I have always wondered why marine diesel engines (the most common engine types on sailboats) don't run on biodiesel or even veggie oil.  It just makes no sense to combine a beautiful activity that is so in tune with nature with a black smoke belching noisemaker.  Well, we are a step closer to cleaning up our oceans and waterways because Yanmar Marine announced that it has approved the use of B5 biodiesel fuel in a number of its marine engines.

Biodiesel is the name given to clean-burning alternative fuel produced from domestic renewable resources. It does not contain any petroleum products and is blended with petroleum diesel to produce a cleaner burning fuel releasing less particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions. It is biodegradable, nontoxic and free of sulfur and aromatics.

The B5 blend contains a maximum of five percent biodiesel mixed with standard diesel fuel. It must conform to ASTM D6751 or ISO EN14214 specifications. Yanmar warns that biodiesel blends can adversely affect certain metal, rubber and plastic engine components in the fuel-supply and return systems and recommends customers contact their Yanmar dealer before using the fuel. Owners must verify that the correct fuel-supply and return system materials are being used or risk voiding their engine warranty.

Next step...veggie oil conversions?  Send you comment on what you think the next step for boaters should be to improve the sustainability of the power we use.  Is it biodiesels, veggie oil, natural gas?  Contact us here.