Your Preferred Type - Motor / Fuel

Art said:

- Visitor has had and has no boat?
- Or, visitor simply knows not how to answer some of the selections??
- Or ????

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Okay. I'll fess up. I think I would prefer a diesel boat, but I have not and do not currently own a diesel boat. I guess I could check 5 as I do love the Cummins in my Ram pickup, though prior more then current. I certainly prefer them to any gas engine vehicle I've owned. But, since that's not boat related, I wasn't sure if I should. On a side note, I dread the thought of having to add DEF to marine diesel.

I currently own both diesel and gasoline engine boats. I do prefer gasoline. Quiet and very little smell, can run at low speed no problem and when fresh water cooled, very reliable. I think a small four cylinder displacement or semi-displacement gasoline inboard or I/O boat would be very nice. It may not get the fuel mileage that a diesel would but the lower price of the engine as well as the lower price of maintenance and parts would make up for that with the amount of hours most people put on their boats. In the sailboat world, the Atomic 4 has been a mainstay and it's a very sweet engine. A modern engine in the spirit of the Atomic 4 would be very sweet.

Kevin

tallswede said:

I currently own both diesel and gasoline engine boats. I do prefer gasoline. Quiet and very little smell, can run at low speed no problem and when fresh water cooled, very reliable. I think a small four cylinder displacement or semi-displacement gasoline inboard or I/O boat would be very nice. It may not get the fuel mileage that a diesel would but the lower price of the engine as well as the lower price of maintenance and parts would make up for that with the amount of hours most people put on their boats. In the sailboat world, the Atomic 4 has been a mainstay and it's a very sweet engine. A modern engine in the spirit of the Atomic 4 would be very sweet.

Kevin

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Hi Kevin

I believe you and I are on same page.

Gasoline engine provide a simple, relatively inexpensive power opportunity for boats under 40' or approx 27K lbs. Way I see it, after that length and/or weight of boat diesel torque becomes good choice. Regarding gasoline flammability as compared to diesel... yes... extra careful precautions need to be adhered to. With good ventilation systems and cautions for no leaks then all remains perfectly safe and OK.

Correctly used/maintained quality brand gas motors can last 4K + + hours. Depending on boat design/layout replacement can be pretty easy and relatively inexpensive. Diesels can also breakdown when reaching that usage span; costs could mount way up! That said; some diesels can last with no problem for 10 to 20K or more hours.

"Depending on boat design/layout replacement can be pretty easy and relatively inexpensive."

This is true for any fuel engine.

If purchasing a new build ask how the engine R&R is done.

A well maintained diesel can last 10K hours , but a bad exhaust ,(like a water lift with no drain) can kill an engine just starting dockside.

Where's Don on Moonstruck... when he's needed??

Don, haven't seen you post for a while... hope all is OK.

Art

tallswede said:

I currently own both diesel and gasoline engine boats. I do prefer gasoline. Quiet and very little smell, can run at low speed no problem and when fresh water cooled, very reliable. I think a small four cylinder displacement or semi-displacement gasoline inboard or I/O boat would be very nice. It may not get the fuel mileage that a diesel would but the lower price of the engine as well as the lower price of maintenance and parts would make up for that with the amount of hours most people put on their boats. In the sailboat world, the Atomic 4 has been a mainstay and it's a very sweet engine. A modern engine in the spirit of the Atomic 4 would be very sweet.

Kevin

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I agree w you Kevin. The old flat head gas marine engines were sweet engines indeed. For small ones there was the Brenan Imp too. Though I've never heard one of them run. There was a recent poster that said an OHV engine usually found on outdrives (chevy?) was a very quiet and smooth running engine. That's a LOT more modern than flat heads .. more like my 73 Buick. Don't know much of anything about smalish modern gas inboards. Does Crusader presently offer 4 & 6cyl gas engines?

Very few here are going to "like" gasoline engines. They/we like trawlers and the essence of trawler is heavy and being more like commercial craft. A gas engined trawler wouldn't fly very well at the brokers office either. I don't understand guys like Mark that says he loves the noise and vibration of his diesel engine. He likes steam engines too and I like scream'in Jimmies but I doubt if I could live w one day in day out w/o a lot of sound Insulation.
Many people these days just like noise though .. like my neighbors. And those that like diesel PU trucks definitely like noise .. or don't even hear it.

"Cruisin" to the sound of the big diesel boom"....JB


Several generations of cruisers grew up with that line from the song.


If a diesel boat is set up well...the noise and vibration are so insignificant...who gives a rat's rear end....people like what they like.


They even have other preferences that some don't get.

1735 visits so far... not bad! More should chime in and vote/place their preferences on the detailed poll at top of page!

Thought I'd bring this poll-thread back into play while we all first begin to open our eyes (and maybe even our boats - lol) as we begin to really think about getting ready for 2016 boating season. Seems the poll results at page top are fairly interesting regarding preferences, what was/is owned, and how each engine type is felt about by owner. Some of the threads are quite interesting!

Happy 2016 Boating Daze! - Art

My .02 cents, I am pretty much a gas motor guy and have been for 50 years. A few boats and many many cars and trucks later I still prefer gas to diesel unless the boat is somewhere over 20,000 lbs. A couple years ago I sold our 2 diesel trucks ( both excellent trucks) and now only own gas vehicles. The ease, cost, reliability and familiarity of working on gas rigs is my reason why.
Over the years I have driven many "old" gas trucks ( some should have never been driven across the street, much less across the country) across the country as a hobby with what I would call adventuresome results. Never, not once has one of those tired old gas motors let me down. Just about 3 weeks ago I flew out and bought a 1964 GMC factory 4X4 truck in Portland Oregon and drove it 2500 miles home and a month prior to that I drove a 1974 Chevy C60 2900 miles from Bend, Oregon (with a 1965 Ford F-250 on the back with a Yamaha 550 Maxim in back of the ford). It was a Jed clampit special going down the highway. Gas motors can and do last a long long time. I dig the vintage ones.

Greetings,
Mr. A. In response to your query. All of the above. Horses for courses. Our "big" boat-twin Lehman 120. Our "small" boat-single "Chebby" 350. Wouldn't switch either over to the other type of engine.
As to our road vehicles. All, thus far, have been gasoline although I wouldn't necessarily discount diesel in the future. Regarding alternative road fuels...No propane/LNG nor electric. The distribution system and/or technology is just not satisfactory at this time.

roguewave,
I remember those old gas trucks of the 50's. Not much power so low geared and would be really sing'in or scream'in on the road. Hour after hour year after year. Seemed it should'nt be but years down the road they'd be still singing the same song.

RT,
I had a 73 propane fueled Buick and really liked it. I had access to an industrial source of cheap propane so millage wise it was like driving a little Honda. Now and then a slight smell of propane but it was very slight. May be more in a boat though (may not too) but of course the same fire danger as gasoline.

RT Firefly said:

Regarding alternative road fuels...No propane/LNG nor electric. The distribution system and/or technology is just not satisfactory at this time.

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We do have quite a few hybrids in our business, Honda Accord and Honda Civic. So far we've been very pleased with them. Do they justify the added cost or the effort? Not financially. At best they may be break even and probably not even that with the drop in gas prices. I still like them for our use which is to be driven by employees between locations in Dade, Broward and West Palm counties. We could probably go with straight electric but haven't gotten that brave yet.

For personal use, we're all gas.

Boats, all diesel except center console and RIB's, but most of my life was all gas.

Interesting poll results. See top of page. %ages in 1 thru 10 seem to mirror one another regarding their juxtapositions to one another in comparison to the long term meanings of votes chosen.

Round n' Round We Go!!