How often to start the engines?

[Boatboy0110]

I'm a liveaboard in Florida. Just went from a 31" sail to a 36 Prairie Boatworks 36" trawler with twin Perkins 4's.
I don't have a lot of desire to cruise on the weekends. The boat is my home and my office and I see something going wrong out there that tends to keep me at the dock (sad ... I agree). My question is how often should I start my engines and let them run for a while? I started the sailboat (Yanmar) once a month and let it run for 15 minutes, brought it up to full throttle a few times and used the recommended shut down procedure from Yanmar.
Any feedback would be appreciated. These engines have sat for over two years but they started immediately and purr. Trainees are tight. I also cycle these when I run the engine. Thanks! Bob in Punta Gorda, FL.

 

[rslifkin]

Engines need to be used. Sitting for a couple weeks between uses isn't a big deal, but only ever getting run at the dock with no load on the engines isn't good for them at all. If you want to keep them healthy, you need to periodically take the boat out and get it some exercise.

 

[O C Diver]

IMO, take the boat out once a month for an hour. It's more about getting the engine, transmission, and engine room up to operating temperature and baking the moisture out of the oils. If you can't do that, then do it every other month. Running the engine for 15 minutes in the slip every month isn't as beneficial as going every other month for an hour cruise.

Ted

 

[Comodave]

IMO, take the boat out once a month for an hour. It's more about getting the engine, transmission, and engine room up to operating temperature and baking the moisture out of the oils. If you can't do that, then do it every other month. Running the engine for 15 minutes in the slip every month isn't as beneficial as going every other month for an hour cruise.

Ted

Absolutely!

 

[Iggy]

Plus, you want to turn the fuel over.

 

[Turtle Blues]

The underlying question is how long does it take for all the lube oil to drain from the bearings. My guess is probably only a day or two.
The owners manual does not say anything about periodic operation. It does say to start at full throttle which I could never bring myself to do. Counterintuitively it probably makes sense to hit the engine with full oil pressure and the injector pump with full fuel pressure asap then back down but my cringe factor goes up with the rpms.
Off season I try, as you noted for your yanmar, to run to operating temp monthly preferably by cruising but I suspect this is only a "feel good" practice. Moving fuel through the filters,keeping some water in the pumps and cutlass bearings is probably just as beneficial.

 

[Boatboy0110]

Thanks!

 

[Delta Riverat]

I agree, take the boat out for a ride and have fun!

If where you are is like where I am, the crazies are mostly out on the weekends, especially 3 day weekends. In the middle of the week it's much calmer, so we do that mostly -

 

[PhilPB]

I take mine out 1-2 times per week for a minimum of 2 hr cruise even though its a 45 minute drive each way to get to my slip. It's worth it and it keeps me on top of anything that may need attention.

 

[High Wire]

Get an unlimited Sea Tow or BoatUS towing policy and do once a month “barnacle run”.