Time Bomb

In looking at trawlers to complete the Great Loop, I prefer a single engine, diesel setup for various reasons. If a boat came along that i really liked but was gasoline, would / should that be a deal breaker? From a safety standpoint, the thought of sleeping on top of 300 gallons of diesel is a little more comforting than sleeping on 300 gallons of gas. Valid concerns?

Are you keeping the boat after Looping? If not, I wouldn'tworry about it. Long term, my choice would be diesel. Buying gas instead of diesel should be significantly reflected in the price.

Ted

The diesel is designed to have much more longevity. The cost of diesel should always be lower and yes, gasoline is more explosive that diesel fuel; but both are of course flammable. And the value of the boat is increased with diesel power. IMHO

It would have to be cheap enough for me to be able to put a diesel in it down the road and get my money back..

Gasoline has its place but it's not in a hull speed trawler. Kind of defeats the purpose IMO.

The way some people use the semi planning hulls I think some people would be just as well off with gas but that's another thread.

Great loop boat doesn't have to be a trawler btw. I came across a 26' Trojan that would serve the purpose very well for one and it had a 360 gas engine. Only got about 2-3mpg at hull speed but matched that @ almost 20mph which would be awesome at times. Repowered with a 350efi I bet you could get some decent speed/mileage combo @ 18knots and could also be trailered

Casey6404 said:

From a safety standpoint, the thought of sleeping on top of 300 gallons of diesel is a little more comforting than sleeping on 300 gallons of gas. Valid concerns?

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Lots of folks sleep onboard gas boats all the time. Precautions necessary, as with many things, but assuming you trust yourself to take those precautions... no big deal.

Whether a boat might be otherwise suited for your intended use... can't say.

Mrwesson said:

It would have to be cheap enough for me to be able to put a diesel in it down the road and get my money back..

I came across a 26' Trojan that would serve the purpose very well for one and it had a 360 gas engine. Only got about 2-3mpg at hull speed...

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A dock neighbor converted his gas boat to diesel after losing one of the original engines. The boat was worth maybe $75K when he started, and maybe about $100K when he finished.... and I think the cost of that conversion was about $100K too (although that also included genset and some plumbing of some sort).

2-3 NMPG wouldn't be all that bad, in the grand scheme of things boat.


-Chris

We had a 1966 27’ Chris Craft Commander, single gas. We put over 5000 hours on that boat and would routinely go from Tacoma, WA to Vancouver or Victoria, BC. The engine was rebuilt once, long block for $3,500. We never even considered diesel. Back in the early to mid 80s diesel power, was something you though about in the bigger boats. We had a blast with that boat.

have natural gas or diesel heat in your home?

psneeld said:

have natural gas or diesel heat in your home?

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I get your point and don't misunderstand me. I'm ok with a gasoline system. As a matter of fact, several of the boats on my favorites list (for purchase) are gas. I was just seeking input from those of you with more experience in these matters. I have owned bass boats most of my life and I'm used to sitting on 60 to 80 gallons of gas without a second thought. I was second guessing my comfort level when it came to living with and sleeping with 300+ gallons of gas on a daily basis.

One thing to keep in mind on gas is range. Make sure it's enough. You must safely be able to make it 250 miles with some cushion.

See post #5 by Ranger. Almost impossible to change out power and come out on it. The shafting, proper propping and nothing fitting so then it is custom fit time. It just goes on and on when changing engines from what came in it.
There is a beautiful 40 something Matthews for sale with new Yanmars changed from Cummins. New engines+ install, $80k, boat for sale at $95 and been listed for MANY months. The guy/Family is going to take a close shave and a bath on that boat...my guess, $65-70.... the original purchase price of the boat+$80k and asking $95........ that is a major Ouch.

Here’s a good loop boat imho. It can go fast or slow, good living space for 2 with occasional guests and they’ll always be dock space for you. Buy it, do the loop and then decide. You can quit or sell it, and move up but you’re not out a lot (asking $26.5k). These are also trailerable and you’re on the right coast.

This one in the picture just sold for less than $15k but here’s a better one.

2001 Bayliner 2855 Ciera Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Larry M said:

Here’s a good loop boat imho. It can go fast or slow, good living space for 2 with occasional guests and they’ll always be dock space for you. Buy it, do the loop and then decide. You can quit or sell it, and move up but you’re not out a lot (asking $26.5k). These are also trailerable and you’re on the right coast.

This one in the picture just sold for less than $15k but here’s a better one.

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Will it go 250 miles on the 102 gallons of gas? At what speed would you have to run to do so?

BandB said:

Will it go 250 miles on the 102 gallons of gas? At what speed would you have to run to do so?

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I have no idea on what distance and what speed but the boat in the picture I posted supposedly did the loop. This maybe a question for the AGLCA.

Home - America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association

Larry M said:

I have no idea on what distance and what speed but the boat in the picture I posted supposedly did the loop. This maybe a question for the AGLCA.

Home - America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association

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Well, the maximum distance required is 250 miles.

There is no way that Bayliner will go 250 miles on 102 gallons of gas.

Petrol are cheap and easy to buy and a massive head ache to sell .You will pay up front for a diesel but the resale will make up for the expense.

PS Dont worry about fuel costs after a short period of ownership fuel is the least of your problems .

