In article ,
Red CloudŽ wrote:
Diesel inboards have their own set of shortcomings, especially on
smaller boats. They are VERY heavy, have great sensitivity to ambient
temps, endless fuel issues, extreme initial cost, heat up the cabin
interior, nasty fumes, take up space, hole through the hull with a
spinning, vibrating rod through it, far more dangerous to dive UNDER
the boat to free a fouled prop... there's plenty more.
Not my experience after 10-12 seasons with ours, 1400 hours. Our boat
sold with either outboard or inboard (diesel or gas). I regularly "chat"
with another that ripped out an inboard and went outboard, so I can
compare a bit, apples to apples.
Inboard IS heavy, but the weight is more central so the boat hobbyhorses
less. Absolute weight difference is only significant to the racers.
Ambient temps are a wash when both are properly water-cooled. A vent or
blower fixes the cabin heat problem, but we just open a hatch for air.
Diesel can have fuel problems, but we have had ONE problem other than
running out of fuel (bad/no fuel gauge), and cleared that up with a
5-minute filter change. Nasty fumes go away with biodiesel fuel -- love
the stuff -- and/or simple maintenance. Outboards can have fuel
problems, too. Oh gosh, I dreaded each spring's first start.
Now, my friend has a LOVELY "garage" for his water toys where the diesel
was that I lust for. But, due to the designer not putting anything but
engine and stowage under the cockpit, I can do normal chores by just
reaching in, and can crawl around the engine for the rest. Still have
enough room around the edges for a bunch of gear. Yeah, that's unusual,
but was part of what sold us on the boat.
I wouldn't enjoy the times his outboard cavitates, nor when the prop
comes out of the water. (6' waves are *normal* in some locations) We've
cavitated our 16" three blade prop a few times by getting slammed with a
wave. An outboard wouldn't have gotten us out of the harbor those days.
Never enjoyed working on an outboard on the water. If you drop
something, it's gone. HATED replacing an outboard impeller on the water.
Freeing a fouled prop IS a hassle for most boats, but I can free ours
from the transom ladder. Used to have to do it two or three times a
season before the crabbers over"fished" themselves out of business. I'll
admit we're unusual there, though.
Outboards don't hardly charge batteries, critical for cruising.
--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
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http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
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http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/