There definitely is value in two engines.

I had exactly the experience you are asking about this summer.  We were in
rough water on Lake Michigan in our twin diesel trawler, which is equipped
with two tanks and separate water separating fuel filter systems.  We
usually run on one tank at a time to isolate problems, feeding both filter
systems.  We did get water in one tank, which fouled one of the filters more
than the other.  As a result one engine did shut down.  The other eventually
would have shut down also, but I did have time to switch to the good tank
and stay running, and get to the next port.  Due to the filter failure
(another story) we would have paid for a very expensive tow if we only had
one engine.

Having also "graduated" to a trawler from a Morgan sailboat, I can also
assure you that the handling and docking with two screws will be a huge
delight to you, much easier than with one screw.

Bob Kunath
Sans Souci
Pacific Seacraft 38T

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bart Hodge" hbarthodge@yahoo.com
To: "Trawler World" trawler-world-great-loop@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 1:12 PM
Subject: TWGL: Twin screws, bad fuel

with a single engine trawler, a Grand Banks, argue that twin engines are a
headache and do not really provide the redundancy because most diesels quite
due to bad fuel or clogged filters. They say both engines would die at the
same time, anyway. It would seem to me that once one quit and there might
still be a significant time lag until the second one quit. Maybe time enough
to get the problem sorted out. I'm wondering if any of you twin-engine
trawler people have had any experience with one engine continuing to run
after the other had quit?

You bet! One of my engines kept losing rpms frequently and would stay down
low enough that it was not "pushing" it's own weight; I'd end up shutting
it off for an hour or so while running on the other engine. Had trouble
locating the problem. After several months of this, and endless searching,
I finally found a very slight air leak in the fuel line - not enough to
cause a drip on the outside of the line, but enough to cause a problem for
the engine.

Never had a mechanical breakdown, but it could happen, I suppose - knock on
teak!

Bad fuel is an issue that can be dealt with easily. Either cruise enough
that you use up your fuel frequently (my trawler holds 150 gallons total in
two tanks), or install a fuel polishing system. Either way, you virtually
eliminate bad fuel as a cause for engine shutdown (unless you buy old
diesel from an out-of-the-way marina).

My next trawler will have a single engine, and perhaps, maybe, a
bow-thruster (but that is another issue).

At 02:12 PM 10/02/2002, you wrote:

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Bob McLeran      Email: mailto:rmcleran@ix.netcom.com
M/V Sanderling  Currently at Washburn's Boat Yard, Solomons, MD,
Hampton 35 Trawler                                for annual maintenance.