the size of my engine

[songbird2]

Hi Iwould like to buy a 55' boat but I am concerned that it only has a 1500 beta marine engine. Someone said that I wouldn't be able to go on the rivers with such a small engine. Has anyone got any thoughts? I would appreciate it. Also the boat has not got an inverter. How much should I expect to pay for one and what if i need 240v sockets installed as well? Any help much appreciated

[mrsmelly]

Hi Iwould like to buy a 55' boat but I am concerned that it only has a 1500 beta marine engine. Someone said that I wouldn't be able to go on the rivers with such a small engine. Has anyone got any thoughts? I would appreciate it. Also the boat has not got an inverter. How much should I expect to pay for one and what if i need 240v sockets installed as well? Any help much appreciated

 

Hi

 

Are you talking narrowboat ? as there are many many different types of boat. If you are talking narrowboat then a 1500 size beta is very ample even for tidal rivers, obviously on proper stuff like say the tidal trent you would take advice before setting off. I owned a 57 footer with a beta 1505 and did springs etc on the trent with no problem. An inverter will cost you between fifty and five thousand pounds ish subject to your needs.

 

Tim

[MtB]

I agree. A 1500cc Beta will be fine for rivers in a narrowboat, but probably woefully underpowered in a widebeam on a river.

 

I had a 1500 BMC is my 58ft Hancock & Lane and it was perfectly adequate for the Thames.

 

 

Mike

[Guest]

My 57ft narrowboat has a 1500cc Vetus, and seems to have adequate power, including towing another 57 footer on more than one occasion. Extra power can be handy for stopping the boat.

Edited November 10, 2012 by Guest

[MtB]

P.S. The only way to answer the inverter question is if you can first give the board an idea of what appliances to want to run from it.

[Tony Brooks]

I agree with the others. I have a 1498cc Bukh 3 pot in a 54ft canal boat and it copes just fine with the Thames in flood. However your own watermanship is just as important as raw engine power.

[songbird2]

I agree with the others. I have a 1498cc Bukh 3 pot in a 54ft canal boat and it copes just fine with the Thames in flood. However your own watermanship is just as important as raw engine power.

 

Thanks, thats helped. Yes its a narrowboat with a 4 cyl Beta marine Kubota engine which Im sure they said was 1.5. As for the inverter. I would like to be able to run a washing machine eventually, a small tv, a microwave, some sort of music system and of course my hair straighteners!

[Kiwipeter]

Thanks, thats helped. Yes its a narrowboat with a 4 cyl Beta marine Kubota engine which Im sure they said was 1.5. As for the inverter. I would like to be able to run a washing machine eventually, a small tv, a microwave, some sort of music system and of course my hair straighteners!

 

3kw about £3000 if a combi inverter

Edited November 10, 2012 by Kiwipeter

[blackrose]

What hp does 1500cc equate to? About 40?

[jelunga]

Thanks, thats helped. Yes its a narrowboat with a 4 cyl Beta marine Kubota engine which Im sure they said was 1.5. As for the inverter. I would like to be able to run a washing machine eventually, a small tv, a microwave, some sort of music system and of course my hair straighteners!

We run a Tv, microwave, an Ipod speaker system from our 2kva inverter. Our washing machine is an old hot and cold fill, and has had the heater disconnected. So it does work off the inverter but needs to have the mechanical controller manually turned from one stage to the next.

To run most modern cold fill only automatic washing machines you will normally need a full sine wave inverter of at least 2.5 maybe 3kva min. To run this sort of inverter only from batteries to power a washing machine will need a big battery bank and a lot of engine running with large alternators to keep the batteries charged. It may be cheaper to get a large petrol generator but not safer. It may be better to get a mooring with mains hook up.

Another option is a twin tub where you fill manually with hot water and it will use a lot kess power.

A lot of variables.

Good luck with your deliberations. Just bear in mind that whichever way you decide to go, it will be the wrong way.

 

What hp does 1500cc equate to? About 40?

MYbe 30/35.

Our 1800 cc Perkins is 40 bhp ish

[alan_fincher]

What hp does 1500cc equate to? About 40?

A 1498cc Beta BV1505 is quoted at 37.5 HP at 3000 rpm

 

Brochure here

 

Surely more than enough for a 55 foot narrow boat ?

[MtB]

As for the inverter. I would like to be able to run a washing machine eventually, a small tv, a microwave, some sort of music system and of course my hair straighteners!

OMG, I don't think boating is for you, lol!

