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Now that I've crawled down the rabbit hole I might as well keep going. Cold oil viscosity ratings are specified for 0W to 25W oil and the actual temperature of the rating varies. For instance, 15W oil must have a viscosity of less than 3500 cP at -15F. The test method is a representation of...

Again, not an expert reply from a credentialled petroleum engineer. I propose that while oil technology has improved over the years, the other reason multi-viscosity oil is more commonly recommended these days is in the engine. Engines, specifically crank journals and bearings, are built with...

Just a few comments about oil, coming from a non-expert: Multi-viscosity oil is mainly the thinner (winter) grade with additives that can be a significant portion of the total - like 15%. The additive causes the hydrocarbon chains to connect at higher temperatures, making the viscosity go up...

Adventures 100% totally awesome adventure!!

I have a system that has worked for me for about 60 years with numerous gas and diesel, turbo and NA cars, trucks, tractors, lawn mowers, airplanes and boats, including my current Cummins (turbo) diesel in my boat. When I need the engine I start it and when I'm through with it I shut it off. The...

Thanks, Al (I assume), for your questions. Most of the modifications I've done would not, think, be considered common. I'm sure nothing I've done would affect the structural integrity of the boat. Many of the changes affect the efficiency, which is measurably higher than original. I've had...

NT32 top speed The top speed of the NT32 with the Cummins 210-hp is about 16kts (at 2600 rpm, full throttle). My normal cruise speed is at 1300 rpm, 1.8GPH, and 7.9 kts. I have heard of people cruising them at 2200 rpm, which gives about 12kts, I think. Even though I don't use the horsepower...

Yes, on the later models the companionway to the pilot house is in the center and the roof is cut away to provide more headroom. That has its pros and cons. The headroom is certainly a good thing, but the pilothouse seat is then cut in two. I like the long seat that holds three or one taking a...

Yes, there is never enough space on a boat. The earlier ones, I believe, had a V-berth and I like those better. On the other boat we slept "head first" and that made it really easy to get in and out. Then the later ones had a center berth, but then the length of the berth is compromised as is...

I removed the stack to have room to store the dinghy on the upper deck. Amazing how much extras space there is up there without the stack. Makes for a great gathering spot for sundowners! The stack comes with the boat, so it can be had with or without. And another post from Captain Ron correctly...

The old rule of thumb for a spur gear mesh is that it robs 2% of the power per mesh. You have to compare how many meshes there are for each type of drive, so there isn't a fixed answer that covers them all. 2% isn't a big number, but if there are two extra meshes in the V-drive, that represents...

Total time on Cummins 5.9 engine is 1550 hours. This is a well-maintained NT located in Holland, MI and is now, as it always has been, being stored in a heated barn. This is an ideal, affordable boat for a couple looking to do the loop. With considerable tweaking done to the bottom and rudder...

I'll put my vote in for the autopilot. I've been cruising the Great Lakes for 40 years in several different boats and with a powerboat the autopilot is in use virtually 100% of the time. I've only really wanted a radar once in that time, but I made it with GPS guiding the way. And with modern...

My 1998 Nordic Tugs 32 is for sale. Always in fresh water and always stored indoors. casey.gary@yahoo.com

Syjos makes a couple of good points. Yes, if the engine weren't at the bottom of the boat it would be easy to simply drain the oil into a bucket. Most big (trawler size) engines are installed with a drain hose already plumbed to the sump drain, so that is the obvious thing to use. And I'll admit...

Okay, here's a technique I've used for several years and it makes the oil drain very easy, using the engine to drain its own oil. I tap into the engine oil system (most any engine has a 1/8 pipe thread port somewhere) and put a needle valve on it. I use a length of 1/4 nylon line into a drain...

Cooling the ER AS with the comments from Tom above, I, too was "concerned" about ER temperatures, so I put a thermocouple in the ER, located directly above the engine, probably the hottest location. I found that the temperature on a warm day of about 80 degrees was about 125. I considered that...

I think yours is a good idea. I did essentially the same thing to my NT 32. One starting battery is connected live to the engine and the other battery bank runs the house. They can be tied together if necessary to "jump start" the engine. Works great.

shaft seal failure Interesting that I should read this thread on this day. I just had a seal failure. My seal overheated and seized on the shaft. It spun and yanked the cooling hose out of the engine. Sudden and startling. The smell was the first thing I noticed, but didn't react quickly...

I agree with Jetstream in that his numbers are about right and the logic behind it works. He goes from 1.7LPM at 7 kts to 1.1LPM at 6 kts. Sure, some of the gain is just due to the speed reduction, but certainly not all. It would be interesting if he had done the same thing, but adjust the speed...

Flybridge? I forgot to mention that I've heard of an aftermarket (or factory? I'm not sure) flybridge that almost looks like the boat was made for it.

Speed costs money It just happens that I have just done some speed testing on my Nordic Tugs 32 with a 210-hp Cummins. Yes, you can cruise at 12kts or more if you like. I used a combination of test data to arrive at my conclusions. First, the most "effective" cruise speed is 7.8 knots, which...

As a newbie, I'm planning on a trip, some of which will be single-handed, in my NT32 (air draft about 12 feet) from Michigan, Lake Erie to Buffalo, Erie canal to Oswego, and across Lake Ontario the Trent-Severn. Once back into Georgian Bay and the North Channel I'm on my home turf again. I've...

I agree with Eric. A full displacement hull will have its stern out or nearly out of the water. A semi-displacement hull will have a squared-off stern that will likely be significantly underwater at rest. An SD hull will generally have hard chines, but I don't think it's a firm criterion. Either...

All interesting discussions about engines and ratings. I did a little research and found that at the typical engine in trawler usage like mine might have a "recreational" rating. The manufacturer says that they "allow" it to be run at full rated power for something like 1 hour out of 6. There is...