Talk Me Out of an Amel

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by reed1v

The best way to keep diesels smells from entering the cabin(s) is to suck air into the boat, not force air out of the boat.

Relying on bringing air into the boat may still allow diesel smell to escape the confines of the engine compartment but will dilute it with fresh air so it's not as noticeable. But if you use an engine room exhaust fan to create a slight vacuum, it will ensure that any exchange of air between the engine room and living space can only be towards the engine, guaranteeing that no engine room smell can escape into the living space.

The only problem I see with engine room exhaust fans is that to move large amounts of air, they tend to be quite noisy, though not as noisy as a running engine. But once the engine is shut down, there's no chance of forgetting to turn off the exhaust fans. Our center cockpit boat has an engine room under the cockpit with living space all around (typical arrangement) but it's pretty well (though not perfectly) sealed with rubber gaskets on all openings above the level of the sole, and we have not noticed diesel smell in the living quarters. We have 2 identical exhaust type fans on the same switch, one bringing living space air (from inside a nearby cabinet that has louvered doors) into the front of the engine compartment, and one sucking the air out the aft end so that when they are running the engine room air is constantly being exchanged, reducing heat buildup and supplying the turbo diesel with a steady supply of fresh air. Even when not running the exhaust fans while motoring, the turbo's demand for a supply of air results in air being sucked into the engine compartment from the living space, rather than vice versa.

Amel's solution to this issue of completely isolating the engine from the living space sounds like an ideal way of avoiding diesel smell (and excessive noise) in the living space, but tight sealing doors and use of exhaust fans can accomplish pretty much the same thing, at least in regards to living space odors.

[CarlF]

I put one of these computer fans in the bottom of the engine room with a hose to a small exterior vent. It stays on 24 hours a day drawing 1/2 watt. You can't hear it. This not only keeps any engine smells out of the cabin but gets heat out of the boat faster after running the engine. The constant stream of fresh air in the bilge also seems to keep damp smells at bay.

While it's not technically ignition protected, it makes no radio noise and the high tech motor has no spark that could ignite anything. While salt water down the vent would probably wreck it, it's been running for three years steadily with no problem. It's rated to move 45 CFM. I expect the hose cuts this way back but it's still plenty of air movement for the purpose.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...rch_detailpage

[Ribbit]

I do think it's sad to miss out on a whole lot of different types of fun with boat buying. Especially if you are going to be waiting for a build slot on a new boat anyway.

After seeing the comments of one disappointed customer, who couldn't get to see the samples of a very limited selection of finishing options (in the market for a new $1.5 million boat, and after a very long trip to go and see them), I have to ask, why not just have exactly what you want (consult an architect too so it doesn't get you into trouble inadvertently), with all the rewards and permanent grin factor, of a real creative project? Then have the very real satisfaction of something truly unique, superb, and beautiful, to live on?

A renovation of a Pearson Rhodes 41ft found by Don C L and posted on the Plastic Classic group, in the thread Refits of Note, to me anyway, was simply breathtaking. To have the resources to do something like that (probably at a substantial saving), and possibly even in the same time frame as waiting for a construction slot, to me anyway, is no contest.

Here's the links to the pictures of the renovation, associated notes, the workers involved, and the work they did (a great insight into the process too). I couldn't drag myself away from them, until I had seen them all:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=54dcd7dc0b

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=bf016aab90

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=c007ac6e98

I don't even go anywhere near Facebook usually.

The thing is, it really is nice to have something constructive, rewarding, and worthwhile to do, even if you just provide the means, the encouragement, and the supervision. I was getting seriously drunk with Lord something or other down in Hampshire one night, and it's what he did. Happened to be a wedding reception where we were, and he had supplied all of the wedding cars, free, to the married couple and their families. Well, free, but he had to have an invite to the reception, and a few beers bought him in the evening (though I did note he seemed to be buying a bit more than he received, back). He spent his time doing wonderful restorations of old Jaguars, Bentleys, Rolls, that sort of thing, and they would get their run out pretty much every week end, which did them the World of good, and helped to keep them in tip top condition.

Plus of course it got him out of the house pretty much every weekend, did him the World of good, and helped to keep him in tip top condition, as well.

[reed1v]

Air in/air out. For most sailboats, does not take much to change the internal air pressure enough to either suck air out of engine compartments or keep them inside. Our experience has been that a simple fan at the base of a cowl vent is enough to keep odors inside the engine compartment/room from entering the rest of the boat. It is obvious best to vent the engine area direct to the outside world,but in a lot of boats that is not easily done(hans christians, cheoy lees, and other boats) where the engine is in an inside cabinet or in the bilge. For sailboats where the engine is hiding under the cockpit, a simple cowl vent in the stern will do. In that case the fan should be sucking the air out of the engine area.

[George P]

Tscott8201,
Brilliant boats, for what you are planning or may be planning. Go for it.
If buying in europe, don't wait too long, the exchange rate is very attractive!!!

[Svanen]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Most of today's sailing couples seem to enjoy the wide open stern areas for lounging and entertaining, the Amel is the opposite of this.

Agreed that Amels are not the best for lounging/drinking/posing at the dock. There are many better designs for those seeking a floating condo rather than a passage-maker … horses for courses!

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I don't like all the extra rigging associated with a ketch design, especially today when semi-automated sloops and cutter rigged boats can simplify things and there aren't so many lines, ropes and shrouds cluttering up the deck.

With apologies for the thread highjack: ketch-rigged isn't necessarily associated with extra standing rigging. A free-standing cat ketch will make a sloop or cutter look like a spider's web!

P.S. I'm not sure that semi-automated systems actually "simplify things" … if anything, my experience suggests that the opposite is true.