 

Anyway gurls with bent hair are just as lurvely as the ones with straight, IMO. So that should help cut down the power usage a bit...

 

Thing is, to run a washing machine and a microwave, you'll need not just a big expensive inverter, but a big expensive battery back too, along with a load of big expensive fat cables, and some time consuming installation work from someone who really understands what they are doing.

 

Might be better moor in a marina with a shoreline

 

What sort of music? Nice bit of dubstep, brostep or drumstep and you'll need an even BIGGER inverter, or ditch the washing machine. OTOH if it's just Joni Mitchell then ok, you can have clean clothes.

 

Time for more BEER i think!

 

Hope that helps,

Mike

[bizzard]

The sink and a rubbing board is as good and a lot lot cheaper than one of them there new fangled washing machines, you can rub away on a rubbing board in tune with your Hi-Fi when it bursts into song Songbird.

If you have a tea chest as well you could even start up a Skiffle group. A rubbing board will also make a good albeit short anti-slip gang plank, now a washing machine at any price couldn't do all those things.

[songbird2]

OMG, I don't think boating is for you, lol!

 

Anyway gurls with bent hair are just as lurvely as the ones with straight, IMO. So that should help cut down the power usage a bit...

 

Thing is, to run a washing machine and a microwave, you'll need not just a big expensive inverter, but a big expensive battery back too, along with a load of big expensive fat cables, and some time consuming installation work from someone who really understands what they are doing.

 

Might be better moor in a marina with a shoreline

 

What sort of music? Nice bit of dubstep, brostep or drumstep and you'll need an even BIGGER inverter, or ditch the washing machine. OTOH if it's just Joni Mitchell then ok, you can have clean clothes.

 

Time for more BEER i think!

 

Hope that helps,

Mike

 

lol Mike. I was just being honest. Im rubbish at hand washing and there are times when I don't want to look like a yettie! But , thanks food for thought. Nothing wrong with a bit of dub but more of a rock fan. I also love Joni Mitchell.....time for a beer

 

The sink and a rubbing board is as good and a lot lot cheaper than one of them there new fangled washing machines, you can rub away on a rubbing board in tune with your Hi-Fi when it bursts into song Songbird.

If you have a tea chest as well you could even start up a Skiffle group. A rubbing board will also make a good albeit short anti-slip gang plank, now a washing machine at any price couldn't do all those things.

 

I'm re thinking my entire plan as I write. Maybe a sciffle band would be an idea to hell with the washing machine : )

[mrsmelly]

A 1498cc Beta BV1505 is quoted at 37.5 HP at 3000 rpm

 

Brochure here

 

Surely more than enough for a 55 foot narrow boat ?

 

Yes thats the very engine we had on our 57 footer several years ago. Perfect size for the boat in stead of the usual 42hp overkill used by many. I had the 42 hp version on my heavy 70 footer which was enough again even for tidal inland work.

 

Tim

[songbird2]

We run a Tv, microwave, an Ipod speaker system from our 2kva inverter. Our washing machine is an old hot and cold fill, and has had the heater disconnected. So it does work off the inverter but needs to have the mechanical controller manually turned from one stage to the next.

To run most modern cold fill only automatic washing machines you will normally need a full sine wave inverter of at least 2.5 maybe 3kva min. To run this sort of inverter only from batteries to power a washing machine will need a big battery bank and a lot of engine running with large alternators to keep the batteries charged. It may be cheaper to get a large petrol generator but not safer. It may be better to get a mooring with mains hook up.

Another option is a twin tub where you fill manually with hot water and it will use a lot kess power.

A lot of variables.

Good luck with your deliberations. Just bear in mind that whichever way you decide to go, it will be the wrong way.

 

 

MYbe 30/35.

Our 1800 cc Perkins is 40 bhp ish

 

thanks. that is really useful. These inverters are really expensive aren't they? Ive got a friend who runs his washing machine off a generator maybe I will look into models etc. I will have to be marina based initially because of work committments so maybe I will see how i get on without one for a while

[alan_fincher]

Yes thats the very engine we had on our 57 footer several years ago. Perfect size for the boat in stead of the usual 42hp overkill used by many. I had the 42 hp version on my heavy 70 footer which was enough again even for tidal inland work.

 

Tim

At least there are some things we can heartily agree on Tim, even if there are others where we never will!

 

There does seem to be an increasing trend to fit unnecessarily large engines in narrow boats, (in my view, of course).....

