Art, Good post!
I believe we have had a conversation early on when I first joined, on the subject of Gas over Diesel. As a refresher. in my early career days with Standard Oil, (60's)one of the daily assignments was on the marine fuel dock. After three explosions, (all on commercial fishing boats and all gas powered) followed up by a massive pleasure boat explosion at a distant lodge while visiting in our boat, I swore that as soon as I could,gas pots would be out!!
Because of the income level at that stage gas boats were the only game.
Before that Art, as a 14 year old,(50's) fishing on commercial seine boats where a young fellow started, all of the boats were gas, old, and in poor shape. Matter of fact my job each morning was as follows: The bunk I slept in was over one of the gasoline fuel tanks. Above my head by bare inches, was the overhead. On deck was he oil stove fuel tank which fed the stove off to my right as I lay in the bunk. As normal on these older low cared for boats" the oil line had a slight leak. Fix it? sure a tuna fish can with a wire loop to hold it under the drip. Each morning before I raised my head, I would gingerly take the about full can, and pour the contents into the previously lifted stove top lid. Then strike a match and start the stove. What a perfect picture for a disaster!!
The next boat was an upgrade to steel and still it had a Chrysler Royal power plant, then finally a "Diesel Powered" seine boat (65 HP Atlas)
So yes I have had my fill and experience with cruising long distance with gas and yes modern gas pots are much improved and the incident level has reflected those improvement.
Charge it off to being able to deal with diesel only for all the reasons diesel is the more respected mode of power.
Sure gasoline marine engines have their place. Really like it to be down the float from me, which is not the case currently. Having a smaller boat now over years past places me in the vicinity of majority gas powered boats. I am not daily sweating being there, just happy not to be a owner of one.
As to the Tolly, I had my eye on a couple of those Yanmars I gave as an example Natural aspirated as the example was. Perkins 4-108's were also in the running those being before I became enamored with the 4-236 Perkins
Enjoyed the conversation,
Al