A common cause of truck fires is from power steering fluid leaking
(spraying) onto a hot engine. I've seen two myself.

Scotty

"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
nah. according to a marine insurance company, a **diesel** engine
is something
like 500% more likely to set an engine room on fire than a gas, this
despite
that company's fact that a boat with an inboard engine is close to
20 times
more likely to have a gas engine. keep in mind that almost every
last powerboat
with an inboard engine has a gas engine. Diesels are seldom put in
any boat
other than scared squatless sailboaters (who motor from one
anchorage to
another) and some very large powerboats. Virtually every powerboat
capable of
going 35 mph sustained has a gas engine. put a diesel in a 30 foot
powerboat
and the sterm squats down in the water from the extra weight, the
upper boat
speed drops by 30%, the cost of the boat to buy knew goes up by
$25,000, the
cost to repair the engine on a year by year basis goes up 300%, and
the ladies
hold their noses for the smell.

From: "JG" lid
Date: 12/23/2004 2:35 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

I don't like gasoline engines in boats. Perhaps if the boat is that
cramped,
it's not much of a boat. It seems to me that a few more inches for
a table
isn't that big a deal. If it's a good diesel engine, it's not going
to be
vibrating that much. The modern diesels are much improved.

BTW, I don't live in SF.

BTW, it's not an "improbably" event. Gasoline is much more
dangerous than
diesel.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
not "slightly" raised, but rather SEVERAL inches. Think of your
kitchen
table
raised 4-1/2". It looks like hell. Well, to most people anyway.

now think of a smelly, noisy vibrating belcher under that table,
that
sounds
and smells like a 1960's city bus.

btw, BOO!!

btw-2, more people died in your city of residence in the last
month of
AIDs
than have died of gasoline engine in a boat in the entire history
of
powered
boats.

btw-2, the guy is talking about buying a 20 year old boat at a
fine price,
and
you want to talk about improbable events.

From: "JG" lid
Date: 12/23/2004 1:09 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

It seems to me that if the choice is between having a slightly
raised
table
that looks a little odd and a non-gasoline engine, I would take
the diesel
replacement.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
I believe it was earlier (or later) made/sold as the Hughs 38.

If I have the right boat in mind, I would personally prefer the
original
Atomic
4 engine installed. The engine placement took advantage of the
small
size
of
the A/4 (mid cabin for better boat balance). The closest
diesel
replacement
(in size) is several inches higher, and the table has to be
raised so
much
it
looks out of place.

Again, if it is the boat I think it is, the boat does not back
up well
under
power (not really a problem). Some boatyards with absolutely
no ethics
at
all
will tell the boat owner that is because the prop is too far
forward
(which of
course is a crock of ****) of the rudder and for a mere $X,XXX
or
$XX,000
they
will "fix" the problem. Afterwards (when the boat doesn't back
up any
better)
the boatyard will tell the owner he needs to "let the boat pick
up
speed"
in
reverse for controlability, which of course all that was needed
from the
beginning.

The boat is a tad small inside compared to later 38 foot
sailboats, but
sure is
a graceful looking boat. Find one with the Atomic 4 still
inside, tell
the
seller that gasoline engines blow up thousands of times each
year
killing
tens
of thousands of sailors and therefore you wouldn't consider
taking his
junk
ready to blow up bomb off his hands for anything more than 30%
of his
asking
price. If he quivers and shakes, you may just have a genuine
bargain on
your
hands. If he falls to the ground holding his belly laughing
his ass
off,
laugh
yourself, help him back up and start talking turkey on the
boat. It
probably
is in excellent shape overall.

I'm considering purchasing a 1973 Seafarer 38 Ketch and was
wondering
what
people think of them? They sound like a sturdy boat from what
I've
heard
so
far.