FWIW I grew up on gas powered fishing boats. The biggest problem we had was the ignition system - a problem largely solved with electronic ignition. We always lifted a hatch to smell for gas and occasionally ran the blower. We never had a problem.
That being said, I'm happy to have my Yanmar 30 GMF. At 1800 RPM it burns about 1/3 gallon per hour; at 2500 RPM it burns about 1/2 gallon per hour. When I was boat shopping I only looked at boats with diesels to avoid points, plugs, spark plug wires and all the other things that screwed up fishing trips. It was not a safety issue, but a reliability issue for me. Joel On Tue, Jul 8, 2014 at 3:33 PM, Petar Horvatic via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > Having gone through two A4 rebuilds and then a replacement of A4 with DIY > rebuild of westerbeake 4-108, I can say that I do feel safer with diesel > under my cockpit, only because I don't have to look for leaks as often. I > was comfortable with gasoline because I was aware of what is going on in my > engine room. So long as you are aware that you are sitting on a 20 gallon > bomb that is waiting to explode at any smallest mishap and you take the > preventive actions with that in mind, you are ok. I did have numerous > occasions of gasoline leaks, from small plastic inline filters to hoses > near > clamps/fittings, to gasket on the fuel tank, to fuel pumps, to carburetor, > some of them on the high seas, some at the dock. But the most important > thing is I would stick my head in the engine room almost daily, and would > catch those things almost instantly. I also did have explosive fume > detector located directly under the carburetor and my blower was running > whenever A4 was on. My sense of smell was also highly tuned to the smell > of > gasoline. > > Petar Horvatic > Sundowner > 76 C&C 38MkII > Newport, RI > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Peter > Fell via CnC-List > Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2014 2:56 PM > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Stus-List Fw: Atomic 4 > > I'm forwarding this earlier thread with link to stats from USGC on boat > accidents. Interesting info there, especially Rick picking out the 1 out of > 86 fires occurring in a sailboat. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rick Brass > Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 1:31 PM > To: 'Peter Fell' ; cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: RE: Stus-List Atomic 4 > > Very interesting statistics. > > Among other things, it seems 7 times as many people died swimming after > boats or gear that had drifted away from the dock (see table 3) as had died > in fires. > > Of 86 fires, only one was in a sailboat. As a matter of fact, 60% of all > fires happened in open motorboats or jet skis (PWCs). > > I wonder just how many boats are registered in the US? Maybe 500,000? Call > it 250, 000 to be conservative. So the chance of a fire is something like > 86/250,000=0.034% > > For myself, I've always thought the concern over gas power vs. diesel on a > sailboat was way overblown. Emotional not logical. And I think it was Danny > made the case very well that the DIY installation of a remanufactured A4 > for > around $4k in one day makes a lot of sense compared to installing a diesel, > tank, prop, shaft, wiring, engine panel, etc. for $10-12k. > > Rick Brass > > -----Original Message----- > From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Peter > Fell > Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 1:50 PM > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Re: Stus-List Atomic 4 > > Interesting stats from USCG: > > http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_statistics.aspx > > I haven't read through the entire document but from 2012: > > Out of 2454 accidents related to operation of vessel, 21 were a caused by > failure to ventilate. 0 deaths. > > Out of 468 accidents related to failure of boat or boat equipment, 12 fuel > system failures and 6 ventilation failures. 0 deaths. > > Out of 694 accidents related to miscellaneous causes, 66 were caused by > ignition of fuel or vapor. 1 death. > > I'm assuming that the miscellaneous category includes ignition of other > sources such as propane heating / cooking and perhaps alcohol stoves. > > If you have a gas outboard on your boat then you already carry gasoline. > Given that the tank usually isn't internal but still I think the > percentages > overall are quite low and of course those stats would include accidents > related to outboards, I am fairly sure. > > When I rebuilt my A4 I replaced the old aluminum fuel tank and all my fuel > lines and fittings at the same time .... since with the engine in-place, > the > old tank wasn't coming out without some significant surgery. The new tank I > can fit through the cockpit locker no problem. > > I also made sure that the low-oil pressure cut-off switch for the fuel pump > was replaced and working and properly fused. The existing switch was not > working and had been bypassed!! ... I am pretty sure by a mechanic!! (since > the PO did not do any of his own maintenance or repairs). > > -----Original Message----- > From: OldSteveH > Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 9:06 AM > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Re: Stus-List Atomic 4 > > Three years ago I was doing work up my mast about 100 ft away from a 40` > wooden Chriscraft which exploded during refuelling. > It was shocking and there was no warning for those nearby. My point - it's > more than rhetoric or something you only hear about. It can actually > happen. > > Second observation - a friend rebuilt his A4 last winter, reinstalled in > the > spring and found out his tranny was seized. R&R all over again. > The message - take the time to go over everything and rebuild/refurbish as > necessary. You don't want to take it out twice. Of course same goes for any > engine. > > 3rd - my 3GM will use about 1/4 tank of fuel motoring and motor sailing for > 13 hours. How will that compare with gasoline - I think there's a big > difference. > > Not criticizing the idea of keeping an A4, just being aware of some risks > and differences. > > Cheers, > > Steve Hood > S/V Diamond Girl > C&C 34 > Lions Head ON > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:26:16 GMT > From: "djhaug...