PSS I HATE PETROL BOATS

Boy, a Bayliner 2855 seems awfully small to me to do the Loop. It can do it, sure, John Mirassou and his buddies did it in a Boston Whaler, but I'll bet for most people that 2855 would feel really small after a year on the water, or trapped below over a few rainy cold days. We plan to do our Great Trip in our current boat unless we get something bigger. Very spacious for its size, feels huge downstairs. Very comfortable boat in our opinion. 300 gallon fuel tanks (total), gas. At the sweet spot of 1200 rpm at around 8-9 knots, gets 1.5 miles per gallon for a theoretical max range of 450 miles. Semi displacement, but I never try to push it on plane and it doesn't have trim tabs, so we kind of run it like a trawler anyway. We ran it from Massachusetts to the upper Hudson, about 350 miles through some pretty nasty weather in 2015 and were very happy with it. The high profile is the only thing that's not great, on a windy day it's like driving a billboard, even at 26,000 lbs dry. I wouldn't shy away from gas (petrol) necessarily.

Come to think of it there's a boat for sale exactly like ours, but diesel. Just finished the Loop too. Twice the price for those diesels (for what the asking price is worth). I can buy a lot of gas for $45,000.

37 Mainship Yacht for Sale | Motor Yachts | Palmetto Paradise | Curtis Stokes Yacht brokers

If you have a gas boat you will want vapor monitors in the engine room and in the fuel tank spaces. With vapor monitoring you really diminished safty differnce between gas and diesel.


I agree, you can not convert a gas boat to diesel and break even, better to sell and buy something else.


Weather you loop in gas or diesel is an economics question. If you had two identical Uniflite 42's and one was gas at $35,000 and the other diesel at $80,000 which would be cheaper. Both boats are going to depreciate at similar %'s so that's not very relevant. The diesil boat is going to cost you $2700 a year in interst or loss of investment income. The gas boat will use $10,000 more fuel to do the trip. Now it comes down to maint. If you puke a gas engine, they are cheap to replace. If you puke a diesel engine not nearly as cheap but, the diesel engine is more reliable.


So there really is no general answer to this question. Its very much a boat by boat case.

tiltrider1 said:

...So there really is no general answer to this question. Its very much a boat by boat case.

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Yep, what he said. And boater by boater.

Another question .Would you rather be in a diesel boat lobbing along at 7 knots or a petrol ?

gaston said:

Another question .Would you rather be in a diesel boat lobbing along at 7 knots or a petrol ?

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Diesel of course but that's the problem, it's never that simple. The real question is, how much higher a purchase price am I willing to pay, how long am I going to keep the boat, and how many thousands of miles am I going to run it?

If I had ever taken economics into the decision to do anything in life I would never get out of bed in the morning

kthoennes said:

Diesel of course but that's the problem, it's never that simple. The real question is, how much higher a purchase price am I willing to pay, how long am I going to keep the boat, and how many thousands of miles am I going to run it?

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Not so quick. Diesel at 7 knots or petrol at 15, some of us might select the petrol. That's the thing in making the decision, there are always many factors, not just type of fuel.

BandB said:

Not so quick. Diesel at 7 knots or petrol at 15, some of us might select the petrol. That's the thing in making the decision, there are always many factors, not just type of fuel.

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I think we are on a Trawler Forum nothing to do with speed

gaston said:

I think we are on a Trawler Forum nothing to do with speed

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I think you're under an illusion and at least 40% of the boats owned by members here are capable of well above 7 knots. A lot of Bayliners, Mainships, Sea Rays, American Tugs, Ranger Tugs, Tollycraft, SF's.

BandB said:

I think you're under an illusion and at least 40% of the boats owned by members here are capable of well above 7 knots. A lot of Bayliners, Mainships, Sea Rays, American Tugs, Ranger Tugs, Tollycraft, SF's.

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15?

Casey6404 said:

..... I'm ok with a gasoline system...... I'm used to sitting on 60 to 80 gallons of gas without a second thought. I was second guessing my comfort level when it came to living with and sleeping with 300+ gallons of gas.....

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I don't think the problems associated with gas engines come in small or large. If it all goes bad, I'm not sure the difference between 80 gallons vs 300 gallons will matter to you. It will matter to the boats that are 5 or 6 slips away from you....but your outcome will be the same either way.

gaston said:

If I had ever taken economics into the decision to do anything in life I would never get out of bed in the morning

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Not true, you take economics into the decision when you get out of bed. If there were no economics involved you wouldn't get out of bed.

Larry M said:

Here’s a good loop boat imho. It can go fast or slow, good living space for 2 with occasional guests and they’ll always be dock space for you. Buy it, do the loop and then decide. You can quit or sell it, and move up but you’re not out a lot (asking $26.5k). These are also trailerable and you’re on the right coast.

Click to expand...

BandB said:

Will it go 250 miles on the 102 gallons of gas? At what speed would you have to run to do so?

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Larry M said:

I have no idea on what distance and what speed but the boat in the picture I posted supposedly did the loop. This maybe a question for the AGLCA.

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BandB said:

Well, the maximum distance required is 250 miles.

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kenk said:

There is no way that Bayliner will go 250 miles on 102 gallons of gas.

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Sounds like by definition a "good loop boat" must be able to do that 250 mile leg without refueling... which in turn suggests that example isn't one. Not necessarily an unfounded concept (small, trailerable, gas, etc.), just that particular example can't get there from here.

Probably also doesn't mean that boat couldn't actually do the Loop; just sounds like a whole lot of leaping through hoops would be required on the Tenn-Tom or wherever to solve that fuel issue.

-Chris

ranger42c said:

Probably also doesn't mean that boat couldn't actually do the Loop; just sounds like a whole lot of leaping through hoops would be required on the Tenn-Tom or wherever to solve that fuel issue.

-Chris

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From Hoppie's on the Mississippi (Imperial MO) south to Kentucky Lake or Barkley Lake. Could always add bladders or drums for that section.