Choosing a new engine has been a long process that has required a systematic investigation of all marine engines between 20 and 35 hp on the market. We wanted an engine with very low fuel consumption and the “cleanest” combustion system. possible. Since both Nick and I view sailing as a way of compensating for all the emissions we produce in our normal life, and after realizing that we would have to motor for parts of the Northwest passage due to ice conditions, we wanted the greenest engine possible. We also needed a light weight engine because we are concerned about overloading the boat.
We finally found the Lombardini LDW 1003 M which is a three cylinder 30 HP engine with a highly developed injection system which is the greenest engine on the market that we could find that fulfills all our main demands. An added bonus is that the engine base has the same dimensions as our old VP MD2B which drastically simplifies the switch because we don’t need to modify the seat. The 1003 has a powerful alternator of 120A and also runs more silent than most marine engines cutting down on noise pollution.
Rodahl marin in Lidköping who are the distributors of Lombardini in Sweden provided us the engine at a great price and allot of well needed support. We are also taking this opportunity to change the old prop to a new three blade mikado propeller. We have high expectations regarding improved maneuverability and lower fuel consumption. According to another Monsun owner with the same engine the consumption is 0,27 l/NM which is 40% less than the previous engine!
For more information about the engine please see:
