prv
Well-known member
Escaping petrol or fumes fall out the bottom of cars. If petrol can escape out the bottom of your boat then fire is the least of your worries.
Pete
Petrol Or Diesel et al from A Beginner
- Thread starter Davinder
- Start date
Escaping petrol or fumes fall out the bottom of cars. If petrol can escape out the bottom of your boat then fire is the least of your worries.
Pete
theoldsalt
Active member
Boats with inboard petrol engines should be fitted with engine room bilge blowers that discharge any petrol fumes overboard before any attempt to start the engine as sparks can ignite the vapour and cause an explosion.
I believe this is law for inland waters but it makes sense anywhere.
I believe this is law for inland waters but it makes sense anywhere.
planteater
New member
Also, neglected cars only last about 10 years before going out of service. Boats last for 40+ with minimal/no maintenance or inspection.
Spyro
Well-known member
Good point. Also it wont do a big diesel any good tottering around at idle speed for hours on end. They need to be run hard.
Deefor
New member
A "sea" type boat (S28) will do sea and rivers but a river type boat won't do both.
So if it's rivers only and a first purchase, why not a Seamaster, Freeman, Viking, or the like? Cheaper to buy, good resale value, more practical and if after one season boating's not your thing, you ain't gonna lose loads of cash if you sell up.
I guess the OP fancies the idea of a swish looking boat but what does he really want - looks or praticality?
So if it's rivers only and a first purchase, why not a Seamaster, Freeman, Viking, or the like? Cheaper to buy, good resale value, more practical and if after one season boating's not your thing, you ain't gonna lose loads of cash if you sell up.
I guess the OP fancies the idea of a swish looking boat but what does he really want - looks or praticality?
[10753]
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My boat used to have a Watermota Seawolf petrol engine prior to re-engine to a diesel, the main reason being 10 years ago diesel was still much cheaper than petrol. As long as you maintain regularly then there's no problem.
Main advantages of petrol engine is that the engine is much quieter and smoother. Parts are generally more available - Halfords and most motor factors could supply spares.
Disadvantages - any damp in the fuel caused problems where as diesel seems to be less fussy. Petrol engines have more electrical bits to make them work whereas diesel in theory would almost run submerged.
Hand cranking a petrol engine is much easier, not even sure my engine has any decompression levers or a hand crank available.
Diesel seems to protect the tank better from corrosion. There's no petrol bug but doesn't petrol go off after a while ?
A friend of mine swears by his petrol engine - now 45 years old.........
Purely down to choice - bit like ferro vs grp vs steel vs alloy vs wood. No right answer.
Main advantages of petrol engine is that the engine is much quieter and smoother. Parts are generally more available - Halfords and most motor factors could supply spares.
Disadvantages - any damp in the fuel caused problems where as diesel seems to be less fussy. Petrol engines have more electrical bits to make them work whereas diesel in theory would almost run submerged.
Hand cranking a petrol engine is much easier, not even sure my engine has any decompression levers or a hand crank available.
Diesel seems to protect the tank better from corrosion. There's no petrol bug but doesn't petrol go off after a while ?
A friend of mine swears by his petrol engine - now 45 years old.........
Purely down to choice - bit like ferro vs grp vs steel vs alloy vs wood. No right answer.
Davinder
New member
Thanks to all of you for your comments - not sure I am able to reach a conclusion yet but the information is appreciated.
What is a "OP"??
What is a "OP"??
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
Original Poster
prv
Well-known member
chi-girl
New member
how about a boat like a Viking 32 wide beam with a 4st outboard.
Deefor
New member
chi-girl
New member
My husband and I started out on Narrow boats on the GU canal and then to bigger river cruisers and mostly vikings23/26/32 with outboards as I liked the safety aspect of not having out-drives etc to leak.
when hubby passed away early this year and we moved to Chichester I sold our Viking 32 and bought a small 17ft Shetland with new outboard and trailer to use the harbour as there wasn't many places I could use the Viking on rivers around here.
when hubby passed away early this year and we moved to Chichester I sold our Viking 32 and bought a small 17ft Shetland with new outboard and trailer to use the harbour as there wasn't many places I could use the Viking on rivers around here.
rafiki_
Well-known member
Sailboats not much fun on a river, unless it is less than 15ft long. Have sailed 25 footers on the Norfolk rivers, but difficult to make much progress. Tacking is constant, and therefore hard work unless you really enjoy it. Wind is usually flukey due to trees on the riverbank, and hire mobo's really frustrating, as the helms have no idea what is going on in a sailboat, so make the most supid decisions.
There are many petrol engined boats on the R Severn, and chug along quite happily at 1-2 gph. Rafiki has twin diesels, and also chugs aloing quite happily using less than 0.5-1 gph.
Sealine S28 is a nice boat, and as Neale says is great for 2 people, but a bit tight below decks for more. Most have twin 170 KAD diesels with the superchargers. Again, I will bow to Neale's knowledge on these, but I have heard mixed views on these on the rivers.