[MtB]

lol Mike. I was just being honest. Im rubbish at hand washing and there are times when I don't want to look like a yettie! But , thanks food for thought. Nothing wrong with a bit of dub but more of a rock fan. I also love Joni Mitchell.....time for a beer

 

 

 

I'm re thinking my entire plan as I write. Maybe a sciffle band would be an idea to hell with the washing machine : )

 

Yay, I'll do drums for you!

 

Actually, as a rocker with dub sensibilities, may I suggest you fish out Noisia's new remix of Prodigy's 'Smack My Bitch Up'? If ever there was an improvement on the original, this must be IT!

 

Ok, I found it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euxJvqnzKgk

 

Although Unkle's remix of 'No-one Knows' by QOTSA is equally BRILLIANT!

 

Turn it UP!

 

Mike

[mrsmelly]

At least there are some things we can heartily agree on Tim, even if there are others where we never will!

 

There does seem to be an increasing trend to fit unnecessarily large engines in narrow boats, (in my view, of course).....

 

Hi Alan

 

Agreed ! I do always like your posts even though you are often wrong

 

Tim

[MtB]

At least there are some things we can heartily agree on Tim, even if there are others where we never will!

 

There does seem to be an increasing trend to fit unnecessarily large engines in narrow boats, (in my view, of course).....

 

I agree too. 25hp is more than enough for any narrowboat in my experience.

 

Aldebaran for example has a 22bhp Kelvin so over-propped I doubt I'm accessing more than 10hp of it.

 

Does seem a bit slow though, to be brutally honest!

 

 

MtB

 

(edited for spilling)

Edited November 10, 2012 by Mike the Boilerman

[blackrose]

I agree too. 25hp is more than enough for any narrowboat in my experience.

 

 

It depends what you want to do with it. If your experience only extends as far as canals then I understand. On most canals even a 10hp engine will push a narrowboat along nicely, but a modern 25hp engine on a 60+ft narrowboat wouldn't be suitable for most tidal waters and even some non-tidal rivers.

Edited November 10, 2012 by blackrose

[NB Lola]

I have a honda eu20i generator - have a look at em, about a grand

[MtB]

It depends what you want to do with it. If your experience only extends as far as canals then I understand. On most canals even a 10hp engine will push a narrowboat along nicely, but a modern 25hp engine on a 60+ft narrowboat wouldn't be suitable for most tidal waters and even some non-tidal rivers.

 

As you well know Mike, I have 30 years experience of boating on the Thames. And I stand by my assertion that 25hp is plenty for any narrowboat on a river.

 

Here for example, is

, hardly struggling for power with an 18HP Lister JP2

 

MtB

 

 

Edit to add... Actually on checking, VICTORIA's JP2 turns out to be the 22hp, 1,200rpm version. But my point still stands!

Edited November 10, 2012 by Mike the Boilerman

[Chalky]

What hp does 1500cc equate to? About 40?

 

Exactly the point. The 1500 cc Isuzu in our boat produces 33 hp. I've seen 1500 cc engines on test beds that can produce over 800hp. The 1500cc question is the wrong one. It should be what is the power output, not what is the capacity.

[alan_fincher]

On most canals even a 10hp engine will push a narrowboat along nicely, but a modern 25hp engine on a 60+ft narrowboat wouldn't be suitable for most tidal waters and even some non-tidal rivers.

 

 

As you well know Mike, I have 30 years experience of boating on the Thames. And I stand by my assertion that 25hp is plenty for any narrowboat on a river.

 

Here for example, is

, hardly struggling for power with an 18HP Lister JP2

 

MtB

 

 

Edit to add... Actually on checking, VICTORIA's JP2 turns out to be the 22hp, 1,200rpm version. But my point still stands!

 

To be fair to Mike, (Blackrose), he does say modern 25HP engine, and one assumes he is talking the standard modern high revving Isuzu/Kubota/Mitsubishi based engines.

 

With the best will in the world, comparing the 25HP output of one of those, (if you can find many that small!), to a JP2 is hardly a fair comparison.

 

Without looking it up, I feel sure if you compare the torque figures, you would see how radically different a prospect the two are. Pairs of 70 foot loaded boats used to go on the Thames regularly with 18 or 20HP motors, but I'd not wish to try it if that motor was a modern industrial unit sourced from the Far east.

 

Trying to take a balanced view, the combination of a modern fast revving 37HP motor with a 55 foot boat is a good one, and will probably cope well with any sensible situation that the boat is put in to.

 

EDITED for clarity, as both quotes are from a Mike!

Edited November 10, 2012 by alan_fincher