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Michael T

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Lifes Good

Great Tip!!!  Thank you!

rasbury

great tip Mike- that will be my MO going forward! thanks!

luckydog

Thank you MT, that's a great tip!

golfdog

Thanks for the excellent tip. I'm going to make it sop for me.

Michael T

BTW, I am most careful when working on the genertor. There are usually hot parts , fuel and i am bent over the engine leaning over the generator. I never let my guard down when doing any service work there and if at all possible the Admiral is watching from the cockpit. Also, while I'm on my little soapbox, my brother-in-law, who is a Fire Captain suggested I get two fire blankets, because we often cook on the boat and overnight on it. A large one for the cabin (because there's more chance of getting trapped there) and a smaller one for the cockpit (because it's easier to escape from it). He said fire blankets are amazing either for very quickly smothering a fire or as protection when running through one. I may sound like a paranoid old geezer but I think it's cheap insurance. We have all seen videos of boat fires and they are not pretty. MT

luckydog

MT, I don't think you sound like a paranoid old geezer, but someone that believes in safety first. The old saying goes better safe than sorry

Lifes Good

Rinker Yan
You are a funny dude!  Kinda like the bully on the block.  No worries though.  I grew up on my parents 43 sportfisher.  It had twin diesels which I do love the exhaust smell!!! But I have to mention that after a week on the boat everything from clothes to perishables wreaked in diesel.  Hence no diesel for me!  

A well cared for v8 gas engine will last 20 years plus and parts are far less expensive! Even oil changes are half that of diesel since gas has half the oil. However, I will say diesels sound very cool on the water.

Love my gas!

JC290

MY another good point never considered a fire blanket but I am now thanks 

Black_Diamond

RY: some true statements, but blow a turbo or replace injectors and $$$. With the possible exception of your boat, a diesel option is a huge price adder. If I remember right +$50k for the 342, that was >30% of the cost of mine with gassers new.  That's a lot of gas and tune ups.  Even on say a new F-350, the diesel option is a 25% price adder. 

My_Dinghys_Dinghy

Thanks for the fire tip. I am back into boating after 33 years of marriage to my wife who has been in FEAR of water. Funny, she said when she got on the boat tonight that "DEADLIEST CATCH" says that the most terrifying thing on a boat is a fire, hence, she walked over and had the extinguisher in her hand the whole time we were out. I asked her if it was her security blanket and she said yes.
I have to winterize but with Lake Erie giving up a couple of nice days over the next 3 or 4, I am going to keep it close to the water and get it in again.

Black_Diamond

RY, even used a diesel commands a hefty price over gassers for the same model. Just a fact of life. I agree they have many benefits though. Plus you can trick them up a lot easier for mucho power. 

Michael T

Steve, we're a bit off this thread's topic but, I priced diesels for the 2014 EC 360. About 55+K new. Used would still be a hefty increase, like BD said. Borrow the 55K - what's that cost at today's loan rates? Cash-out stocks: pay the penalty - pay the government tax - lose the earnings of the stock itself? By not buying a diesel I figure I saved at least 5.5K a summer for 10 years. So, that's either 5.5K of free gas for 10 years or 11K of half-priced gas and that's without the gains that 55K in stocks would generate over 10 years. In  my reality that means 5.5K of free gas each year for 10 years or 10 years of half-priced gas! The math for diesels on a boat that's under 40 feet and at less than at least 10+ tons does not work. MT

rasbury

from being the vehicle business for about twenty five years, I can tell you I'd rather buy a used gas motor over a diesel just about no matter what. A gas motor is much more forgiving of marginal maintenance that a diesel. Get a diesel with marginal service and then you can really have some fun.

Black_Diamond

RY: your 342 is a rarity here in N.A.  So probably got a good deal. Bonus for you!  In the vast majority of cases the diesel is a fair premium over gas for the same model boat/truck. 

Dream_Inn

But it'd take RY almost twice the amount of time to get there!  I'm one of them, that loves to get there and get the party started!

Michael T

Steve by the time you passed the fuel docks that I had gassed-up at - a week before - I'd have gassed-up, had dinner, run a 10K, had my teeth cleaned, waxed the boat and be 100 miles down the river! :-) MT

luckydog

You guys got me sitting on edge, can't wait to see who wins diesel or gas

Dream_Inn

The day I buy diesels it'll either be a boat that still has the speed (neighbors 390 stays up with me at cruising speed) or I'll wait until I'm old like RY.

raybo3

Okie Dokie time for me to chime in. There is a place for diesel's in the boating world.  Big bridge boats that are slow. I would never buy a 342 with diesel's. I love the way Bravo 3's handle and I love the speed I get from my boat. RY if I wanted to that slow I would have bought a sail boat.................LOL

Dream_Inn

RY, anything that can't get me there in the time I'd like to get there.  On water, I always estimate a speed of 30mph.  I couldn't imagine doing our yearly trip to VA Beach going 2/3rd that speed.  Lots of great places we can hit within an hour...going 20 it'd be 1.5 hours.  I'd already have two cold ones in when you get there! (I guess we really side tracked this topic now)

raybo3

I have done 40 mph with my boat many times without over reving it. I like the fact that I do 30-35 at the "sweet" spot. Anything less than that is slow.... IMO

Dream_Inn

ok, well, 28 is not my normal cruising speed.  I use 30mph for the average for calculating times, but I typically keep her at 33mph....and yes, I can easily top 40+ when I feel that need!   & fuel, no biggie, the tanks are big enough to get me where I want to go without filling till I get there.  I filled up at less than $3.50/gal...makes me want to go burn some more!

raybo3

I would vote for him.......lol

Dream_Inn

Raybo, my 400 with diesels will go 30+mph, so yes I would love to have my boat with diesels.  You also heard me say I wasn't going to pay the 50k+ that owners of used boats wanted as extra because they were diesel  (actually, most were 70k+ over what I paid).  Would I want a 342 that does not do 30+mph, no.  Is there anything wrong with it for somebody that does not mind going slower, absolutely not.  Nowhere here have I said I would not take my boat with diesels.  Do I regret what I have, positively not.  I love being able to take a 25k lb boat and go over 40mph and comfortably go 33mph for 6hrs straight (without fueling till I get there). I will say though, after boating (literally dock neighbors) with a 390 that has diesels, there are some downfalls.  Weight is a big one.  When rafted together, she sits a few inches lower than mine.  Fine except that nice stripe down the boat sits in the water in the aft (doesn't look quite right).  Also, I know nothing about diesels, so the learning curve for me is a bit high, and I like to do everything myself.  Oil changes...well, it literally takes ALL day.   Little tighter in the engine room.  When you do maintenance, it is going to cost you more...well, I guess at this point we really should start our own topic!

Raybo, thanks for you vote man!

Michael T

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raybo3

DI I agree with what you are saying. I was saying IMO a 342 is not really the "right" boat for diesels. If 342's were right for them I am sure Rinker would have made more than 6 of them. I understand all about diesels and they are a much better engine than gas for most applications but again IMO not this one. Big bridge boats diesels are the way to go. Express style for a little luxury and speed its gas. As far as $$$$$$ the cost of a boat with diesels over spending extra at the gas pump.... Well do the math. $50k buys a lot of gas and you get there faster....... 

raybo3

So I guess the Europeans can not keep up with us.......... 

TonyWalker

We love our gassers!

raybo3

So they are diesels and we are gassers............lol

Michael T

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