Thanks for sharing your diagnosis of the fuel problem - as a boat owner, I really appreciate watching others work through problems because it always arms me with new insights. It’s also nice to know that I’m not the only one who deals with unforeseen boat drama miles from a marina!
Great video! My dad has a 45 hatteras and when he bought it he had the same problem with bad fuel. He had to change the filters 3 times just to get the boat home!!! He found that Algae-X works very well. He's has the boat for 20 years now and hasn't had any fuel problems. He adds Algae-X to the tanks every time we fill up.
Nice job on the diagnosis and fix. My family used to do cross country RV trips...always some issue there too, although being stranded on the side of the interstate isn't nearly as problematic as the ocean! Enjoy the channel. Now that I've moved to the coast the boating itch is getting strong.
It's a good thing you know how to troubleshoot problems. It's all about "Trying Not to Sink." I really appreciate your videos and how well you explain what's going on.
Great lessons learned..and your doing what alot of big boat guys don't do, you figured it out and fixed !.. I was in a Yacht club that had guys in it that didn't know what a choker value is in the crapper...let alone trouble shoot a fuel problem. In the Navy we had little flip books in the Engine room that would walk you through casualties such as this that we'd use during drills, now would be a good time to write one for this so you know to get the recirc valve lines back to the supply tank... Y'all did good
Damn, I want a flip book too. That sounds like the perfect thing to have in an emergency to keep one's head cool and not start taking everything apart...
Nice video's. I like the way you go about solving issues. Common sense will serve you well with those Detroit's. I used to work for that company that someone mentioned, Johnson & Towers. Had my hands in many 92's. I disagree that the valves need adjustment. They sound great to my ear. I'm a retired mechanic that builds hot rods. My wife's dad passed and left her an old boat, 90 Kha Shing 40', that I've been bringing back. I won't be cruising her to the keys, short jaunts around the Chesapeake is about it for me. Keep the vid's coming.
Quite a few of the boaters I know use Johnson Towers. I wish I knew more about the Detroits. These are my first diesels and I have a lot to learn. People have mentioned detuning them since I only go about 10knots. I just haven't met anyone who has done it yet.
Unfortunately, I've been there and done that. Having to deal with fuel contamination issues on a diesel powered boat while at sea, will certainly test your desire to own and/or operate a boat. Several years ago, I was ferrying a 51' Symbol from Marathon to Texas for restoration and after a rough night at sea two days in, we discovered that the weather had churned up crud from the bottom of the tanks. Subsequently, this plugged up not only the fuel lines to both Racors, but the filters themselves and starved both engines. We then had to clear the lines and begin changing filters(primary&secondary) several times per day for the remainder of the trip. If, you've never had to repeatedly change filters in a hot engine room, while underway, far out at sea, I really can't recommend it. Thanks, for your videos and I hope to see more of your trip soon!
We have a 100 gallon auxillary tank that is set up to polish fuel by sending it through Racors while transferring to a main tank, however, we haven't used it. We run through fuel so quickly we don't usually have time for polishing. We currently send all fuel through a Racor before it hits the regular fuel filter. We have been considering adding another filter, prior to the switching valves to prevent what happened in this video.
As always another great video. But I like how you stopped at the end and explained what you where doing with the fuel transfer. Great camera work and you explain what's going on at our level. Keep the videos coming.
Like some others have said, really appreciate you sharing the challenges you face as a boater as well as the fun stuff! Good job troubleshooting the tricky fuel issue, not everyone could have avoided the mechanics on that one.
Captain you found the problem now you need to have that hose on both engines replaced because if it was clogged on one I guarantee you sooner. Or later it will be clogged on the other old hoses corrosion inside will clog - replace both so you have no further problems good job on figuring it out experience means a lot especially when you have two big motors. I have been a captain for 30 years know what you’re going through.Safe journey Captain Don 🇺🇸
I do not think there was a problem with the hose. It was perfectly clear before I took apart the valves. I think there were more wood chips behind the one I first removed, and that they flowed down stream once I cleared the path. After I cleaned out the hose it had great flow again. The only reason I do not know for sure what caused the problem is because, when I blew out the hose, it was aimed towards the bilge and whatever became dislodged vanished under the engine.
