Preparing to sail

[John]

Question: Do you warm your engine up (if you have an inboard) before motoring off, or just turn it on at the last minute and go? I've heard two different theories. The warm-up first is obvious. The theory against warming it up first is based on the idea that for a diesel the wear is greater when it's not under strain (i.e. in gear). I don't warm it up first; I just get everything ready, turn on the engine, cast off the lines and I'm gone.

Thoughts?

 

[Allan12210]

John,

In terms of a warm up, I pretty much do what you do. Start the engine, let it stabilize and make sure there is water coming out of the exhaust. Usually I forget to bring the horn up to the cockpit, so by the time I do that and we cast off, it has been running for a minute or so. These engines don't really warm up much with no load. I remember trying to run at idle and make hot water...after running for a half hour it seemed that the water was still just lukewarm. Running down the estuary gets it scalding within 15 minutes.

Allan