[C320-list] engine hours

[Robert Seastream]

My boat had about 110 hours on it when I purchased it at three seasons  
old.  Tell buyers that engine hours vary greatly due to why the engine  
is used:  travel time to offshore, days with/without wind, schedules,  
don't know how to sail, etc.  Tell 'em that diesels are more reliable  
than gas engines at least since they've no ignition system to  
maintain.  A well maintained diesel should go at least 5000 hours  
between overhauls (NOT replacement), sometimes longer.

Bob Seastream
Intuition # 906

On Jan 26, 2010, at 11:23 AM, Dave Anderer wrote:

> I've learned from my aircraft mechanic to prefer mechanical devices  
> that
> have been used and well-maintained rather than ones that have sat  
> ignored.
>
>> From my perspective, 1680 hours with decent maintenance is no  
>> drawback.
> Heck - it tells me the boat was used - a good thing.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 11:14 AM, james_delong
> <james_delong at bellsouth.net>wrote:
>
>> Guys,
>>
>> My Catalina 320, hull number 453, is 'softly' on the market.  By  
>> softly I
>> mean it is not a full fledged marketing campaign.  It is listed  
>> only on the
>> 320 web page and on Sailboat Listings.
>>
>> Since October I have only received 6 calls and one visit scheduled  
>> for this
>> Thursday.
>>
>> A couple of other potentials have fallen through because the they  
>> thought
>> the engine hours were too high.  Folks seem to be looking for a 13  
>> year old
>> boat with less than 500 hours!
>>
>> This is a Yanmar 3GM30 Japanese version engine with 1680 hours.
>>
>> I've read you should run these often and hard. In fact this months  
>> Sail
>> Magazine recommends at least 4 hours at full operating temperature  
>> at hull
>> speed every month. Just doing that I would have accumulated over  
>> 600 hours.
>>
>> The question is:  What argument can be made for high vs. low  
>> hours?  Is low
>> always better, or do low hours present a different set of problems  
>> vs. high
>> hours in an engine that has been well maintained?
>>
>> How much 'value' is lost do the high hours or is this just a  
>> perception
>> issue?
>>
>> Thanks!  Jim #453
>>