Love your video's so much. I would live to own a nice boat but, it's things like that fuel problem that discourages me. Can't wait for your next video! 😀😁
Lol.... 😄😅😆That is very true. It just seems like everyone I know has some trouble with there boat. I retrospect, if your car broke down as much as a boat, you would get rid of it. Is it just the normal wear and tear of the boats systems or is it because most boats are only used a few months a year?
We have only broke down once. Although we have had things break that do not prevent us from using the boat. In our case, the boat is 40 years old. Much has been replaced but some of the systems are still original. Non-use is definitely a problem for some. We run the engines/generator at least once a month, even in the winter, and run each of the toilets regularly. A boat like ours is more like a house than a boat, there is always something that needs to be done. With four bedrooms, four bathrooms, six air conditioners, four water delivery systems and keeping her clean - the job never ends. But it is fun.
@@tryingnottosink9107 That is a brillant way to think about it! It is basically a floating house.. Thank you for your reply's.. When I do get my Lagoon 630 Catamoran, we will meet up and drinks on me..😉
Just discovered your channel. Great and thanks. Need to know where you got that great Manhattan glass. I am a fan of the drink and need to know your recipe. I am not a knowledgeable boater but wonder if you should be filtering the fuel as it enters your tanks?
The fuel is filtered by Racor filters (30 microns) and than the primary filter (2 microns). I just make simple Manhattans, 3 parts Makers, 1 part Vermouth and a couple dashes of Bitters.
Your sidebar where you featured a donkey 🤣. You had me laughing so hard. Actually learning from mistakes is a good thing and mistakes weren't made we wouldn't learn. Just remember captain every experience you have on your boat is only going to make you better. I think your excellent skipper.
Enjoying your trip a lot. Good for you figuring out the manifold. It won't be your last shot! You may want to look into adding a fuel transfer pump into your system if it's not there. I use my aft tank as my "day tank" and transfer fuel from a bow tank as needed. I can mess with the manifold and returns if I have to, but I tend to pump fuel around too.
We actually have a auxiliary tank that was used as a polisher. It had a broken pump when we bought the boat. I plan to fix it and use it as a spare in case something like this happens again.
I'm so impressed at you for being able to troubleshoot and solve the problem all on your own and not give up. I've noticed some people talk about a fuel polisher on a boat. I don't know what it is but I wondered if you had that or if that would help you in the future?
We actually have a fuel polisher but it too slow for how much fuel we burn through on our trips. It is just an auxiliary 100 gallon fuel tank that gets filled and run through racor filters on it's way to the main tanks. Basically double filtration. And yes, it would have prevented the wood chip from getting to the main tanks.
In the UK inland water ways there is something commonly known as diesel bug, it's a organism that lives & breeds in water that has formed from condensation within metal fuel tanks. It causes a sludge to build up in the fuel system. Do you get this in the States ? We can buy an additive to keep it at bay but once it's formed the fuel is potentially ruined but there are firms that can remove the fuel & do something called fuel polishing to remove the diesel bug & then treat it to prevent further contamination.
I think that is what we had in the starboard tank. The racors keep it from hitting the engine but it did require me to clean the filters a few times. I threw some additive into the fuel a couple months ago and plan to do so again in the spring. We burn through fuel so fast while on our trips, there is little sense in getting the fuel polished. We are refilling every 3 or 4 days.
Really enjoy watching; I had a small boat before and it got stolen so I never went back. I cannot do it anymore because my wife get scared of everything now, she wasnt like this a while back. I tried motor homing for 10 years and just stopped, it was just getting boring
Its not a pressure gauge its a vacuum gauge. I just put a charge of the anti micro treatment in mine today. Had black goo in the racor. It happens more the warmer it gets.
No sweat, you will never learn it all,,, always something busted. I always think I must have seen it all, then something new to me blows up... LOL.. It reads the restriction in the line on the suction side. Your engine lift pump draws the fuel through the racor. If the vacuum increases than you have a restriction.
