[Classic30]

An interesting challenge..

I have been thinking of how much money you spend in sponsoring one or two boats.

I don't know if anyone has ever mentioned it but you are in the business of selling engines and parts but the boats you sponsor don't have engines or if they do they don't use them.

...............

I think you'll find they're fully aware of that: Not having an engine in the racing yachts they sponsor means it is unlikely to break down at the wrong moment and embarrass them.

..but seriously though, Volvo's sailboat engine division is still the smallest part of the company. The big $$$ for them is in ship, truck and bus engines followed closely by industrial (generators, cranes, etc.)... so, what that means is, when it comes to handing out VIP passes to enjoy a champagne sail on one of their sponsored yachts, it's usually non-sailing people who get the ride.

That's life.

 

[Classic30]

Which given Volvo's reputation over the past few years is probably a good thing.

I do wonder about that...

Even though, sure, parts are expensive, it's been my experience (and the experience of not a few others) that if properly maintained and generally looked after like any engine should be, they are extremely reliable and just go, and go, and go... unlike eg. Yanmar engines which, with their in-built 'lee shore sensor' seem to crap out at the most inopportune times.

As a firm believer that "the worst day in motorcycling history was the day the first Volvo rolled off the production line", I wouldn't necessarily buy a Volvo car myself - but I can't remember the last time I saw I saw a bus that wasn't powered by a Volvo engine (the 'Volgren' label on the tail is right in your eyeline when stuck behind them in peak-hour traffic). Charter bus companies (around here at any rate) can't afford to be broken down on the side of the highway half way between Darwin and Uluru... so given there are plenty of other manufacturers to chose from (Mercedes for example) I guess they wouldn't choose Volvo if they weren't any good.

 

[Classic30]

My whoops, I should have said Volvo Marine. Their old engines were pretty much bullet proof. I had one in my old Northerner that was treated with complete contempt. In those days I sailed on and off the mooring and only started the engine when anchoring. Slack with all areas of maintenance back then but give that thing a spin and it started first time every time. Noisy as all get out but reliable.

In recent years though that seems to have changed big time. The people we bought our girl from now have an HR46. They lived with Volvo for two seasons then pulled it out and replaced it with a Yanmar. These days the bad reports outnumber the good.

Perhaps this is the reason: Being of European manufacture, I've noticed the new engines seem to be loaded with electronics mainly for "emission control" (a requirement over there and here too soon) and it's quite likely that some of that stuff can't handle neglect in the marine environment in the way their older engines could. .. and being a small part of their overall fleet, perhaps their customer service isn't that great either!

I'm not sure why other manufacturers (like Yanmar) have escaped - other than perhaps they don't need to meet the same requirements or perhaps were better at dealing with customer issues before they go out of hand.

I still remember when I got my boat having no end of grief with the old Volvo (following a new install of a reco engine by the PO and subsequent lack of maintenance for +18 months) until one-by-one the various issues, both with the engine and with the installation, were sorted out. I'm happy to report it's been fine ever since.