twin engine boats

[wayneakp]

Hi all

I had to take my boat up to Brundall from WRC today to get one of the engines looked at. It runs fine for about a hour then just turns itself off and is a pig to re-start. This happened on our trip today so in the end we gave up and ran on just one engine. That was fine (apart from making mooring even more difficult) so it got me thinking it must be a little cheaper to run the boat a low speeds like that so does anyone do it on the rivers as a matter of course?

regards

Wayne

[C.Ricko]

start off by changing your fuel filters,

then it is up to you wether you navigate on one engine or two, just remember to alternate which engine you put the hours on, there is no point using two on most of the broads you will just knacker your engines.

[Lucky]

Hi Wayne

We always run just one engine on the Broads - only ever turn the other one on if mooring is going to be a little difficult. We have to use the starboard engine as this makes the steering lighter. If we use the port engine its really difficult to turn. I guess the 'power steering' is connected to the starboard.

I'll leave the clever ones to help diagnose the engine problem !!..

[mbird]

On my maiden voyage at the helm of a twin engined vessel today, I left both engines running, but only had one in gear when going slowly in the marina. Both the power steering and calorifier are connected to the starboard engine, so that really determines which one would be used.

However, today I realised that if I tried to make a sharp turn to starboard, with only the starboard engine in gear, things didn't happen as I expected and the turn was much too slow even at full lock (I found this out coming down the dyke into the marina!), so I had to quickly disengage starboard, and engage port to make the turn. I would not have made the corner without a bit of a three point turn if the port engine was completely off.

[senator]

Clanny runs much better on one engine at river speeds. On 2 there is not enough thrust to stop her wandering around. 6 litres an hour on 1 and 10 litres an hour on 2 so it saves a fair bit of money as well.

Ian

[RedRover]

I used to run on one engine on the rivers,the starboard engine ran the power steering the port engine heated the water so either way you lose something.

[Antares_9]

I always run on one engine on the river, and at sea come to that.

[mbird]

I always run on one engine on the river, and at sea come to that.

But that's because you only have one, you silly boy

[Antares_9]

Oh, I wondered what that big space in the engine room was for.

[Guest]

We always ran Silver Dream on two engines but her engines were much lower powered than yours Mark. She could run happily enough on one, she just handled better on two. Plus, the alternators did different things - only the starboard engine charged the domestic batteries whereas the port engine had the calorifier so there wasn't much to be gained by running just the one.

[seaboater]

I always run on two whilst manoeuvring, and then cut down to one as soon as possible. On two, only just in gear I'm doing 5 knots so one is much healthier for the engines as I can get the revs up a bit...although still not much.

The second engine gets started when mooring, leaving a mooring or when I see potential trouble ahead........yes, those rag and stick merchants fannying about all over the place.

[mbird]

those rag and stick merchants fannying about all over the place.

That'll be "tacking" then Pat

[seaboater]

Certainly something ending in "ing" Mark. Has anyone else noticed the sailor's insatiable need to coil ropes and attend to things on the cockpit floor, rather than looking where they're going?

I exaggerate of course, but..........

[wayneakp]

Hi all

Seems like most of you run one engine on the broads. The only problem I can see is that I need to keep the engines very warm to get them to start which may be a problem if I need to get one going quickly.

When I start them I have to run them at around 3000 revs for about 10 mins until the temp gauge is well up else they just stall - is this normal for petrols?

thanks again

Wayne

[mbird]

When I start them I have to run them at around 3000 revs for about 10 mins until the temp gauge is well up else they just stall - is this normal for petrols?

I have no experience with petrol marine engines, but that doesn't sound right! Revving an engine that hard from cold can't be doing it any good

[Lucky]

I've had a couple of petrol engined boats Wayne and not had to wait ten minutes. Out of respect for the engine, I usually waited a minute or two in netural but thats it...

[seaboater]

In my experience, if it's already been started within the previous couple of hours, it should only need 10 - 15 seconds ticking over after restart before it's ready to go.

[Antares_9]

When I start them I have to run them at around 3000 revs for about 10 mins until the temp gauge is well up else they just stall - is this normal for petrols?

thanks again

Wayne

If they are Petrols with carbs with auto choke then the auto choke system may well be causing this, they can stay on far too long if out of adjustment meaning that if you drop the revs they simply flood and cut out.

I got so irritated by this on a 5.0l merc that I fitted a manual choke and solved the problem instantly.

[wayneakp]

Hi Antares_9

I am not sure what sort of choke arrangment there is - they are Volvo Aq145 's. The boat is up at Broadland Boat Centre so we will see what they find out.

So should it be that they start in a similar way to a car engine - turn the key and go?

I ask because I was told by the broker that they have to be warmed up cos they are in the water, although I cant see them being any colder than a car engine in winter.(Although they are 1986 so not as technically advanced). I must burn more fuel warming them up than cruising!

thanks

Wayne

[Antares_9]

I know what you mean about the fuel Wayne, when mine was on auto choke the Floscan fuel flow meter needle was in a scary place. If you have no choke switch (solenoid operated choke) or cables to pull for manual choke then it must be auto choke. The broker was of course as they so often do, telling you what you wanted to hear, as we all know the water temperature in cold weather is usually above ambient air temperature though water is much better at conducting heat away than air. It’s all very simple really, if the motor is in correct tune with no faults then you should be able to move off within a minute or two after a cold start.

[senator]

Clanny is Volvo Petrols and auto choke but the only time she takes any starting is after she has been standing for a couple of weeks. If you think back to mid 80s carborated cars with auto chokes they were just the wrong side of useless too so it does stand a very good chance that they are your problem.

I have heard of people disconecting them completely as you can always start the engine with a few pumps on the throttles but when stuck on there is nothing you can do about it. It may be worth checking that this hasn't been done to yours as it would result in a period where the engines would stall if cold.

best option is to do as David did and fit manual chokes.

[Guest]

I also run on one engine as much as possible, alternating between port and stbd (and trying to remember which I used last ... ). I switch off the one that's not being used, after warming them both up, so that it will start at first touch as soon as I need both engines. Which means when I need to turn a slight bend, avoid someone tacking, avoid a dayboat, or any of the other myriad manoeuvrings that happen very few minutes in the northern broads. That's one of the problems with having a boat that's totally unsuitable for the Broads

[senator]

That's one of the problems with having a boat that's totally unsuitable for the Broads

What do you see as he problem Bruce is it that you have to start the other engine or do you feel you are missing out by not being able to cause the carnage in the first place?

Are you going to be joining up with the Salty Bottoms this year to give that beast of yours a blast?

Ian

[Guest]

Are you going to be joining up with the Salty Bottoms this year to give that beast of yours a blast?

That sounds like a plan Ian. Shall we start a "let's give Bruce a salty bottom" club?

Er, I'll get my coat....

[Guest]

I always run just the port engine on the rivers this now has the hot water connected but as this was swapped from the starboard engine only 3 years ago the hours are still a lot less that the starboard engine. I treat the port engine to an extra oil change mid summer. Being on shafts and rudders she helms fine on one engine and produces almost no wash. I only restart the other engine if the mooring looks tricky.

On the rivers she will manage about a gallon an hour on one engine.

Jonathan