petrol v deisel. facts

derekh · 4 Jan 2004

Since I purchased My boat, a 28' sports cruser I have kept a log including costs. I thought I would share my experience with any who are thinking of repowering. Original engines were merc 260 hp on alpha 1 legs
1998 purchased boat @ £20k I used it for 50 hrs. @ £3200 fuel and £1200 maint.
1999 used £3750 fuel with £2500 maint (Cracked block)
2000 used £2500 fuel with £800 maint.
2001 installed a pair of kad32 dp's @£20,000 inc everything new. wiring, batteries, tanks,filters etc. (Kept the old steering wheel) Fuel £600 with 100 approx hours use. maint £0 (Also sold old engines and kit for £2000)
2002 100 approx hours £650, £500 service costs.
2003 100 approx hours £650, no service costs yet as to be serviced end Jan.
300 hours use with my old engines would have cost approx £19,000 yes £19,000 estimated at 8 galls per hour each engine. plus old engine maint. as you can understand at the end of 2000 I wanted to sell the boat. I advertised her and got no callers. Dealers did not want to trade in, I started to loose my love of boating. My decision to repower was not cheap, but as you can see the savings along with the extra resale value is a descision worth making.

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paulineb · 4 Jan 2004

The main difference is you can spell petrol Derek, but you can't spell diesel /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Pxx

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.paulinebeddoes.co.uk/php-cgi/gallery2>Perils of Pauline in Pics</A>

omega2 · 4 Jan 2004

Why buy petrol lumps in the first place?

<hr width=100% size=1>J HAMER

hlb · 4 Jan 2004

Your like an apposal. Hope they can see the light.../forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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

Haydn

Dave1258 · 4 Jan 2004

We can make mistakes!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>If you don't make mistakes, you aren't really trying.

seafarer · 4 Jan 2004

I feel a lot better now. Thanks Derek

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Happy1 · 4 Jan 2004

How on earth can you compare new diesel engines against old petrol ones!! Your calculations are for that particular boat and for your particular circumstances, in no way can it be general for all engines or boats. A true comparison would be done against new of both on identical boats. Now have you ever thought what the costs would have been if you had re-engined with new petrol ones /forums/images/icons/wink.gif Or had a boat with only one engine like mine /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif Now I am the one saving money, why do you need two engines anyway, you could have saved more costs by just having one /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know"

BrendanS · 4 Jan 2004

....such as choosing big orange tomato for a user piccie?

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate

derekh · 4 Jan 2004

Pauline you are famous. I am honoured to have you reply to my post. Sorry about the spelling. Had I a better education I probably couldnt afford the boat. but the real reason is that while the boat runs on dIesel I run on a good red wine

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Dave1258 · 4 Jan 2004

No mate, nowt to do with toms oranges or any other fruits (not going down the Norton line!!!) it's gonna cost me an arm and a leg to fix me boat! friggin' petrol binliner, Grrrr ......stupid weather..........sodding winterising carry on,......outrageous engine parts prices,..........
If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all!

<hr width=100% size=1>If you don't make mistakes, you aren't really trying.

derekh · 4 Jan 2004

hello Happy1. I considered a single diesel but I would only have been able to squeeze in a 4 cylinder. the boat is 3.5 tonnes and now does 38 knots (I cruise at 25 to 28 knots). a single could have been an expensive gamble and performance would have been drastically compromised. My experience with petrol has been a nightmare which I would not ever, ever, wish to repeat. I am sure new petrol engines would give better performance and consumption than my old ones but I don't believe they could return the massive savings offered by diesel.

