DollaBill

Maybe in So Cal, but not the east coast. I am not talking opinion, I'm talking facts.

Semper Fi

I am talking facts also. How can you even compare a gas to diesel?? Diesel is CHEAPER, lasts 5X LONGER, RESALE is BETTER.
Not too mention the strain on a gas motor in a heavy cruiser. Diesels like to run at like 90% capacity, gas motors do not.

Semper Fi

I couldn't agree more. People think they are saving money by not spending xtra money getting the diesels (in the right application) in the first place. You cannot go wrong with diesels.

Michael1

Twice the mileage??? This must be some sort of miracle diesel, or it is being compared to a two-stroke gasoline engine with fouled plugs.

Michael

DollaBill

I was not addressing the question Capo had from a "logic" sense. I was telling him the pro's and con's from a $$$$ standpoint. No question that in anything other than a small boat or a performance boat diesel is the way to go. The problem is that even though most of can afford these toys, we don't flush money down the drain everyday.

Therefore, you must examine the "cost of ownership". Most people keep a boat about 3 years. When you factor in depreciation as a % and the overall amount of money invested, it takes much longer than 2 or 3 years to recoup the premium you pay for diesel power.

Semper Fi

I do see your point I would agree it does matter how much you use the vessel. Personally for me, there is no comparison (gas vs. diesel) in a larger boat or 1 ton pickup
I think that the price of gas these days is seriously closing that gap. Most of the experienced boaters I know who buy cruisers or larger boats (non-performance boats) buy diesels. I think the lower end boats and newer people to boating buy more gas motors because it will bring a lower purchase price.
A 3yr old boat with 150 hrs on gas motors would probably need some freshening, where the diesels would be ready to go.

CBR

I thought alot about desiels for my next larger boat. Problem with desiels is that they do not like to sit. Many desiels go kaput from internal rust after a mere 1,500 hours. Try fifty grand for each motor vs 5K for new crusaders! Talking about dropping them into cruiser/fish type boats here.

If you ran the motors every week to normal temp (or had someone do it) and used the boat alot to make the extra 45K *2 expense worth it in fuel savings, then desiels would be good. I seriously doubt desiels are worthwhile in say a forty foot boat that sits in Miami for six months between uses. And, when it is used, only goes a few miles for cruises to the local waterfront bar, or sailfish off Miami Beach.

Anyone know what 500 HP Yanmars cost each, or equivilent MANs? What is the premium over Merc 500 HP blue motors?

Jassman

Cost is appr. 5k more vs a 525. Then you have to put a serious drives to handle the 900 plus ft. pds. of torque, like some ASD-8's. The acceleration is unbelievable, but suffers some on top end. The cruise is where it's at, less than 1/2 the fuel burn, and thats what im after. Jeff

Cattitude

how many hours a yr? is relibility an issue if you are going to keep it and put 500+ hours on it?

I love disel, but can't justify if you are not doing long sea trips or going to rack the hrs way above normal

fazznick

I just bought a 06 sea ray 44 and I have the standard horizons in the boat. It has a top speed about three mph slower than the diesels. It cruises about 6 mph slower and and burns about 10 gallons more per hour at cruise speed. I really wanted the diesels but couldn't justify the extra 75K. If I had it to do all over again I would buy gas. It really depends on the year of the motors and the brand. Cats are really expensive to fix. The motors have to be pulled for anything to be done inside them. I can buy new horizons for what it cost to refresh diesels. All in all, it depends on where and how you are going to use the boat. If I were boating on an ocean instead of a lake I wouldn't consider gas. For me, I boat at LOTO and will go through about 1 more tank per season with the gas motors. No way I was going to pay the extra 75K for diesel. Resale may be better for diesel but as a percentage of the purchase price it is not, at least not at LOTO.