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ipw

ipw

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 Dec 2003
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194
Location
lancashire boat in York
www.weirstreet.co.uk
I HAVE HAD THE BOATING BUG SINCE 7 .NOW IN MY FORTYS WITH WIFE AND 2 KIDS I AM AFTER A SPORTS CRUISER .ARE YOU BETTER WITH A 90s BAYLINER TYPE PETROL AROUND 25ft FOR LEARNING THE ROPES OR WITH A 80`S 25ft DIESEL WITH MORE PROBLEMS/BOTCHES BUT GOOD FUEL ECONOMY .ANY ADVICE PLEASE AS ANYBODY MUST HAVE STARTED SOMEWHERE ? .

<hr width=100% size=1>i am after stepping up the ladder from my rib up to a sports cruiser
 
Welcome, you have arrived on a quiet day. Better not to write in capitals though, it upsets folk as sounds like shouting. You will find it difficult to find a 25ft boat with diesel, but will if you look hard enough. Depends how much your going to use the boat and where. Biggest problem with petrol is getting hold of the stuff, diesel is much more reliable so if a bit older, does not matter so much. I'd look for diesel.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Dont even think petrol, highly expensive and highly volatile....now have you ever thought of canvas???? what ever you decide... enjoy...but most important...take care...good luck....you will need it.

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As has been pointed out many a time. If petrol engined boats so dangerous, why do that make so many of them in the US, which is probably the most litigious society on this planet.

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate
 
A good rule of thumb in the industry is that you don't know what you really want until your third boat. Petrol is fine for day and weekend trips. If you want to go serious cruising, you'll have to do a lot more planning, as diesel is more widely available.

You'll have far more choice in petrol boats at 25' which may make it easier to find a good specimen.

If looking at diesel boats, it's been said here on occassions, that far better to go for a well used high engine hours specimen, rather than a low engine hours specimen. Rational is that diesels that are well used are far less likely to develop problems, as they don't like sitting around idle

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate
 
For the same reason they bought huge numbers of cars notorious for blowing up at the slightest collision such as certain GM pick-up trucks and Ford Pintos?

Either they know and don't care or they don't know and don't care! :)

In the case of the GM pick-ups with the 'side-saddle' fuel tanks that went pop at the drop of a hat, the board at GM wrote a memo which was then leaked admitting that leaving the design problem in and paying any legal costs was cheaper than recalling and fixing them! :0

Of course that doesn't mean petrol engined boats are inherently dangerous, but the lower combustability and reluctance to vapourise of diesel must be a benefit in a confined space.


<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Well you stick to your sails if that's what you prefer. Me, I both motor boat and sail, and enjoy both.

You missed the point though. Cost of petrol is irrelevant. If petrol boats were so dangerous, American boat users would have litigated the manufacturers into bancrupcy long ago, and no US manufacturers would dare to carry on making them.

Have you noticed how many petrol engined cars are driving up and down the roads of the world. Petrol fires are just as rare there as they are in boats (despite what you see in films)

I've seen several boats burn, and have heard first hand experiences from many more. Exhaust bellows seem to be the most common cause of problems. The RNLI launches, about what, 4500 times a year. What percentage of those are for petrol fires?


IF safety is the only issue, then why go to sea? It's dangerous! Because we enjoy it and take steps to mitigate the dangers. Same applies to petrol engines. take the correct safety precautions and there is little chance of problems

Is your boat grp? Have you seen a grp boat go up in flames (no petrol aboard) .....quite impressive. And what about gas - do you have a gas cooker on board. Many sailing boats do. Have you seen what happens when a gas bottle explodes, or gas gets in the bilges, and one of those goes up! Instantaneous destruction, unlike a petrol fire where you have chance to get off.


