Gallons per Hour . . .

[Astrid]

Good point, although it is helpful to know your advantages or limitations should one have to motor for long distances in an emergency.

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by Astrid

Good point, although it is helpful to know your advantages or limitations should one have to motor for long distances in an emergency.

chuckle, there was a time when there was no motor and the world was explored. and then the day dawned when we had a tv and a clipper<smile>
In todaysworld you are never out of contact with emergency services and the only time there may be a real issue is at the bar. I live in the pacific north west and the bar are serious killers. the ocean, you just set your sea anchor or sail area acording to the weather and just wait it out. Only an issue when close to shore and the coast gaurd is there

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

chuckle, there was a time when there was no motor and the world was explored. and then the day dawned when we had a tv and a clipper<smile>
In todaysworld you are never out of contact with emergency services and the only time there may be a real issue is at the bar. I live in the pacific north west and the bar are serious killers. the ocean, you just set your sea anchor or sail area acording to the weather and just wait it out. Only an issue when close to shore and the coast gaurd is there

Ahhh, Floyd...

There was a time when there were no motors and the world was explored... and the shores were littered with wrecked sailing ships and the bones of sailors.

And while you are correct that barred entrances can be deadly, there are most certainly other situations, inshore and off, where having an engine isn't just a convenience... often having more to do with lack of wind than storm conditions.

And mate, some of us cruise near shores where there ain't a Coastie for thousands of miles. Your lack of cruising experience seems to color your rhetoric !

Cheers,

Jim

[sailorchic34]

For my 3gm30F at 2100 RPM I get about .4 gallons per hour, measured over a 5 hour trip. That's on a 12K pound vessel with a 15/12 prop and 25' ish water line. I logged engine hours before and after the trip and amount of fuel needed to bring the tank back up to full. Works out to roughly 12 MPG, but I use 10 MPG as an average for calculating distance or DTE. I always keep a 5 gallon reserve too.

[wolfenzee]

I asked a mechanic friend of mine about fuel consumption meters...he said everyone he had ever installed and or heard of being installed was later ripped out. I am not so much concerned about flow rate, but rather getting the engine, transmission and prop size/pitch to be the most efficient. I now know that 2000rpm/6.5kt is the most efficient speed for my engine and that changing over to a two bladed prop with more pitch....might gain a fraction in light air.

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Ahhh, Floyd...

There was a time when there were no motors and the world was explored... and the shores were littered with wrecked sailing ships and the bones of sailors.

And while you are correct that barred entrances can be deadly, there are most certainly other situations, inshore and off, where having an engine isn't just a convenience... often having more to do with lack of wind than storm conditions.

And mate, some of us cruise near shores where there ain't a Coastie for thousands of miles. Your lack of cruising experience seems to color your rhetoric !

Cheers,

Jim

chuckle...........yep, i be one of those zoom zoom in and out guys mostly in grossly over powered power boats that i have never really liked for more than a few minutes they just got the job at hand done. NowI've come to appreciate a slower more relaxed way in a seaworthy vessel in which if the sun is sinking i have the choice of just standing offshore in deep water enjoying the night. In the morning I, and guests decide over a nice hot cappacinno the game plan for the day.

Your mention of doldrum conditions I guess can happen even in todays world filled with modern electronics to tell use where we are and what the weather is and is gonna be it can still happen. I'm not much of a sailboater either mainly because except on the bay i see them most often under power and they appear to be such terrible power boats I've leaned towards trawler type craft. I do appreciate there frugle use of fuel but not their deep draft.

I must aggree that today an engine is a necessity as it isnt considered polite to arrive a day, week or two later for an appointment like it was back then. But then again maybe its the lime juice in me veins that forces me to think of the days when the world was brought together by brave, maybe a bit foolhard, sailors of the Empire commanded by captain's without even a single satelite for a fix just an eye, a compass, and the stars. to keep them off the roacks.
Best wishes
Britt

[graycenphil]

I see this is an old thread, but I'm curious about the governor. Is it true that marine diesels have a governor, not just a straight fuel control like in a car or truck? Why? Do gas marine engines also use governors, instead of a regular throttle.

I know my old Atomic Four (gas) had a throttle.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by graycenphil

I see this is an old thread, but I'm curious about the governor. Is it true that marine diesels have a governor, not just a straight fuel control like in a car or truck? Why? Do gas marine engines also use governors, instead of a regular throttle.

I know my old Atomic Four (gas) had a throttle.

All diesels have a governor, even cars. Diesels aren't stable, they don't have negative feedback like gasoline engines. Gas engines as the rpm increases the vacuum behind the throttle plate increases, decreasing air and fuel charge to the engine, negative feedback, stable rpm. Diesels get a full charge of air always. If your control were directly connected to the fuel delivery system and you floored it, max fuel would be delivered with max air, and with insufficient load the engine would increase rpms excessively.

All diesels have the throttle (not really a throttle, probably more correctly an rpm setting control), pull a spring (virtually in the case of electronic systems) to increase fuel, as engine rpm increases the governer pulls a spring the other way to decrease fuel, when the springs balance the engine runs at a set rpm. Increase load, engine slows down, governor spring allows more fuel into the engine to speed engine back up.

Better explanation than mine:
http://transportation.centennialcoll...%20handout.pdf

[graycenphil]

Thanks Cal40. Good link.

[graycenphil]

I would think another big advantage of the conventional governor (over the automotive, idle only type) is that if the prop comes out of the water, the engine won't over-rev.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by graycenphil

I would think another big advantage of the conventional governor (over the automotive, idle only type) is that if the prop comes out of the water, the engine won't over-rev.

It would have to be a very sensitive governor as I have not noticed that much of an rpm surge in rough conditions. You can hear it sure but there is not that much of an increase in rpm and it's of short duration. Maybe in a very long boat it would be an issue?

[sailalfin]

Does anyone has experience on an Eagle 40 trawler with a 120HP Ford Lehman? If not; Does anyone has experience on any trawler with a 120HP Ford Lehman?