New Engine opinions please

[dog]

Hi, have now moved onto project boat No2!! Bought a Fairline Carrera with twin petrols for a very reasonable price as it needs rather a lot of cleaning/tidying. Boat itself however is in fantastic condition under the muck!! I want to re-engine and due to a tight engine bay am limited to 4cyl size lumps. For my sins, I want to go the Volvo route and have a choice of twin D3 130s or a single D4 (210 or 260). The initial outlay of twins is obviously more- as is the maintenance, but twins are better right?- but the lower initial outlay and ongoing cost of a single installation seems to make best sense.

Having looked at many modern alternatives of 24-26 foot, they are all single engined. Help please, as Im going round in circles with this one!!!! What would you lot do? The boat will be used on the East Coast (Essex) and will be used for weekending around the Crouch/Blackwater/Orwell/Deben etc.

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[Its_Only_Money]

Larger single.

Spend a tiny proportion of the saving on making the single more robust with respect to the usual failure causes - ie carry spares, take a course telling you how to fit them and fit dual oversize primary fuel filters with a changeover. You'll still be in pocket.

Remember any twin installation WILL break down more frequently than a single, the difference is that in theory you have a spare engine available at all times. BUT the Carrera has a single fuel tank doesn't it? So all fuel will be contaminated together. Even if it is dual tanks, the chances are you will fill both tanks together from the same source so loading equal amounts of contaminated fuel into each one??? (taking that as an example failure cause). The twins are pretty close together so there is a fighting chance of fouling both at the same time....

Handling the Carrera shouldn't be a problem on a single engine in any case.

Oh and you'll have lots of money left over for proper servicing, you'll be able to take a good pre-emptive approach instead of waiting too long.....and whoever does the servicing will spend lots of easy time in the space around the motor instead of wondering just how to even look at "that bit round the side" that he can't even see due to lack of space....

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds

Simon
Its Only Money
Fairline Sprint
Solent-based

 

[omega2]

Makes good sense, also the weight of twin diesels is not a good thing unless you are talking 33' plus and even then one 300 will be better than two 150's, and more fuel efficient.

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[Chris_d]

Definately single, the British obsession with twins I find perplexing, on a boat this size its going to be cheaper to run, easier and cheaper to service and probably more reliable because it will be better maintained. If your still worried you'll have loads leftover for an auxiliary outboard which can power the tender as well. Carrera 24 will be doddle to a handle with a single outdrive.

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[SlowlyButSurely]

I can confirm this with actual experience. The only time I have had engine trouble at sea was fuel problems on a twin engined boat. Both engines died within minutes of each other and as it was a twin engined boat of course there was no auxiliary outboard.

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[martynwhiteley]

Got that tee shirt with my last B'wood 27 (for the few who don't remember!)

Converted from twin BMW petrols, to single new Mercruiser diesel.

Very successfully, and even made money on the sale.



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[dog]

Thanks to all for your opinions, confirmed what Ive been thinking really!! Just need to sell my current boat to pay for the new engine now- nice Fairline Weekender with Kad32 Diesel and loads of extras, if anyones interested PM me!!

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