View Single Post
Old 01-18-2016, 10:06 AM   #39
Ski in NC
Technical Guru
 
Ski in NC's Avatar
 
City: Wilmington, NC
Vessel Name: Louisa
Vessel Model: Custom Built 38
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,194
To me a big deal is having just a little bit of "stack talk". Call me weird, whatever. On one DS I set up I got the muffler just right and you could hear the engine note. A diesel running at low rpm makes a pleasant tone.

On another with a DD we put what we thought was a good muffler and that thing was still too damn loud. Running at hull speed, it was ear muff time on the back deck, and even in the pilot house unless pilot house doors were shut. Owner did not want to revisit the muffler so it is what it is. DD's are notoriously hard to make quiet, and that one was a 4-53 which is worst of the worst.

On my boat I went with wet, and did the best job I could do building the water lift muffler. Well I get zero "stack talk", if you can call it that with wet. I know that Cummins at 950 really sounds good from other boats with lesser mufflers, and I can't hear anything!!

We do have a couple SF boats with straight pipes, one has two of my same engine. It sounds great. For about five minutes, then it is like a Harley. Too dang loud. But sounds great barking the motors while maneuvering. Fun!! But a long run at 2100 and I'm looking for ear muffs.

Wet exhaust just reminds me of some animal with severe gastronomic distress. But for most boats it is more practical.

Driving a Camry is also practical, but where's the coolness factor there??
Ski in NC is offline   Reply With Quote