What size engine?

[ronie]

Hi,

 

We now have ballast in our boat (yay! ) and are now thinking about finding an engine! What size do people think would be good? We have seen a 1.8 BMC - would that be big enough? It will push it but will it stop it? Any recommendations would be great, and also if anyone knows of anyone selling a good used engine that would be fab, as price is a factor!

 

Thanks

 

Ronie

[alan_fincher]

We have seen a 1.8 BMC - would that be big enough?

For all normal use, more than enough, if you get the propellor sizing right.

 

Stopping power should be more than adequate too.

 

If you want to do more extreme boating, (fast rivers, etc), then it might be a bit more marginal.

 

There have been lots of BMC 1.8s, (and even BMC 1.5s), in 70 foot narrow boats.

Edited March 20, 2009 by alan_fincher

[Liam]

I know of a 9hp Bolinder 'pup' for sale, for £2750 if you're interested

[RLWP]

Hi,

 

We now have ballast in our boat (yay! ) and are now thinking about finding an engine! What size do people think would be good? We have seen a 1.8 BMC - would that be big enough? It will push it but will it stop it? Any recommendations would be great, and also if anyone knows of anyone selling a good used engine that would be fab, as price is a factor!

 

Thanks

 

Ronie

 

We have a BMC 1.8 in our 70' boat and it is fine at going and stopping - except it's very - er - unrefined.

 

Unless you are good a selecting engine mounts I would have a more modern engine.

 

Richard

 

Mind you, vibro-massage is very relaxing.

[Biggles]

"Mind you, vibro-massage is very relaxing."

 

 

Try a Lister solid bolted to oak bearers. But I like it as the engine seldom goes over 1250 rpm and most of the time only around 900rpm

[David Schweizer]

We have a BMC 1.8 in our 70' boat and it is fine at going and stopping - except it's very - er - unrefined.

Unless you are good a selecting engine mounts I would have a more modern engine.

 

Richard

 

Mind you, vibro-massage is very relaxing.

What engine mounts? My BMC 1.5 is hard mounted onto steel bearers, no rubber mounts to disintegrate, no wooden blocks to break in half, just steel shims to line it up with the prop shaft. 100% reliable.

 

And as I very rarely sit inside the boat when it is moving, the vibration really does not bother me.

[ditchcrawler]

"Mind you, vibro-massage is very relaxing."

 

 

Try a Lister solid bolted to oak bearers. But I like it as the engine seldom goes over 1250 rpm and most of the time only around 900rpm

And then take half a ton of ballast out.

[steelaway]

Hi,

 

We now have ballast in our boat (yay! ) and are now thinking about finding an engine! What size do people think would be good? We have seen a 1.8 BMC - would that be big enough? It will push it but will it stop it? Any recommendations would be great, and also if anyone knows of anyone selling a good used engine that would be fab, as price is a factor!

 

Thanks

 

Ronie

 

 

Hi Ronie

 

Why would you want to put an old engine into a new boat?

It is the heart and soul of a reliable boat (unless you're into vintage engines).

I would definetly buy a modern 40-45Hp engine with two alternators and an hydraulic gearbox.

I would also recommend an hospital silencer and a centraflex coupling.

I realise that you will have to bite the bullet when it comes to costs but you will not have to worry about it for years to come.

 

Alex

[Speedwheel]

I know of a 9hp Bolinder 'pup' for sale, for £2750 if you're interested

 

It is up to significantly more than that now!!

[ronie]

Hi,

 

Its not a new boat - it was a 57 foot that has been stretched to a 70 foot with a new top and we are refitting it - trying to use recycles / re used / second hand bits as much as possible, so a second hand but reliable engine is what we need! We wont be using the engine loads as we have a lot of power from solar panels, so dont need to run the engine for battery charging.

 

Thanks for responses everyone - seems a 1.8 would be big enough, if we don't mind a bit of rattling!

 

Ronie

[RLWP]

What engine mounts? My BMC 1.5 is hard mounted onto steel bearers, no rubber mounts to disintegrate, no wooden blocks to break in half, just steel shims to line it up with the prop shaft. 100% reliable.

 

And as I very rarely sit inside the boat when it is moving, the vibration really does not bother me.

 

Hang on, is this a new dividing line amongst boaters? Pump-out/cassette, Bowthruster/boat-handling, 240vAC/12vDC, Bonded/unbonded earth, Vetus-prop-bearing/greased-gland, narrowbeam/widebeam, flexible/solid mounts???

 

 

Richard

 

(our engine broke another cup today by shaking it out of a cupboard)

[steamraiser2]

You won't need anything as big as a 40 /45 hp motor. A Lister LPW3 is way big enough. 27hp ish. Over the years I've reconditioned loads of narrowboat engines for customers and its often the case that the bores are glazed and the piston rings shot because the engine is continuously waffling along under insufficient load. You need to make them work if you want it to last years. Avoid fitting too big a motor .As for the BMC range: they were a good motor in their day....I reconditioned one in 1975, it was an ex electricity board van engine that had also been used in a fish & chip van for some years. After the recon it ran without trouble for 32 years before it needed TLC ! That said I would'nt recommend one these days. , they are pretty much obselete and it pays to always remember ... with boat engines.... expensive does'nt necessarily mean better!

[Biggles]

To start with I hated the Lister. Admittedly it was an SL3 12.hp pushing a 60 NB with a manual gearbox, but it did it even though it was bu**erd. It still did 4mph. I now have a ST3 30hp and low and behold it still only does 4mph but with a lot less effort, and in favourable conditions it will get up to nearly 6mph but its definitely not happy with that. Oh and I have a hydraulic box now.

 

Although its is only 30hp it has a lot of torque and turns the big course prop very slowly, and at tick over about 650 rpm it will do 2.5-3 mph and only sips fuel running like this.

 

An ST3 is getting quite rare, but an SR3 23.5hp should be easy to find as it was fitted to all sorts of plant like dumpers.

 

Biggles

[steamraiser2]

Don't forget the obvious advantage a water cooled engine brings.... unlimited free hot water through a calorifier!