Small Cruiser - Generator or Not

S

sbbamafan

Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2001
RO Number
5516
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54
I have been a runabout guy all my life and am moving up to a small cruiserВ  +/- 28'.В  I was set on finding one with a generator but have realized that it is a really tough thing to find in that size boat.В  I am losing patience - not that I had much to start with according to my wife.В  I am in the Atlanta area and I really planned on spending some nights on the boat.В  I have no real cruiser experience.В  Is it miserable without air conditioning to try to sleep.В  What else will I not be able to do without a generator?В  Am I crazy to forego the generator and give up or should I keep looking?В В 
 
Will it be hot at night, yes. I've had a generator on all of my bigger boats and have found I rarely use it. I don't think I could run a generator at night while I'm asleep. But I have used cooling down the cabin before going to sleep. The only other thing I used a generator for is to run the microwave.

We like to anchor out, but we mostly like to go to other marinas for the night where we'll have shore power. For me anchoring out it's all about having the hatches open, feeling like your outdoors, hearing the night noises, etc.

Didn't really answer your question, hope it was helpful though. it really comes down to how you plan to use the boat.
 
My 410 is my first boat with a generator. It is really nice to have for those days on the hook.
 
I had rb2@gr5t Honda EU 2000 on my 28’ Bayliner Ran it on the swim platform to cool the cabin, shut it down before going to bed. We were always mindful of thiose around us with regard to noise. Worked well for us
 
It''s been years since I spent the night on the hook, just not for me. I like the convenience of being in a slip at night and I would never have a boat without AC.
 
In lifetime of boating, I have spent "a few" nights aboard; about 60% without A/C.

Here is my take: You are not at the Marriot, you are camping. Though the humidity can get irritating at night the temps are not always bad ( this is VERY location dependent ). Anchored out "at the islands", there was usually a breeze at night, and since the sea temp was mid 70s, low 80's sleeping on the deck required at least a sheet... Anchored "back in da swamp", where there was less breeze and the water shallower and warmer, yes, it could be uncomfortable. So, yes, an A/C can make your life more comfortable. THe other side of the coin is that a genny can get to be a PITA ( ie: Honda on swim platform ). There are some risks ( discussed elsewhere. I won't belabotr the point ) So the comfort is not "pain free".

An internal generator, as far as I have seen, is a rare item in a 28fter. And you will not want to run it all night, just enought to cool and dry out the cabin, then button up. But w/ the internal genny you also get microwave and/or coffee maker.

But again, on a 28fter, you will run out of space quickly, and such items take up space.

I had a 27 fter for several years, never had a genny, and when considering all of the plusses and minuses, I preferred the no genny plan.

Clearly YMMV. And again, location is important.
 
gas gas gennys work great at first. Then they develop all sorts of maladies. I've kept my boat at 2 different marinas the past 20 years, my dockmates have had similiar issues. When my kids were little I basically used it when anchored out to run the microwave and the tv for the kids. I always slept up on the deck under the stars. MY 2 cents worth - skip the generator and save yourself the frustration. Unless you have a larger boat with a diesel genny.
 
And if you find a 28' boat with a generator, it will be so crowded in your engine room that you can't access anything.
 
Of course there are quite a few boaters who get a Honda and run it on the swim platform. Very quiet and will easily run an AC unit for a 28 footer. And since it is completely outside of the boat, not much chance of fumes getting inside the boat especially if you are on the hook and the transom is always downwind. With a couple of carbon monoxide detectors in the cabin, you should be good to go.
 
It s going to be tough fitting a generator in a 28 footer.

I disagree about gas generators being a source of problem. It as been almost 20 years since I ve had a gas boat but the Westerbeke is had back then was trouble free. I did two impellers in 5 years and one set of spark plugs. It’s the Kohlers that gave gas gensets a bad reputation.

As much as I m not a big fans of the Hondas, on a 28 footer it s probably the best option. Just understand that they are not that quiet when loaded especially for those facing the exhaust Just make sure you re far enough from others and enjoy a cool night. Sweating all night sucks.
 
IMHO

Generators need to run under load. When run regularly, they are fairly reliable. When they sit for long periods, they will disappoint you when you really want it.

I made it a point to run it every time I ran the boat. Still had one die on the hook and another go down on the way to the Hudson Canyon.
 
Didn't have one on my 28'. Installed one on my 34'. My 37'came with one. They give you such a feeling of independence; especially when on the hook.

BOB J
 
I boat on Lake Lanier. I have a 27' SeaRay with a generator. I used to use it a lot until I moved onto the lake. Now I don't do many overnights. That all said a couple of points. It is crowded but manageable in the engine room. You are not going to sleep with the A/C. on and the generator running because of the CO risk. If we sleep on the boat, we usually just sleep on deck. It is cool enough at night to do that. A generator is heavy, it is like have your 300 pound Uncle Ralph Cramden on board. I run the gen set during the day when the grandkids want to take a nap (I have three CO detectors and I leave the cabin door open, for the microwave or to charge the batteries if they are down.
 
i ran a Honda 2k on my platform w/o incident for years on my Regal 2465. So many articles and DIY solutions regarding noise abatement and exhaust extensions and silencing are available. I'm willing to bet someone somewhere has marinized one to USCG specs.
 
i ran a Honda 2k on my platform w/o incident for years on my Regal 2465. So many articles and DIY solutions regarding noise abatement and exhaust extensions and silencing are available. I'm willing to bet someone somewhere has marinized one to USCG specs.
 
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