Swedish veteran flotilla 2015

[MeaCulpa]

Typical of a 'boutique' engine, allows for nice short therefore rigid journal at the expense of critical bearing area.

IF the Italian C.G submitted to competitive tendering under E.U rules these engines would cease to exist, let alone meeting emissions legislation. How do they get away with it??

The tender bit is easy, if I remember my public procurement courses from uni correctly that is; the Coast Guard in Italy is part of the defence forces and therefore doesn't have to adhere to the EU procurement directives unless they, on a case by case basis, choose to "opt in". Being defence also should mean that environmental regulations is whatever they like it to be. Having said that, isn't it really the, guarda di finanzia that's running all the "cool stuff"?

 

[Teawby]

LOL, not arguing with that. I actually saw that coming, sort of...
Yep, all understood and agreed - btw, the comparable power is also produced at a radically different rpm range between the CRM and the Cat (2100 vs. 1600), and I guess that's another factor potentially affecting durability.

Nonetheless, the weight difference remains nothing short of astonishing - wouldn't you expect to see such power to weight difference between a NA and a TA engine, if that?
And even if I don't doubt for a minute that life to overhaul is much longer in the Cat, seeing the CRM still doing its job on this military vessel after more than half a century would make one think that it isn't just a disposable engine, after all...

Purely out of curiosity, LS: what's your take on these articulating rods of the W18?

Inside the engine: