Smoking Stinking Choking Diesels in Marinas and Locks

Halo

Halo

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Dear All
Over the last few weeks I have visited a number of marinas. In each one I have noticed blokes running diesel engines on tickover or fast idle and producing masses of blue smoke which stinks the place out.
Which comes first - the desire to run engines on idle leading to glazed bores and a blue exhaust - or a worn engine that needs to be run for ages on idle ??

Similarly in locks people leave thier engines running for ages. Some of these really stink and are enough to choke a pig. Sometimes I have politely asked people to switch off their engines in the lock and have had a mixture of positive responses, being ignored and outright hostility - e.g. revving up !!

Why do people think it is a good idea to run engines when it is not necessary to do so and has anyone else askked them to stop?
 
June last year, I was berthed in Oban Marina downwind of a Dutch motor boat. It had been there since early May. There was nobody on board, they had gone back to Holland until the end of July. Every day at 07.30 and 16.30 the diesel heater switched itself on and emitted a terrible cloud of unburnt fuel for several hours. The stench was dreadful and got in our mouths and made our eyes water. The marina staff could not get into the boat to switch it off. This was inconsiderate in a major way!
 
Juggler7823 said:
June last year, I was berthed in Oban Marina downwind of a Dutch motor boat. It had been there since early May. There was nobody on board, they had gone back to Holland until the end of July. Every day at 07.30 and 16.30 the diesel heater switched itself on and emitted a terrible cloud of unburnt fuel for several hours. The stench was dreadful and got in our mouths and made our eyes water. The marina staff could not get into the boat to switch it off. This was inconsiderate in a major way!
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Should have rammed a spud up the exhaust...would soon stop!
 
It's the same locking in and out of Port Solent ... they park the thing right under the large gaily painted bright red 'Please switch off your engine' signs with their engines chugging away, sometimes two! I suppose the people manning the lock office should come out and tell them off - not seen it happen yet.
 
Halo said:
Similarly in locks people leave thier engines running for ages. Some of these really stink and are enough to choke a pig. Sometimes I have politely asked people to switch off their engines in the lock and have had a mixture of positive responses, being ignored and outright hostility - e.g. revving up !!
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You have to be reasonable, after all their engine may not start again
 
I recommend Millers Ecomax fuel additive. This improves the combustion and reduces the smell as well as giving smoother quiter running and better fuel consumption. It works on the water as well as it does on the road.

I personally use & recommend for marine & motorhome use, their Eclipse Powercide product which does the same job but also includes a biocide to eliminate diesel bug. Its not available to the public due to COSHH and H&S restrictions which speaks volumes on how effective it is. (used by the professionals eg hauliers, for their trucks and storage tanks as well as reducing their fuel bills and is added in a 1:1000 ratio so is very cost effective.)

Millers Oils

I recommend & use their lubricants as well.
 
Got to agree, we have the dirtiest engines in the world, we single up then knock on our neighbours coach roof, tell them to close all windows and doors, and apologise before we start them, as soon as they fire up the ropes are off and so are we. People who leave engines "ticking over" to charge batteries and the like need looking at.
 
omega2 said:
Got to agree, we have the dirtiest engines in the world, we single up then knock on our neighbours coach roof, tell them to close all windows and doors, and apologise before we start them, as soon as they fire up the ropes are off and so are we. People who leave engines "ticking over" to charge batteries and the like need looking at.
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That's why I'm now on F pontoon :)
 
On the non tidal Thames it is the rule that engines are turned off in locks but some people think it doesn't apply to them to them so everyone suffers until the lock keeper reminds them of the rules.
 
bulto said:
On the non tidal Thames it is the rule that engines are turned off in locks but some people think it doesn't apply to them to them so everyone suffers until the lock keeper reminds them of the rules.
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It's a common instruction in Continental locks too and generally obeyed, though that may partly be that the locks are enormous and take long time to pass through.
 
Port Solent, my pet hate is when leaving the engines in gear, to resist surge. Makes it that much more interesting for others attempting to share the space. But less smoke though
 
Unfortunately quite a number of folk run engines through ignorance. A neighbour of mine has about 800hp on tap and whenever he's down out of season he runs the engines on idle for a couple of hours to "warm them through and keep them turning over". It's an environmental disaster as well as being pretty inconsiderate for others thereabouts.
 
Robih said:
Unfortunately quite a number of folk run engines through ignorance. A neighbour of mine has about 800hp on tap and whenever he's down out of season he runs the engines on idle for a couple of hours to "warm them through and keep them turning over". It's an environmental disaster as well as being pretty inconsiderate for others thereabouts.
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This is why I didn't buy a house in Port Solent.
It's foul on a Saturday morning, lots of diesels running up like being in a freight yard.
 
As a Mobo owner was taught from a early age that it was common courtesy to switch of your engines when stationary.Especially in locks and enclosed spaces.
If you are worried about them starting again....get your blimming boat sorted.
 
I know people who run their engine in neutral for 15 mins before they set of to warm the engine up, and another 15 mins after they take it out of gear to sail, for it to cool down. It irritates the life out of me when I sail with them.
In Port Solent Lock a few years ago, when I had my old Vire engine, the lock keeper asked me to switch off, I did, then spent the next 24 hours on the outside pontoon, with the engine refusing to start.

Most engines only smoke on the initial start up, if they carry on smoking through the trip they need sorting.
 
Halo said:
Dear All
Over the last few weeks I have visited a number of marinas. In each one I have noticed blokes running diesel engines on tickover or fast idle and producing masses of blue smoke which stinks the place out.
Which comes first - the desire to run engines on idle leading to glazed bores and a blue exhaust - or a worn engine that needs to be run for ages on idle ??

Similarly in locks people leave thier engines running for ages. Some of these really stink and are enough to choke a pig. Sometimes I have politely asked people to switch off their engines in the lock and have had a mixture of positive responses, being ignored and outright hostility - e.g. revving up !!

Why do people think it is a good idea to run engines when it is not necessary to do so and has anyone else askked them to stop?
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You worry about diesel engines....

Many years ago my father's boss owned the steam launch in the picture below.

I went for a trip on the day his son sold it. I dont know where the boat yard got the coal from but it made more smoke than steam! We only went through one lock but the poor people who followed us in ended up curled up in the bottom of their boat covered over with coats and blankets. Nothing we could do with the fire banked but fortunately we were locked through fairly quickly.

scan0091.jpg
 
Chrissie said:
I know people who run their engine in neutral for 15 mins before they set of to warm the engine up, and another 15 mins after they take it out of gear to sail, for it to cool down.
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The small boat marine engineers love people who do that. It helps to keep them in work.....
 
As I recall the upper Thames and Trent insist in shutting off engines in locks.

Haven't noticed any narrowboaters doing so yet though :D

To be fair it's mostly big old Volvos that smoke the worst and not many narrowboats have them.
 
Chrissie said:
and another 15 mins after they take it out of gear to sail, for it to cool down. It irritates the life out of me when I sail with them.
.
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My engine's instructions (Volvo) state that the engine should be idled for 15 mins before turning off, when hot. I seldom need to do this as most approaches involve a period of slow motoring anyway.
 
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