<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate
 
Stick to Petrol, Diesel fuel will be the same price or thereabouts in a couple of years anyway /forums/images/icons/wink.gif There are some fantastic petrol bargains around, but it must fit in with the type of boating you want to do though. Comments about the availability of petrol are true, but that is not an issue if you plan properly and are using it for days out and weekends. The additional £10k cost of a diesel is also true /forums/images/icons/wink.gif. As for the safety aspect, that is all scare mongering IMHO, I am sure that insurance companies would not insure you if it was that much of a liability. I am with Brendan on this one, ignore the comments of those stuck with big diesels, they are upset about the more than likely imminent massive increase in duty IMHO /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

Oh! welcome, and /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif Christmas

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Brendan. He's talking about 25 ft. A bit bigger than yours or Happy's I thing. Infact it's nearly a real boat./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif You cant whip it round to the nearest garage. It's getting towards needing twins. Stop getting so sentimentle about that time bomb youve got in there, car might be OK with a leak. It drops on the road. Boat, you have 100 gallon in the bilge. Would not like to open hatch with fag in mouth, then splutter!!!

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Well I don't take mine to garage. It's permanently in Lymington or out at sea. You know I don't stick to Solent!!! Plenty of places to fill up. Petrol at Lymington now 83 p which not much different to road garages in the south of england.

As I said, petrol is OK for day and weekend stuff, if cruising, diesel makes planning easier - don't see that as bad advice? He wanted advice on pro's and con's and that is what he's receiving?

Some people on the forum won't accept anything other than diesel, Others of us seem to do fine with petrol. That's part of the advice he's receiving. At 25' he's on the borderline as to whether petrol or diesel a better bet. Petrol might be thirstier, but also get more oomph for your bucks.

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate
 
Brendan, we better get a Hazchem sticker for when we trailer the boat and we had also better get on one of those special driver training courses. Do you know where I can get one of those flameproof suits for towing with, you know the silver ones with a big hood on? I really never realised I was towing a potential BOMB!!

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
Well, I don't trailer, so no too worried about that side of it.

Always go everywhere with boat on the water. More fun that way. Going to Scillies via Cornwall in June if weather OK. With petrol, and know where to refuel. Everyone else trailering down to Cornwall.


<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate
 
No. You just think your going to Scillies!! You may get there else sink!!

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
This is going completely off topic, but why should I sink? I plan trips around sea conditions. If sea conditions not good, won't go, and apart from Lyme Bay, plenty of safe havens if conditions change. Always poke nose out into Lyme Bay before I make a crossing, and make a decision based on conditions.

Also plenty used to being out in rough stuff if I do encounter it.

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate
 
Went to the Aran Islands in a 17' open boat once!

(Having thoroughly checked the weather first, although you can never 100% trust the weather.)

(With twin petrols. But for a long distance, petrols are too guzzly.)
.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.begleys.com/kevin/weather.htm>Useful links for when cruising in Irish waters.</A>
 
Petrol not so scary as some suggest,imo.

Pricewise : depends on how much you'll use it whether petrol's going to break the bank. Some boaters insist on diesel for economy yet do so few hours it'd hardly matter either way.

Depending on area, petrol from marinas is tricky.

something 80's ,25' & diesel is going to be rather short of the "sports" in "sportscruiser" perhaps, esp if for same wack as 90's bayliner & moving up from a rib.....of course I may be ignoring many ideal boats that others will now mention, in which case I've done you a favour.

If learning the ropes, go for later, easily shiftable boats- you probably won't keep it & shd spend the time boating, not undoing bodging.



<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Hi Ian

I went through the exact same questions when we bought our boat, we had a 1990 sea ray that just started to give problems and was starting to cost money on repairs.

We decided to go for newer petrol boat, most of the older ones smelt of damp and would drive us mad.

We opted for Four Winns 238 Vista at 24' with single 5.0 Gi petrol engine, whildt the fuel economy is not great, we seem to spend more time relaxing on her, rather than motoring.

Hope that this helps

P.S the boat is for sale if interested

Sorry if this seems like a soft sell.

Paul

<hr width=100% size=1>V8's rule!
 
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