Gas vs Diesel

[Mo]

Rigspelt;

Mine has run well also. 1925 nautical miles on Odyssey this season, over 1800 of those solo. I love to leave Halifax Hbr in the morning and head out on the Atlantic. Occassionally wind comes out of the NW and I have to fire up the engine and motor back in through Eastern Passage to bring her home. 35 knts steady on the nose through the passage a couple of weeks ago. 3 blade non folding prop and the atomic 4 did fine. There are boats that don't have enough power to get safely out of their slips and away from the marina in a modest blow. Odyssey is not one of them.

[sastanley]

Maurice, 1925 miles! Wow, I am envious of the time you make available to spend on your vessel.

The only cruise we've managed out into the Chesapeake this year was to Oxford (boat on the hard too much due to other issues this year ) ...we left Solomons at 1730 local time on a Friday evening and it was snotty and blowing out of the East about 15-20. We had no problem punching thru the waves out of the Patuxent. We saw only one other sailboat and one tug & one ship during our evening trip. Talk about needing to rely on your equipment with no one around to help you!

We made it fine...As dusk approached and we are screaming across the Bay, I started checking out the lights I'd need later on (knew running lights were good.) The only problem was my brand new steaming light didn't work..a trip up the stick revealed the (new!) bulb was no good...so I figured if the Coast Guard/Natural Resources Police/etc. wanted to pull me over as we quietly motored into Oxford harbor at 2330, they were welcome to!

I haven't been out on the Bay in a long time with that few boats around...but the conditions weren't exactly 'champagne sailing' either.

[big bob]

My Canadian Northern 35 was built in 1961 and came equiped with an A4 engine. In the 30 years I have owned the boat I have had no problems that wern't easily solved.

I only had one boat with a deisel engine, I hated the shake, rattle and stink of the thing and was glad to see the boat go over the horzion with its new owner.

Have been around A4s for over 40 years and still prefer them over deisel. Beofre messing around in boats I messed around with British cars, I find the
A4 simple to operate and maintain compared to those quirkie engines.

[Dave Neptune]

Problems??

I bought my boat 26 years ago and got a great deal because the A-4 was shot and frozen to boot. I saved enough money on the boat to pay for a diesel but since I needed to move it down the coast I decided to see if I could get her broke loose and running enough to get her south. Well that was 26 years ago and the same A-4 is still running. It has not left me stranded once. My lil beastie ticks a bit and uses a bit of oil but it has been in the boat now for 41 years and the only real work was done when I bought it. I removed the head and repleced one exhaust valve and did a valve job. I have implemented most of the upgrades and as I say, "I have never had a problem that left me stuck at the Island or the dock".

Dave Neptune

[CalebD]

Lucas, the King of Darkness

...snip...
Have been around A4s for over 40 years and still prefer them over deisel. Beofre messing around in boats I messed around with British cars, I find the
A4 simple to operate and maintain compared to those quirkie engines.

big bob,
Welcome to the MM forums. If you messed around with British cars you might (or might not) appreciate this link: http://www.mez.co.uk/lucas.html

[big bob]

gas vs diesel

hard to put the smoke back in even in modern day electonics. Sounds like a good field for a bright young person to persure and make a fortune

[weremeer]

gas vs diesel

my first diesel engine was a three cylinder Universal 24 hp diesel. The first problem I had with it was the bracket to the altinator. The screw on the engine block losened and the altinator would not charge my engine. I was sailing to BLock Island and happened to stop at Old Lyme Marina. They told me there was a kit for the engine to put the altinator on the manifold. Of course I got the kit. The engine them developed a heating problem (sound familiar). they said it could only be the impeller, the thermostat or the engine water pump. I changed all, nothing worked. I sold the boat.
Then I had a Perkins diesel 4-108, between thirty and fifty horsepower. My first problem was with the fuel. I had to bleed it constantly. I got to be a pro at bleeding it. I put all kinds of chemicals in the fuel tank. I changed the filter to a better racor. Then I learned to bring a 5 gallon jug with me and hose to put diesel in it because the tank was dirty and when I hit waves it needed new fuel. I sold the boat.
Then I got a Volvo. It was a small Volvo diesel, I dont even rwemember the model. For the first year it ran fine. Then the next year I had to bleed it but it would not start. It seems that Volvos need to be bled at the fuel pump. I Found this out after months of trying. I went to an expensive Volvo mechanic. I sold the boat.
Then I bought a boat that had a bad engine. I had a mechanic who had a great Yanmar. It cost me a bundle but I was getting a great engine and they would install. The mechanic ran the engine in his shop. It was a 4 cylinder 60 Hp job. But he failed to put a valve above the water line and as I waved good bye to the mechanic, the motor filled with water from the exhaust. another motor shot.... Tell me about reliability of diesels.

[ericson_35]

7 years later after my "Diesel Vs Gas" post - All's well

I was trolling around the web and ran across my original 2004 "Diesel Vs Gas" post and still retain my original opinion. I own the same 1972 Ericson 35 with the same A-4 and I can happily report it's still running along just fine. I have done nothing to it in these intervening 7 years other than regular tune-ups (plugs, points, distributed cap, rotor etc.). The tune-ups, combined with regular oil/filter changes (depending on hours or elapsed time) and a Racor fuel filter change now and then results in the A-4 running like a Singer sewing machine. I've added an Indigo oil filter & crankcase breather kit as well as Moyer Marine's quick access raw water pump and that's it! There's no oil, fuel or raw water leaks nor anything else unusual to report upon in the past 7 years. I wonder how many diesel powered boat owners can report the same statistics? In these days of ever increasing complexity/computerized machinery, it's sheer pleasure to pop the engine hatch cover and see an engine that's utter simplicity in action and work on. What else can I say other than I'm not helping much to add to Moyer Marine's profits - my apologies Don!
Oh, I havn't blown up the boat either