GL: Re Choosing your boat single versus twin

[martin.campanella at hklaw.com]

The following comment in the posting caught my eye and demanded a
response:

"The problem with a single engine boat is that if you cruise far and
long
enough eventually you are going to have an engine break down.  Usually
it is
something simple.  "

It is impossible for boaters to agree whether a single or twin is a
better arrangement. Each has some pluses and negatives.

Breakdown

Breakdown is not a plus for the twins however. Most single engine boats
of the size for doing the loop are diesel, and the most frequent
breakdowns for diesel engines are based on lack of maintenance or
contaminated fuel.  If the fuel is bad both engines go down if you have
twins. If maintenance is an issue it is tougher to maintain twins then a
single. In fact one of the virtues of a single is the room around the
engine to do maintenance.

Gasoline engines, are entirely different and my preference would be
twins.

Ignore experiences from sailors.  Generally, if you only use the engine
100 hours a year it will break down.


Maneuvering in a Marina

Clear advantage to the twin engine boats. Even with a bow thruster the
single takes more skill than a twin engine boat. The keel and the prop
walk of the single engine make it difficult to back straight.

Protection of the Prop

Here the clear advantage is to the single engine where the prop is
protected by a keel and rudder.


As with any boat decision the suggestion is to figure out how you are
going to use your boat.  Almost all boats here in the Great Lakes which
spend most of their time in marinas are twin engines, and I think the
owners made a good choice.  The boats built for long distance cruising,
such as the Nordhavns and Krogens, are generally single engine.  Also
the commercial fishing fleet is generally single engine.

 If you are going to do 6,000 miles on the Great Loop look at the engine
room and see if it is simple enough, and there is enough room,  for you
to do the maintenance and repairs, if not you may regret it as you wait
and wait for a repair.

My Krogen experience is that many of us have backup (auxiliary) engines
that are never used and the miles and hours put on by the Krogen fleet
are very high.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican
Krogen 42