5411 in Mexico
We have had our '83 Cat 30 since 1995. It has the 5411 engine. We have plumbed the sink into the raw water line so we can flush the raw water cooled engine after each use (close raw water intake, sink thru hull, open valve to sink). A full sink full flushes the engine. Radiator anticorrosive added to sink lets the engine be unused for 6 months. This has worked for 12 years in Mexico. Great little engine! Uses little diesel fuel, very reliable. As to power, we have sailed/motored all over California, the Channel Islands, and finally down to Mexico where we have sailed/motored all over the Sea of Cortez. The tidal current in La Paz Bay can run 6-7 knots and take 1 1/2 hours to get out with a slack tide, but we plan accordingly and don't try to buck the heavy tidal flow. The boat has never been a problem in open seas or heavy winds encountered off California or down here. We do unroll the jib or use a reefed main for additional power. We prefer to hunker down in a cove, plan passages with attention to weather, and avoid uncomfortable cruises. Additional horsepower in the engine is a consideration as it would be with a car or truck. Turn the key, point in the correct direction, and you are off. But, this is a sailboat and offers challenges some may not wish to deal with. It is an individual thing. The prudent sailor should still be attentive to weather, tides, and their boat's capability whether it is sail or power. In the end, mother nature doesn't care how much power you have.
We have had our '83 Cat 30 since 1995. It has the 5411 engine. We have plumbed the sink into the raw water line so we can flush the raw water cooled engine after each use (close raw water intake, sink thru hull, open valve to sink). A full sink full flushes the engine. Radiator anticorrosive added to sink lets the engine be unused for 6 months. This has worked for 12 years in Mexico. Great little engine! Uses little diesel fuel, very reliable. As to power, we have sailed/motored all over California, the Channel Islands, and finally down to Mexico where we have sailed/motored all over the Sea of Cortez. The tidal current in La Paz Bay can run 6-7 knots and take 1 1/2 hours to get out with a slack tide, but we plan accordingly and don't try to buck the heavy tidal flow. The boat has never been a problem in open seas or heavy winds encountered off California or down here. We do unroll the jib or use a reefed main for additional power. We prefer to hunker down in a cove, plan passages with attention to weather, and avoid uncomfortable cruises. Additional horsepower in the engine is a consideration as it would be with a car or truck. Turn the key, point in the correct direction, and you are off. But, this is a sailboat and offers challenges some may not wish to deal with. It is an individual thing. The prudent sailor should still be attentive to weather, tides, and their boat's capability whether it is sail or power. In the end, mother nature doesn't care how much power you have.