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Happy1 · 4 Jan 2004

Well I must say if your are flying along at 38knts with 3.5 tonnes under you and you wanted to keep the same boat, then you have made the right decision /forums/images/icons/wink.gif I just thought that diesel was for the old boys that like to dawdle along. You have certainly shown that their are diesel heads with a bit if fun in them yet /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

I wonder what speed your boat would do with two new Volvo 8.1 GXI (420hp) duo props in /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif

Sorry to hear of your petrol nightmares, I have yet to experience one, but I'm sure my time will come, not to say there are not diesel ones as well, like the full duty being put on it /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know"

Col · 4 Jan 2004

Mine has diesels. Trip to Yarmouth? Remember? Dawdle indeed!

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/colspics> Cols Picture Album</A>

duncan · 4 Jan 2004

yea - me too and I only have 1!
btw the top speed with those 2 petrols is irrelevant - at £300 per hour I am not going to open the throttles that far!

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Happy1 · 5 Jan 2004

I must say I would put definately put you and Duncan in the 'fast diesel head' bracket /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif I was actually amazed at how fast Duncan's boat went, I had a job shaking him off, if it hadn't been for me tossing heavy gear overboard he would have caught me /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif I was down to SWMBO and she would have been next /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif As for your boat I was sucked into the vortex at 40+ knots all the way from the Hamble to Yarmouth I seem to remember, first time ever at sea for me. BarryH my co-pilot (as it did seem we were flying), spent the whole trip on the porta potti /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif until he commited an act of piracy /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

Can't wait for the Summer, see what little surprise I may have in store for the boating season /forums/images/icons/wink.gif But summer will be with me next week as I have now got SWMBO's and my membership for the Waikiki Yacht club sorted, looks like it is going to be one hell of a time out there from the conversations I have had /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif Let's hope Kauai & Maui are going to be just as lively as well and the sharks keep away, that reminds me better check SWMBO's insurance clauses /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif.

<hr width=100% size=1> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know"

martynwhiteley · 5 Jan 2004

Good to hear your story Derek.

You tackled the problem in style compared with my venture - converting from twin petrol BMW's to a single Merc. diesel.

My outlay was only a net £7K, yet some people have still tried to argue against how cost effective it was, and do you really acheive the planned pay-back.

But even with your net £18K layout, you've shown just how cost effective (and pleasurable) it can be.

<hr width=100% size=1> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A>

Solitaire · 5 Jan 2004

Only those that have done it know the real joy! Best thing I ever did converting. I find it amazing how some people can talk so much rubbish from a position of total ignorance. Even if the fuel price is equalised, you and I both know that we will get more nautuical miles for our bucks than we ever got B4 we switched. I'm averaging 1.17 litres per nautical mile at the moment. I get nearly twice the range out of the same tank - 200 litres! My conversion in the ned cost around £6.5k. I've made that on the increased value of the boat on its own and that is based on an official broker figure. You and I stick together Martyn/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Boating is <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.powerboat-training.co.uk>Serious</A> Fun

Jim44 · 5 Jan 2004

I agree, dont know why some people seem so against diesel, I swapped from a Single engined Petrol Bayliner to a twin engined Diesel twice the size. I am convinved I have halved my fuel bill and would not swap back for anything. I would also consider swapping my 3.0l Petrol sports boat to diesel if i was going to keep it more than a year, which i am not due to the pending ban on windermere.

For the orginal poster I am very pleased that his conversion has worked out so well and kept him in boating.

As for people that have only had a petrol boat, how can you compare or comment??

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MedDreamer · 5 Jan 2004

Re: petrol v diesel. facts

Thats even with diesel at 50p per litre on Windermere then Jim? - talk about captive audience !!

Martyn

<hr width=100% size=1>Do you think a Fleming 55 would look out of place on Windermere?

Jim44 · 5 Jan 2004

Re: petrol v diesel. facts

Last fill up, just before Xmas was 46p per litre, but yes very much captive audience.

With Aquatics not having fuel at the moment, due to new jetties, Shepards is the only option for large amounts of fuel but I did get a discount from 52p due to quanity.

It was confirmed to me that they do watch each others prices and always try to be the same. Very Expensive when you think you can get it at 36p.

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