after a few but they are quite a rare site here on the south coast with the demise of the marinas selling it and the installers going bust etc.
All the ones we maintain still retain excellent compressions and run absolutley fine.
Dave_Snelson
Well-Known Member
Yep - ideal. You also get to buy the boat at a much better price than if it had twin diesels fitted.
Make sure you source a quality installer. Take references.
Make sure you source a quality installer. Take references.
neale
Well-Known Member
Greg
I was involved with most of the recent LPG features in MBM. I also had my boat converted a few years back.
In a nutshell I have found that nearly all the people who converted big blocks, 7.4's 8.1's etc seem to be happy with few problems.
Of those that converted small blocks, 5.0 and 5.7's and V6's, you will find as many people with horror stories as you will happy customers, if not more.
Availability is now the biggest issue, personally I would steer clear.
Neale
I was involved with most of the recent LPG features in MBM. I also had my boat converted a few years back.
In a nutshell I have found that nearly all the people who converted big blocks, 7.4's 8.1's etc seem to be happy with few problems.
Of those that converted small blocks, 5.0 and 5.7's and V6's, you will find as many people with horror stories as you will happy customers, if not more.
Availability is now the biggest issue, personally I would steer clear.
Neale
