Petrol vs Diesel..

[RobertMartin]

In Australia the cost of petrol and diesel is almost the same 76c litre for petrol, 90c litre for diesel.

So, why are petrol engines not in yachts??

* the petrol explodes yes, but how many cars explode everyday??? and what about all those smaller yachts with outboards, they do not explode..

* There are more people that will work on petrol engines and a lot cheaper then the marine Shipwright...

* The petrol engine is cheaper, lighter, smaller, makes much less noise, parts are found everywhere.

* No bleeding fuel systems.

Yes the diesel uses less fuel, but on a yacht is this a consideration?? We use are sails after all.....



Bobby aka Seawolf..
Freedom is the song of your soul..

 

[Guest]

There is one other important consideration Robert. Diesel engines don't need electrics to run and often to start either. Salt air and coils and distributors or magnetos are not a good mix. From a safety point of view a diesel will run under water provided the air intake is not submerged. It takes only a little water in a bilge (and modern boats don't have a bilge worth mentioning) before a flywheel or pulley can start throwing water around and drowning the electrics on a petrol engine.

 

[andrewhopkins]

Safety

The posting by humdrumit is right, diesel is great for marine use as it doesnt need electricity to run.

You are right that cars dont (often) blow up but that is because the vapours can escape onto the road. In a boat, they sink to the bottom of the bilge waiting for someone to strike a match.

Also, if your engine did blow up in a car, you can jump out and walk into a little chef restaurant until the fire engine turns up. In a boat you had better hope the liferaft is working!

Diesel is far far far far safer and better for marine use. Also, the engines use less fuel to do the same job so if the prices are the same, then it will still save you money.

 

[oldsaltoz]

One flash and your ash........

 

[jollyjacktar]

The same price?

I'm glad that you think that 76c per litre for petrol is about the same price as diesel at 96c per litre. Most places in the world, except it seems Aussie, diesel is much cheaper than petrol. So except for Aussie the price difference alone is a good enough reason as well as the added economy [miles per litre thing] of the diesel motor.

What is the reason for the higher price in Australia? Have they added some sort of colonial road tax to the cost of diesel? Surely for use in boats, you can get a tax rebate?

 

[drawp]

Re: Why diesel? Safety!

Throw a match into a bucket of diesel & it will extinguish. Throw a match into a bucket of petrol you will get an explosion. Petrol is dangerous stuff in a confined space.

 

[brianrunyard]

Cars dont blow up because petrol vapour being heavier than air escapes onto the road, in a boat it stays in the bilge until you turn the key, one spark from the starter motor, altenator etc, and .......................!

 

[Guest]

there are, of course, many petrol powered boats "up over", mostly outboard but some inboard. if petrol and diesel were the same price, i suspect we would have many more petriol powered boats because the engines are inherently cheaper. lighter and quieter.
personally, i prefer diesel because of the safety aspect already mentioned, and because diesel does not have an ignition system which is susceptible to damp. once the engine is going, it is not dependant on electricity, and since you cannot keep damp out of a boat, a diesel engine is more reliable
using the wind is even cheaper. not being facetious, but last year down the french coast, i was v surprised how many boats did everything under sail including entering the marina. if your boat were very handy and sensibly light, i would think about binning the engine and getting an oar. lots of satisfaction from the level of skill involved. keep fit, too!

 

[Scubadoo]

Re: Why diesel? Safety!

Interesting comment, however I remember reading some where, ask a fireman whether he would stand next to Petrol tank or a Diesel Tank with a fire next to it, they choose the petrol one. Basically a diesel tank will ignite when the temp is high enough where as petrol does not (so I am told). However if the petrol tank was leaking then run!

But I'm still a Diesel fan and feel it is safer than petrol.

RM.

 

[drawp]

Re: Why diesel? Safety!

Richard. I can believe you re diesel warming up. I once re-lit a still-warm wood burning stove with diesel. (I'm not lazy really - just economical with my efforts.) When the fumes ignited, it did give me an unpleasant surprise. I wouldn't do it again while the stove is still hot.

 

[ArthurWood]

Never understood the logic: diesel is safer, so I'll have a diesel engine, but I'll also carry compressed gas for cooking etc and petrol for my outboard.