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Subject: TWL: Do trawlers have more **** problems then sailboats?
From: Arild Jensen (elnav@XXX.XXX)
Date: Sat Mar 30 2002 - 09:50:39 EST
It isn't just the fuel system that gives trouble.
It has been my experience that any machinery that is seldom used and sits idle a lot gets
cranky and fails to run smoothly.
I used to run a corvette during the summer months and found that it always ran rough for the
first couple of weeks after the winter lay-up. By the same token, my pick-up truck got "sulky" if
left sitting too long in the summer while I drove the ' vette.
I never had problems with my sailboat engine while other people in my marina always seemed
to have little problems; sometimes with the same brand and age of motor.
I finally realized that the difference lay in how I used my boat.
They were often sail purists who resented running their engines any more than strictly
necessary. Ten minutes motoring down the river and out into the lake was all the time they ran
their motor. I, on the other hand would often run for half an hour or more under full throttle to
meet a schedule or scoot over to the other side of the bay to pick up my crew then we would go
sailing for the next six or eight hours.
Condensation, dampness etc. takes their toll in corrosion, water build up and sediment
collecting. Electric contacts in switches, relays and appliances develop intermittent contacts,
gears and shafts in starter motors acquire rust on the sliding metal surfaces.
At the risk of sounding silly, machinery seems to take on a personality of sorts. Well used
machinery that gets regular exercise seems to be happier and run smoother than machinery
that sits neglected and unloved. Have you hugged your boat today? :-)))
Cheers
Arild
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