Stinkpots??

Question: Do large twin engine -big generator trawlers deserve the label; "STINKPOTS"? Should other cruisers avoid anchoring near them?

I love the smell of diesel exhaust in the morning.

I am of the opinion that anyone who runs a generator in an anchorage deserves that accolade. It is not a problem to set up an adequate battery bank to last for a simple overnight or longer. It is just money after all.

I think we need an unwelcome mat.

You can't hear my generator 100' from my boat on all but a still calm night. If you can hear my generator, you anchored too close to me.

Ted

It’s a big ocean. I usually avoid that kind of conflict by finding more remote places to anchor. If you like anchoring with the herd, you have to be willing to put up with the herd’s behaviors.

geoleo said:

Question: Do large twin engine -big generator trawlers deserve the label; "STINKPOTS"? Should other cruisers avoid anchoring near them?

Click to expand...

YES! This is why a large twin-engine, express cruiser with a genny is at the top of my list!

Seriously though, what does engine type, size, or number have to do with a boat at anchor? Maybe your question should be should one avoid another boat at anchor? If so, I would say this depends on the anchorage and if you want to run you own generator. I think in an anchorage, noise is probably more annoying than smell.

Or, one could just anchor near sailboats!

Jim

geoleo said:

Question: Do large twin engine -big generator trawlers deserve the label; "STINKPOTS"? Should other cruisers avoid anchoring near them?

Click to expand...

Unlikely, since you can be anchored next to them and be completely unaware that there's a genset running. Now, the Honda buzzing away on the deck is a different story. We keep hearing how they're so quiet, just isn't so. You can hear the unmistakable drone of a portable gas generator from clear across the anchorage. It seems owners always pick sunset to crank them up.

"Stinkpot"' is the term that sailors have used for decades to refer to any powerboat.


--Peggie

The majority of the time we are anchored we need AC. So yes, my generator usually runs all night. Sorry

Another TF topic that those with the strogest opinions are often those with the least perspective.


Generators are often the least offesive noise in the anchorage.


There are reasons for most every opinion/decision, just not necessarily agreeing with yours.

We run the generator 24/7 when away from the dock to cool the boat. Some newer boats have gyro stabilization at anchor and need power for that as well.
I hope this isn’t one of those holier-than-thou threads...... if it makes you feel any better we are more aware of the generator that our neighbors since we also feel the vibration. Even so, I sleep great in our cool dry stateroom.

If we want to talk about annoying noises at anchor, how about the clink, clink, clink of halyards and hardware clanking against an aluminum mast? THAT drives me nuts........

Stink is stink,
And the bigger they are the more stink .. if they run the engines. Some gas engines stink as bad as diesels. Stink is stink.we have a big icebox and no generator. May wish we had one if the batts accidentally run dead. But we do have a dedicated start batt.
We never run engines in an anchorage.

Don’t understand why guys w big boats think they need all that stuff. They could get a big icebox and a bigger battery bank.


Hill wrote;
“If we want to talk about annoying noises at anchor, how about the clink, clink, clink of halyards and hardware clanking against an aluminum mast? THAT drives me nuts......”
I fully agree!

You are either a Stinkpotter or a Raghanger. There is no In between.

I’ve seen and heard many sailboaters run their generators at anchor.

I notice that the two so far who are strongly against generators - one from Maine and the other from Washington State.

Folks come on down here to the beautifully hot and humid south east and the islands!

We can get away with only running the genny for around 3-4 hours a day to charge everything up - usually from 5-9pm when we could be using the range as well. This is until around early May, when there is enough breeze from the breeze-boosters to allow us to sleep. Come May, AC is a must, so the genny is on overnight.

As others have stated, unless you are on top of me you won't hear my genny in an anchorage, and I would like to hear suggestions for setting up a battery bank to handle the AC units.

I think a lot of people forget that not every place has a cool breeze at night. Last time we anchored we actually did and sleeping with no generator noise was awesome. But that doesn’t happen often. Usually it’s 85 degrees, 95% humidity and zero wind. Pretty miserable sleeping conditions with no AC.

Although there are those who don't like Avalon's rules for running generators, I'm not in that group. The rule is 7:00am to 10:00pm.
Plenty of time to charge batteries and still enjoy the night. If I'm up before 7:00am and want a cup of coffee, the inverter is on and handles that chore quite well!

What are other ways to power an AC unit on a boat other than a gas or diesel generator? With the huge improvements in batteries one would think such power would be available.

Steve91T,
Come down south to hear noisy generators? No thanks.
I wouldn’t be boating overnight down there. Furthermore I wouldn’t even be there.

Nomad Willy said:

What are other ways to power an AC unit on a boat other than a gas or diesel generator? With the huge improvements in batteries one would think such power would be available.

Steve91T,
Come down south to hear your stinking and noisy generators? No thanks.
I wouldn’t be boating overnight down there. Furthermore I wouldn’t even be there.

Click to expand...

Didn’t ask you to come down here.

This is bound to turn into a SE vs NW debate. I prefer a quiet anchorage when I boat, but if I was in the SE, I would prefer a cool boat. I think the Avalon rules seem reasonable.

Stinkpot and raghanger should be used in good fun. Just like Catholics and Protestants, we have more in common, than we have differences. Unfortunately, we seem to dwell upon the differences.

Codger, is that smog?

Steve91T said:

Didn’t ask you to come down here.

Click to expand...

I think that was me.

I prefer to live far from the madding crowd.

MurrayM said:

I prefer to live far from the madding crowd.

Click to expand...

Thomas Hardy!

Personally I would rather hear the constant noise of a generator that the banging and clanging of loose halyards. I can tune out the constant noises.

I also dislike gensets running in anchorages. Especially with no good reason (and the only good reason I can think of is SE heat/humidity). Your genset is louder than you think - some owners have lost their ability to hear it after too many years. It's like the elderly women who get used to their perfume so they put on more, get used to that, etc.

If it's a noisy anchorage them it will get lost in the background. But in a very quiet anchorage, row away from your boat and listen. Saying it isn't audible except in a very quiet anchorage is not comforting - this is exactly when it is least wanted. I'd also agree the on deck Honda generators are even worse - and 9 of 10 owners I've spoken to will tell me it's so quiet I shouldn't hear it. Why then, to they put it up on the bow as far from the cockpit as they can get it?

Baby sleeps great with the generator running...

I’ll admit ours is fairly loud. But usually we are the only ones around when anchoring.

tiltrider1 said:

you are either a stinkpotter or a raghanger. There is no in between.

Click to expand...

motorsailers!

psneeld said:

Another TF topic that those with the strogest opinions are often those with the least perspective.


Generators are often the least offesive noise in the anchorage.


There are reasons for most every opinion/decision, just not necessarily agreeing with yours.

Click to expand...

Screaming drunkards are worse! Playing loud rap crap worse than hell.