[Public-List] Electronic Ignition

George Dinwiddie via Public-List public-list at lists.alberg30.org
Mon Oct 13 08:31:22 PDT 2014


Personally, I don't envision a large disaster due to automotive ignition 
failure, even on the beltway. The difference is that I can walk away if 
my car stalls.

Perhaps I should carry spare head gaskets on the boat.

  - George

On 10/13/14 10:15 AM, Meinhold, Mike J. via Public-List wrote:
> I guess I pictured a larger disaster - a many car pileup and death
> and injury. The point is not choosing one over the other, but saying
> if you accept the risk and consequences of driving with EI, why not
> accept the lower risk and lesser consequences of sailing with EI.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lawrence Morris [mailto:morris.lc at verizon.net]
> Sent: Friday, October 10, 2014 6:51 AM
> To: Meinhold, Mike J.; Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all
> Cc: crufone at comcast.net
> Subject: Re: [Public-List] Electronic Ignition
>
> I gotta say I would much rather deal with an ignition failure on the
> beltway, rather than trying to keep my boat off the rocks.
>
> My 2 cents
>
> Larry
> Solstice 501
>
>
>
> Larry
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Oct 10, 2014, at 6:49 AM, "Meinhold, Mike J. via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>>
>> Interesting discussion of risk and mitigations.
>>
>> Self-reliance is an important philosophy for me also, but it has
>> limits.  An  impeller failure shuts down your engine though not as
>> fast as ignition failure. You mitigate this risk by changing your
>> impeller sufficiently often, but you cannot eliminate it. The
>> ignitor has a very high "mean-time-between-fallure" that justifies
>> changing it out at engine overhaul periods perhaps. Belts,
>> condenser, plug wires, alternator are all similar- spares and
>> regular replacement are all you can do..
>>
>> The electronic ignition in my car sees much more use and many more
>> critical situations than the one in my boat.   if the ignition
>> failed in the car  while driving 65 MPH in the center lane of the
>> DC beltway I think the result would be more disastrous then going
>> up on the rocks in the boat.  If it is low enough risk and effect
>> for the car, is it not low enough risk and effect for the boat?
>>
>> Maybe it's the other way round and driving is even riskier than I
>> thought!
>>
>> Mike
>> Rinn Duin #272
>>
>> Michael J. Meinhold
>> Senior Naval Architect, Leidos, Inc.
>> 4321 Collington Road, Bowie, MD 21076
>> michael.j.meinhold at leidos.com
>> 301 352 4734 office  240 350 6974 cell
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Michael Connolly via Public-List [mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org]
>> Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2014 09:56 AM
>> To: Bill Newman <newman423 at rogers.com>; Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Public-List] Electronic Ignition
>>
>>
>>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> Seems to me this maybe is a philosophical decision.  Sailors, due
>> to the nature of what they do, strive for self reliance.  Do you as
>> captain wish to retain as much ability to get yourself out of a fix
>> as possible or are you looking for low or no maintenance?
>>
>>
>> Same goes for the dripless stuffing box seals. Usually when they
>> fail they can't be adjusted or fixed to keep the water out.
>> Whereas the traditional stuffing box can be usually be fooled with
>> to keep the boat from taking on water.
>>
>> I also am in firm belief that installing fool proof, no
>> maintenance, not requiring service components on a boat is inviting
>> laziness.  The captain may get some false sense of security and
>> fail to perform his regular maintenance/inspection schedule.
>>
>> According to "Murphy" your ignition system, whether points or
>> electronic, will fail when most needed, e.g., blowing onto a lee
>> shore, etc., fill in your own tight situation.
>>
>> Having a spare set of points or electronic module is not going to
>> keep you off the rocks. Hopefully you have good ground tackle
>> aboard to deploy.
>>
>> I really believe the decision depends on what type of sailing you
>> do and where you sail. How able you are to make the repair and to
>> the degree you wish keep on top of regular maintenance and be self
>> sufficient?
>>
>> I installed electronic ignition on a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle it
>> worked fine. It may have been an improvement but it was not a
>> panacea for any ignition problems.
>>
>> My two cents,
>>
>> Michael #133 Lorrie Rose
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>> From: "Bill Newman via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>> To: public-list at lists.alberg30.org
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 8, 2014 4:51:58 PM
>> Subject: [Public-List] Electronic Ignition
>>
>> I have been looking at electronic igition for my old style Alberg
>> engine and will appreciate any comments on the advantages and/or
>> disadvantages of making this change.  For example is it more
>> reliable and what do you do if it fails?
>>
>> Bill Newman
>> Marion Rose III
>> newman423 at rogers.com
>> 416-284-2474

-- 
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   When I remember bygone days                         George Dinwiddie
   I think how evening follows morn;            gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
   So many I loved were not yet dead,           http://www.Alberg30.org
   So many I love were not yet born.                          also see:
                'The Middle' by Ogden Nash     http://idiacomputing.com
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