BigART
Well-Known Member
Brilliant reminisces gentlemen, wonderful reading over my cereal. Got me me and the Mrs chuckling, I thank you all. Looks like it’s off the Thames forum with it. Hopefully I won’t be yelled at for double posting.
What might this Stuart Turner Engine be worth?
- Thread starter BigART
- Start date
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Its funny thinking about the 'old' engines ... Dolphins, Vire, Stuarts ...
I can remember a number of Chief Eng'rs on ships talking about Doxfords and how they hated them !! One guy reckoned he'd like to get one and put it as ornament outside the Shipping Co office !!
But here's another oldie ....
My boat had a 4-99 Perkins which for reasons best not mentioned - siezed. I looked round at Beta ... Bukh ... all sorts but my pocket was refusing to open ! It meant changing shaft .. prop .. mounts ... a huge amount.
Yard mechanic then mentioned there was an old 4-107 sitting abandoned at back of shed ... been there years after taken out from a Rustler. Guy changed it because it started to smoke ...
Did a deal with the yard and mechanic then swapped the 4-99 with the 4-107 ... a direct drop in job. Gearbox and all.
That was many years ago and that 4-107 runs like a dream ... in fact the mechanic asked me if I wanted it stripped, cleaned etc before fitting. I said just 'brush her up and stick her in ...
He turned her over before installing and reckoned she was good to go.
It took about 30 seconds for her to start and yes she smoked a bit. We both agreed that she needed a good run ....
The only time she smokes now is when you open up full and she's basically pumping fuel in for nothing. I can get 9 kts through the water with the Sunrider 25 at 4 tons WOT.
Motor sailing - I set throttle at about 35% and cruise at 4.5 - 5kts all day long. Consumption ? Cruise is about 2 to 2.4ltrs an hour depending on seas. For a 1950's old donk - I reckon that's pretty good.
I can remember a number of Chief Eng'rs on ships talking about Doxfords and how they hated them !! One guy reckoned he'd like to get one and put it as ornament outside the Shipping Co office !!
But here's another oldie ....
My boat had a 4-99 Perkins which for reasons best not mentioned - siezed. I looked round at Beta ... Bukh ... all sorts but my pocket was refusing to open ! It meant changing shaft .. prop .. mounts ... a huge amount.
Yard mechanic then mentioned there was an old 4-107 sitting abandoned at back of shed ... been there years after taken out from a Rustler. Guy changed it because it started to smoke ...
Did a deal with the yard and mechanic then swapped the 4-99 with the 4-107 ... a direct drop in job. Gearbox and all.
That was many years ago and that 4-107 runs like a dream ... in fact the mechanic asked me if I wanted it stripped, cleaned etc before fitting. I said just 'brush her up and stick her in ...
He turned her over before installing and reckoned she was good to go.
It took about 30 seconds for her to start and yes she smoked a bit. We both agreed that she needed a good run ....
The only time she smokes now is when you open up full and she's basically pumping fuel in for nothing. I can get 9 kts through the water with the Sunrider 25 at 4 tons WOT.
Motor sailing - I set throttle at about 35% and cruise at 4.5 - 5kts all day long. Consumption ? Cruise is about 2 to 2.4ltrs an hour depending on seas. For a 1950's old donk - I reckon that's pretty good.
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Poignard
Well-Known Member
I wonder how many of today's yachtsmen would set off around the world in a 30-foot heavy displacement wooden yacht equipped with a 4hp Stuart-Turner auxiliary petrol engine, as Eric & Susan Hiscock did, successfully.
For their next circumnavigation, in the same yacht, they decided more power was desirable so they fitted a 8hp Stuart-Turner!
Judging by the excellent books describing their adventures, they seemed to get more pleasure out of these two circumnavigations than they did when they did it again in a much larger yacht with a powerful diesel engine and many more comforts.
For their next circumnavigation, in the same yacht, they decided more power was desirable so they fitted a 8hp Stuart-Turner!
Judging by the excellent books describing their adventures, they seemed to get more pleasure out of these two circumnavigations than they did when they did it again in a much larger yacht with a powerful diesel engine and many more comforts.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
OK ... what about people crossing Channel / North Sea in Wayfarers ... Silhouettes .... Alacrities etc. ?
Today if you mention such passage - the looks on faces when you say you don't have a 30ft 'r
I cross Baltic from Latvia to Sweden on my 25ft'r ... I've had people in Sweden ask me if I'm daft or suicidal !!
Stemar
Well-Known Member
When we first got our Snapdragon 24, I was looking for insurance. I had one of the first companies quote me for "UK waters". "OK, what about going cross channel?" "Oh no, 24ft is far too small to cross the channel!"
Needless to say, they didn't get our business and a few years later, we went across with far less drama than the time I thought 4-6 S becoming SW was an OK forecast to come back from Weymouth towards the Solent. We've only done it once, because we know the Cotentin pretty well, since Milady has family there and, frankly, a Channel crossing done right is boring, but that comment was fighting talk, so we had to do it once :triumphant:
Needless to say, they didn't get our business and a few years later, we went across with far less drama than the time I thought 4-6 S becoming SW was an OK forecast to come back from Weymouth towards the Solent. We've only done it once, because we know the Cotentin pretty well, since Milady has family there and, frankly, a Channel crossing done right is boring, but that comment was fighting talk, so we had to do it once :triumphant: