Baja Filter needed for South Pacific cruise?

[gbanker]

In planning for our upcoming South Pacific cruise I was wondering about the quality of fuel found in the South Pacific.

Should I get and use a Baja or similar filter?

Thanks

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by gbanker

In planning for our upcoming South Pacific cruise I was wondering about the quality of fuel found in the South Pacific.

Should I get and use a Baja or similar filter?

Thanks

The fuel is generally pretty good. We have carried a baja filter but have never felt the need to use it in the Pacific, and I am thinking of taking of off the boat because we use it so rarely - last time was when we got fuel out of dirty drums in 2002 (in the wilds of chile).

[John A]

Yes! Get a Baha Fliter and/or a secondary fuel filter. Carry lots of spare fuel filters, because you never know when you're receiving fuel from the bottom of their tank.

[Jim Cate]

Depends on where in the Pacific you intend to take on fuel. Places with the brighter lights generally have decent diesel, but say in the Solomons or northern Vanuatu you may well be buying fuel from rusty drums in an isolated village. We never sprang for a true Baja multi-stage filter... bloody expensive, they are! But the much cheaper plastic single stage filters (available many places including WM) have done OK for us. If nothing else, they do a fair job of separating out water and warning you about sediment. When the fuel is really bad, we've filtered it into jerry jugs, allowed it to settle for a few hours, and then carefully siphoned it through the filter yet again on its way to the tank.

You may never need it, but for the 20 bucks or so involved you may be glad to have it some day!

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying towlers Bay, NSW, Oz

[matauwhi]

G'day, mate. Never used ours when we crossed the Pacific. Didn't hesitate to part with it when someone offered us more than we paid for it. Jim's given good advice for cheaper alternatives. Cheers.