Flutterby™! : Big engines 2003-12-04 21:20:51.309817+00

Big engines

2003-12-04 21:20:51.309817+00 by Dan Lyke 7 comments

Jay pointed to The Most Powerful Diesel Engine in the World! Take a look at an engine with ladders down into the crankcase, with 3 foot cylinders that have almost a hundred inch throw. Cool.

#Comment Re: Big engines made: 2003-12-05 14:07:12.413182+00 by: petronius

#Comment Re: Big engines made: 2003-12-05 15:40:01.594506+00 by: ziffle

I just love those big engines - but gosh whats it take to change the timing belt?

#Comment Re: Big engines made: 2003-12-05 19:39:29.195922+00 by: petronius

I notice that the author says that shipowners prefer the single-engine/single propellor design. Why is that? Is seems to me that if the timing belt does break and you are coming up on a lee shore (as Horatio Hornblower is always doing)you will be fishbait, along with 2000 containers filled with cheap DVD players.

#Comment Re: Big engines made: 2003-12-05 19:54:46.052815+00 by: Dan Lyke

I wonder if parts are getting reliable enough that it's just that crew for lubrication and maintenance scales linearly with bearings, bushings and engines.

Or to go back to the old Charles Lindbergh argument, maybe half the power isn't enough to do any good and you're screwed anyway. When you consider that these boats are essentially built to run at one speed, and any time they get near shore they've got a gazillion assisting engines in the form of tugs and tractors, perhaps an integer fraction of standard cruising power isn't enough to get speed up to the wave length.

#Comment Re: Big engines made: 2003-12-06 19:59:10.727389+00 by: ziffle

petronious: I really like Horatio Hornblower - two new episodes this week ! Its written well, acted well, filmed well - golly - in all seriousness among the best I have seen. One person makes a difference and with style.

I saw Master and Commander recently too - big production - I liked it. Not as good as Hornblower of course, but nice. M&C had absolutely no women in it - remarkable. They show him smiling for 3 seconds at a female but thats it.

These two movies are in the romantic tradition, as best they are able these days, and thats a plus - heros are good!

And of course the obligitory "Last Samurai" - Tom Cruise - Well the filming is great, but the story line/continuity is weak. Like Brave Heart but in Japan. Japan is so beautiful. I wish they did not skip the obvious fact that had Tom used a gun as he knew so well how to do, or had he used any tactics at all he could have one the day, but then they needed a way to kill all the Samurai's so the title would match.

Excellent action, sword fights to die for (no pun intended) and fascinating bow and arrow shooting. Recommended.

#Comment Re: Big engines made: 2003-12-09 05:23:04.641886+00 by: Larry Burton

Perhaps ships of this size with two engines are nearly impossible to control with the asymetrical thrust of a single engine should one engine be lost.

#Comment Re: Big engines made: 2003-12-10 18:51:25.888838+00 by: Shawn [edit history]