| Advantages | | | | expertise required. |
| After taking into account the cost of conversion over | | | | Most 4-stroke engines can be converted but not all. |
| a few years’ savings can be made. Hamble Marine | | | | Safety is still a concern when talking to potential |
| Ltd claim a typical 250hp 5.7litre V8 engine consumes | | | | converters although that does not appear to have |
| fuel at around 80lit/hr at full throttle and around 50 to | | | | stopped countries like Holland and Australia who are |
| 60 lit/hr while cruising. The cost of conversion (from | | | | quickly adopting auto-gas. Included in the conversion |
| £3,000 for a single petrol engine) can be recouped in | | | | the electronic management system constantly |
| about 100 hours. | | | | monitors the engine bay and fuel storage tank areas |
| LPG has a low risk of pollution and pilferage. Emissions | | | | for any leaks and will shut down the system before |
| are more environmentally friendly than petrol and red | | | | they reach a dangerous level. |
| diesel | | | | Specialist annual safety inspection required and test by |
| By retaining the fuel system the cruising range is | | | | approved engineers. |
| extended and allows for dual fuel options. | | | | Conclusion |
| Refuelling is quick. | | | | If one looks at current waterside petrol prices alone it |
| Disadvantages | | | | would seem worthwhile for boat owners to reconsider |
| At present there are a limited number of facilities | | | | converting to marine LPG where practical. A shortage |
| providing marine LPG. The author is aware of two in | | | | of boat LPG refuelling points and conversion facilities at |
| Wales and five in southern U.K. so planning a cruise | | | | present will however constrain the expansion of |
| along the coast could be prohibitive due to lack of LPG | | | | marine LPG around the U.K. coast. |
| or Petrol refuelling points. Due to the technical level of | | | | Graeme Bissett |
| expertise and training required not all facilities supplying | | | | 12th July 2008. |
| marine LPG can also provide the fitting and conversion | | | | |