Essential Emergency Tool

[Emmalina]

If you have the space take it all ! We do but its never going to be what you carry on-board LOL
But I can normally make what we need !

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

The first time which left us stranded in a busy channel with no wind, was caused by an older hose which was apparently cracked, most likely near one of the hose clamps. But we couldn't find the leak, so we ended up replacing all the fuel lines after we got out of the situation.

Had this problem when I first bought the latest boat. Initially cut off ends at a couple of places in the fuel system to get going but replaced ALL the fuel lines so hopefully won't have this problem again, at least for a while.

The second time, our generator was broken and hadn't been used in over two weeks. There's a tee in the fuel line leading coming off the Racor system leading to both engines. Eventually, the fuel drained down from the unused genset and began sucking air into the engine.

No built in gen nor any other T's in the line so this one shouldn't be a problem.

On tracking down fuel system leaks I have several times used the technique of using a jug of diesel and a short piece of hose to trouble shoot. Start at one end and work your way step by step at every single connection using the jug as the fuel supply until you find the problem Works every time.

Just make sure you are using perfectly clean fuel and hose if you get to the point of bypassing the secondary filter.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by skipmac

On tracking down fuel system leaks I have several times used the technique of using a jug of diesel and a short piece of hose to trouble shoot. Start at one end and work your way step by step at every single connection using the jug as the fuel supply until you find the problem Works every time.

Just make sure you are using perfectly clean fuel and hose if you get to the point of bypassing the secondary filter.

Skip,

I have a rather extensive fuel polishing system, so that's never the issue. Regarding the use of a jerry can.... The idea sounds good and I did try that, BUT... My engine fuel pump consumes about 1 liter per minute, so with a five liter jerry can, that gives me only five minutes of run time before the pump exhausts the supply of fuel. Not enough time to get out of a serious jam.

The only answer is to have a length of fuel hose to run directly from a hopefully clean fuel tank or directly from a Racor system, assuming the air leak isn't coming from the length of hose preceeding the Racor.

[pickpaul]

Yeh, what you have there isn't a ditch bag though it contains ditch items. A ditch bag should be as light/small as possible and easy to grab in an instant without removing items. I'd seriously urge a separate parts bag. It simply makes more sense objectively, regardless of personal preference.

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[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by pickpaul

Yeh, what you have there isn't a ditch bag though it contains ditch items. A ditch bag should be as light/small as possible and easy to grab in an instant without removing items. I'd seriously urge a separate parts bag. It simply makes more sense objectively, regardless of personal preference.

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Pickypaul,

This thread is about a useful emergency tool, not ditchbags. What I choose to put in MY ditchbag is my decision. When the next fuel system crisis happens... I'll know right where to look for the hose.... under the companionway ladder in the ditchbag.

[a64pilot]

For years I flew with with a di di mau bag in the cockpit, idea came from Vietnam, we had a full survival kit, but if pressed all you would have was what you grabbed out of the cockpit and ran with.
I've still got the thing , never used it
Ditch bag is bigger though, I will have more time.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Skip,

I have a rather extensive fuel polishing system, so that's never the issue. Regarding the use of a jerry can.... The idea sounds good and I did try that, BUT... My engine fuel pump consumes about 1 liter per minute, so with a five liter jerry can, that gives me only five minutes of run time before the pump exhausts the supply of fuel. Not enough time to get out of a serious jam.

The only answer is to have a length of fuel hose to run directly from a hopefully clean fuel tank or directly from a Racor system, assuming the air leak isn't coming from the length of hose preceeding the Racor.

I haven't actually used the jug and hose setup for a jury rig but just as a diagnostic tool to isolate the source of my leaks.

But this brings up another question. I switched from a single to a dual Racor system and have my old Racor 500 left over. Does a fuel polishing system just run the fuel through a regular filter and back to the tank or does it use some kind of special filtration?

[mottseng]

Originally Posted by zeehag

toilet seal ring wax. many kits. good stuff. redford needed a lot of it

How would this qualify as an emergency tool? Under what emergency condition would this be used?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by mottseng

How would this qualify as an emergency tool? Under what emergency condition would this be used?

Very sticky, gooey, waxy stuff. A couple of things off the top of my head.

Can be used as a temporary plug for small to medium sized leaks, temporary caulk. If you hit something that holes the hull you can coat the back of a board with it and attached the board over the hole to stop a major leak.

[Kenomac]

Duct tape and the sticky military fix it tape for hose leaks are already in the bag. Not sure how I'd use a toilet wax ring? Zee... Please 'splain this tu us.

[a64pilot]

One use for a wax ring is if you need to change the stuffing in the water, pack it around the shaft on the outside of the hull and then change stuffing, wax will remove itself very soon after shaft turns.
Just don't store it where it gets hot, and don't buy the good one, with the plastic funnel in it.

[a64pilot]

I need to get a couple of Nerf footballs, lots cheaper than this thing

FORESPAR Sta-Plug® Emergency Plug | West Marine

[Milfordadkins]

What redford movie was he talking about??

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[Thorne]

Originally Posted by Milfordadkins

What redford movie was he talking about??

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All is lost
All Is Lost (2013) - IMDb

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I haven't actually used the jug and hose setup for a jury rig but just as a diagnostic tool to isolate the source of my leaks.

But this brings up another question. I switched from a single to a dual Racor system and have my old Racor 500 left over. Does a fuel polishing system just run the fuel through a regular filter and back to the tank or does it use some kind of special filtration?

Ours uses a much larger Separ filter which is able to filter 150 gallons per hour. But you can use your old Racor to design a system with a lower flow rate, simply find out the maximum flow rate for your filter, it's best if the flow rate can filter your entire tank three times within a reasonable amount of time. Ours takes four hours. The system we designed runs completely separate from the fuel delivery system. We also use a dual Racor factory set up with the switch over lever.

I've only needed to change the filter in one Racor and the Separ one time in three seasons and maybe 2500 gallons of diesel. Since we polish so frequently, diesel bugs, water and sludge doesn't build up.

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