Other than 2 vs 30 micron filters, this is probably one of my favorite topics! First, both systems work. Both systems are reliable. Both systems have pluses and minuses. If you have ever had a otter chew through your wet exhaust plumbing and sink your boat, you will NEVER buy another wet exhaust boat again in your life. On the other hand, it gets pretty old cleaning up the small flakes of material that erupts from your stack if you take rain water or have a heavy dew and you didn't cover the stack with a bucket! Funny story, we pulled into Coinjock NC and tied the boat up. There were thunderstorms in the area but Marian convinced me it was more important to get the bedding in the marina washing machine than to put the bucket on the stack. Well as we were loading the bedspread into the washing machine the storm front arrived and penny sized hail started to torrent down. The hail was then replaced by rain that obliterated any visibility beyond 15 feet, it was a gullywasher!!!! So we run back to the boat, button ourselves in and wait for the storm to pass. The next day I go to start the main and we get an eruption of black stuff out the stack that covers the back of the boat. You will note I don't call this soot, because Bob from Lugger will say its NOT SOOT, so I don't call it SOOT, but hell, it looks like soot to me? Anyway, this stuff is like the devils crap. If you can hit it with a hose it will go into solution and pretty much wash away, but God forbid you touch it. If you touch it it somehow changes composition and turns into this greasy smear that is only removed with the most powerful (wax eating) cleansers. I don't know why I now think this is funny because when it happened we were horrified. Fortunately there was a Frenchman in a catamaran sailboat behind us and he took the worst of it. Just kidding, I'm kidding!!! The reality is that boat builders have passions about this. Nordhavn will tell you a dry exhaust is part of building a ocean crossing capable boat. They believe making the main engine cooling as reliable as possible is critical. Not exposing the block to salt water and not having a raw water impeller that you rely on is a significant advantage. However you do have the complexity of a keel cooler hanging outside the hull. The other two huge advantages I can think of is you never have to worry about hydro locking your engine if you flood the waterlift muffler. Finally you don't have to worry about a raw water intake being clogged with some sea life or foreign object. These are key advantages in a dry exhaust. The only "advantage" I can think of associated with a wet exhaust is the elimination of the mast and stack. If you need a mast to launch your dingy then you might as well hang an exhaust from it, so I guess that's pretty much the answer. All this said, Milt Baker went to PAE and insisted they build him a 43 with wet exhaust. After some initial issues regarding a hot engine room, I believe he got it all sorted out and loves his wet exhaust system. Scott E. Bulger, Alanui, Seattle WA

On Feb 20, 2009, at 10:13 AM, Scott E. Bulger wrote: > Milt Baker went to PAE and insisted they build him a 43 I believe Milt's boat is a 47.. :-) I also like the Dry vs Wet argument. John Ford