@juno.com" <djhaug...@juno.com> > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Re: Stus-List Atomic 4 > Message-ID: <20140129.102616.2156...@webmail-beta01.vgs.untd.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Every time someone brings up the A4, the diesel suggestions start to flow. > LOL Okay the guy needs a head, he can buy a completely new aftermarket one > from Moyer for $450 and be back on the water in, literally hours after > receiving it... OOORRR... he can buy a used diesel for $2500 and replace > that and all the fuel lines and fuel tank and filters and whatever else for > a minimum of another probably $1500 or $2000 in parts and periferals like > what prop, shaft, whatever, and install it all himself in, oh i don't know, > 2 or 3 weekends... Then there is all the adjustments and testing another > weekend at least. What is the gain, It's sail boat, isn't the idea to be > sailing and not chugging along under power for days at a time? I mean the > diesel with most certainly add to the value of your boat, but probably no > more than the cost to convert it. The Atomic 4 is a great motor and, in my > opinion, better suited for coastal cruising and day-sailing. I guess if > your going to do some passage making then, yes, the diesel would be a good > decision. Then there is all the rhetoric about unsafe gasoline in your > boat > and fuel consumption. Of course there is truth to those statements but, > how > many boats do we hear about exploding every year? Fuel consumption? > again, > if your passage making, but if you're just using it to get in and out > harbors or to motor home for a few hours when there is no wind, I really > don't see the benefit. You can get gas at far more marinas than diesel > too... Besides, they don't stink and they're quieter than a diesel! End of > rant, Sorry I couldn't stop myself... LOL Go A4!!! Danny!! P.S. Just > for > full disclosure, My brand new A4 from Moyer STILL doesn't run the way I > think it should... > > ---------- Original Message ---------- > From: "dwight" <dwight...@gmail.com> > To: <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > Subject: Re: Stus-List Atomic 4 > Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 10:41:43 -0400 > > > > > OK Joe, same for the Universal M4-30…I got one in my 35 MKII and it > fits well in the space with no apparent mods to what it sits on…it > is > also basically a Kubota engine I believe > > From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Della > Barba, Joe > Sent: January 29, 2014 10:11 AM > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Re: Stus-List Atomic 4 > > Nothing is an *exact* drop in, but Beta Marine has IMHO the best > “almost an A4” diesels. They are based on Kubota blocks. > I lucked out and got a very nice A4 that had been rebuilt as a project by > an > engineering officer for $1500 on Craigslist. I bought it within about 45 > minutes of the ad going up. > > Joe Della Barba > Coquina > > From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of dwight > Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 8:08 AM > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Re: Stus-List Atomic 4 > > Josh > > If so, I believe the Universal M4-30 is a drop in replacement for the A4 on > a 35 MKII. I know the previous owner of my 35 MKII after several (4) > disappointments with A4 replacement engines or heads took the plunge and so > I ended up getting a 35MKII with a diesel already installed and that little > 4 cylinder has lots of power for the boat and runs quiet and smooth as > silk…he also changed to the H5 Autoprop when he installed the > diesel…that’s a really good combo…It does require a > significant expense to do the job, but why not, especially if ones intends > to keep the boat, you never regret having a could auxiliary propulsion > system > > From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Josh > Muckley > Sent: January 29, 2014 8:14 AM > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Re: Stus-List Atomic 4 > > I know he's looking for an Atomic 4 but I thought he might find value in > converting to diesel. > > http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=221361267650&globalID=EB > AY-MOTOR > > http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=131102768897&globalID=EB > AY-MOTOR > Josh Muckley > S/V Sea Hawk > Solomons, MD > On Jan 28, 2014 5:57 PM, "Aaron Rouhi" <admiralmag...@outlook.com> wrote: > My good friend just lost his Atomic 4 on a 35-2 (cracked head and other > major issues). He's looking for another Atomic 4 as a replacement. Any > leads > is greatly appreciated. > > Cheers, > Aaron R. > 1979 30-MK1 > Annapolis, MD > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > < > http://cnc-list.com/pipermail/cnc-list_cnc-list.com/attachments/20140129/23 > f97539/attachment-0001.html> > > ------------------------------ > > > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > > Email address: > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of > page at: > http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > > Email address: > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of > page at: > http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com > > -- Joel 301 541 8551
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