Big(er) RIBS

[Daniel]

Thinking (unlikely this year - but still thinking) about upgrading to a larger outfit - 7m+ but...

...Diesel or Outboard?

Just interested to hear the opinions of the people with both options - mainly regarding speed vs economy.........

[Alan]

Go back and look through some of the previous threads on diesel vs outboards. But to summarise my 2ps worth.......

Depends on your budget and amount of use. If you can afford diesel and do 150hrs pa plus then it works out. If not then stick to outboards.

Diesel only really has the advantage of cheap fuel widely available afloat. Servicing, weight, longeitivity of drive train, space etc are all negatives. That being said if I had say £40k to spend on a RIB I would go diesel. I had about half that so outboard was the only realistic choice.

Top tip - find a Scorpion 7.5m with a hi-tech fuel injected outboard and never look back!

Alan

[Garygee]

Daniel

This is one I have just gone through having ordered my new RIB.

After much debate diesel won hands down.
Like Alan says depends on how much you are going to use it but i think the advantages of diesel outway petrol, but at a cost.

One big thing is if petrol is avilable at the marina, unless you plan to tow. If not do you fancy carrying 60 gallons ( 12 jerry cans) each time you want to refuel !.

Regards Gary (a diesel convert)

[batfalcon]

I couldn't agree more with Alan on this. Scorpions have an excelent reputation and new hi tec outboards tend to be troubleless and cheaper every day.

[GraemeCooper]

I have travelled extensively in RIBs around the UK and the accessible areas of France, and have never had a problem getting Petrol.

As many have said before, the trick is to ensure you have enough fuel to complete your journey - and then some. This goes for diesel or petrol. Adverse weather can seriously affect fuel consumption.

I have known a few RIBs that have had diesel engines fitted, but to compensate for the additional weight they reduce the size of the fuel tanks - hoping that the fuel econony of the engine will give them additional range. This is usually a mistake.

As has also been said, you need to do many additional miles over a short period to compensate for the additional expense of a diesel.

The new larger 4 stroke engines are highly fuel efficient - and with the withdrawal of tax rebate on diesel not far away, probably e better investment.

[Alan]

Originally posted by Daniel
- mainly regarding speed vs economy.........

Well a modern 4 stroke or fuel injected outboard (Optimax, Ficht, HPDI etc) will give you approx a litre a mile consumption. Smaller engines might do more but we're talking about 7m+ RIBS here so I'm guessing you are looking for 175hp+

I can cruise at 30kts at around 30lph on the flowscan which is pretty accurate. I can do 52kts flat out at which point the flowscan registers a fuel consumption figure that frankly is too terrifying to contemplate! (But you can assume that I don't go for long flat out!)

So 1 lpm = 75p per mile odd. Diesel RIBS (of any size) offer similar consumption, its just that yer litre of derv costs 35p (or 11p in Scrabster)! So doing the maths of running costs vs just how much dosh you have to spend is reasonably easy. Unless you are in the very fortunate position where budget is unlimited I suspect it will dictate which road you are able to go down.

The point of petrol availability is about availability afloat. Of course when the boat is on its trailer it can be whizzed into Tesco's filling station for the cheapest petrol. Availability in marina's is a different issue as petrol seems to be increasingly difficult to find and when you can its more expensive (record here I think is Suffolk Yacht Harbour at Levington where its £1.15 a litre!!)

[GraemeCooper]

My experince is that Petrol is in fact geting MORE available afloat - since the arrival of larger 4 strokes that can provide good cruising range.

In the Solent there are several re-fuelling pontoons, in Cherbourg there is a pontoon selling unleaded fuel at around 50p per litre, even around the North Wales Coast there is Pwllheli at 80p or so per litre and Hollyhead Marina at around the same.

I dont think I have ever found a Marina selling Diesel that doesn't also sell Petrol.

[Daniel]

Nice once so far guys,

I don't see the availability of petrol being a problem - i often fill my boat in marina's and Ramsgate, where the boat would be kept sells it at about 80p / li.

The attraction of diesel was purely lower cost - but i thought i might get better consumption as well as lower fuel cost, but my main reservation is can a diesel RIB keep up - do they do 50knts flat out???

Had not really thought about higher maintance costs either.

Looks like a 7+m with a modern Yam / Merc 200 or so is the kind of outfit i am looking at, which judging by Alan's comments will be MORE economical than my current outfit (although i do tend to be a little left-hand happy at times!)

Anyone seen / got / had a boat of this size with a twin set-up?

[Julian]

Daniel

We have an 8.5mtr Scorpion with a Yanmar 300. Flat out we do 48knts so Diesels can keep up now days. I think getting hold of diesel is much easier than petrol. Several places I have been to dont sell petrol. It all depends on how much money you want to spend.

Julian

[Alan]

Originally posted by GraemeCooper
My experince is that Petrol is in fact geting MORE available afloat - since the arrival of larger 4 strokes that can provide good cruising range.

I dont think I have ever found a Marina selling Diesel that doesn't also sell Petrol.

Depends where you are doesn't it e.g.:
Solent probably OK, Wales I bow to your local knowledge.
East Coast - only Levington (@ £1.15 a litre) and Bradwell, no-where else but every other marina does Diesel.
West Coast of Scotland - Largs, Kip and Puffin Divers at Oban apart from that absolutely no chance!

Largely irrelavent though unless you keep your boat in a marina so can't refuel at Tesco's! (assuming you have a sufficiently large fuel tank or lots of jerrys!).

Daniel, A larger opti/ficht/hpdi will be much more fuel efficient than your current 2stroke yammie. I replaced a 150 Johnson VRO with a 150 Opti on my previous RIB (Deep Sea 21) and the difference was unbeliveable! What ever you go for do not be tempted under any circs to go for old style carb/efi outboards no matter what the saving in price.

You can of course have twins on a boat of this size - I've seen a 7.5 tornado I think it was with twin 100 yamaha 4's. That would be a nice set up I'dve thought. Mind you then you are into the eternal twin vs single debate!

[Phil]

Petrol is a problem on the East Coast - I keep my boat in a marina but usually top up from Tescos with jerries because as Alan says Levington is a mighty £1.15 /litre.

On my cruise to Normandy the only places I visited with petrol were Ramsgate Cherbourg Yarmouth IOW and Sovereign Yacht Harbour

No waterside petrol in Calais Boulogne Fecamp Honfleur ; Alderney was cheapest by far and close to the harbour so the long slogs elsewhere were avoided