Wow Pleased you figured it out, mate I'm wondering if you have crap in the Tank and it's going to happen again is there a way to look inside the tank with a light I had a similar problem and it turned out it was bits of old fiberglass left over from the Build a Long time ago Worth a Look if your able to do so Great Vlog as always thanks
Hi. You sure make some enjoyable videos, and I like the Hatteras . If I may give you some tips for making the filming a little easier for you: Get a long-haired microphone hood to cancel some wind-noise, a gimble to get the camera shaking less and for night-filming you can use a red light to illuminate the cockpit. That will help preserve your night vision. I wish you all a smooth sailing. Greetings from Lofoten, Norway.
We have a long-haired cover, however, I sometimes forget to put it on, or forget to bring it. We just purchased a gimbal. We are slowly steeping up the quality of the videos. :-)
I bought a Hatteras 58' last May......one of my concerns is something like this happens in deep water.......amazing you were able to track down that piece of felt (or whatever) and the section of pipe with an obstruction. Have you run this boat on one engine to get back into port?
Yes, I did take it back to port on one engine once. It was after I bent my shaft existing Little River inlet in S. Carolina. It is difficult but it can be done. The bow thruster helps.
Darn Edd, I'm sitting here laughing my azz off. When you said that "Now is my chance", I had visions of Lynn being dragged down the river with her cocktail in hand and not spilling a drop!
You guys are very brave to face the problems as they come up. Ignore the negative derogatory comments. They are from people who have never challenged themselves or even done anything out of the norm.
I live right off South Biscayne Bay National Park. I wish you had taken your dingy to Fowey Rock Light House; which is near stiltsvile and the waters are so clear. Biscayne Bay is tricky and shallow so stay on course.
I wish we knew. We really wanted to go ashore but did not know where to go. Biscayne Bay is very tricky. We ran into a problem on the way back, which we will show in another video.
Hi, definitely no need to beat your self up over not figuring It out right away. With all the different configurations and of feeds , tanks and filters the permutation must be a lot. One good think you discovered is how much fuel gets 'polished' as the engine is running normally. Proves there is little need for a extra fuel polishing system. Cheers Warren
diesel engines returns a HUGE % of the fuel to the tanks. Specially if you don't hit the throttles too hard. You may ask a fuel polishing company to run a couple of cleanings to the tanks.
As a retired yacht captain every new job I took on first order of business is to have all fuel tanks opened and cleaned. On my personal 47 foot Concord, this involved cutting into the top of the fiberglass tanks with a saber saw. Big project but the tanks were loaded with algae. On a 123' Fradship nearly wiped out a dock at Bradford Marine because of plugged fuel lines.
When you are working on fuel lines and blowing them out does the diesel smell up the whole boat? or is there a trick to help keep the fuel smell down? Can you was the engine room down to help with the spilled fuel. I really like the honestly and showing the ups and downs.
I do not really notice a diesel smell, but I might just be used to it. Lyn burns a lot of incense, so who knows. We have to sop up any spilled fuel or oil with special rags so that it does not get into the waterways.
Absolutely no pressure offshore engine start dying storm on it's way jester. actually I've been following your videos for a little while gave me a different impression on you very amazed at how well you know what's going on in your engine room and might be mistake are those Johnson Towers engines . Real smart set up whoever did it
Yes I could tell they were Detroit's . First giveaway was when you're talking about how much fuel they transferred and the second one was a picture Johnson Towers known as a company up in your part of the country for doing Marine conversions and pumpin a bunch of horsepower out of Detroit and tuning them I believe you're fromwww.johnsontowers.com/marine/ Pennsylvania area link
We are very careful when the water is rough or we are underway at 10 knots. No one is permitted outside alone, unless the captain is notified and can keep and eye on you until you come back in, and you must wear a life jacket. We are a little less strict on the ICW. My brother drown in a boating accident a few years ago, so it is often on my mind.
We have learned that life can be cut short in an instant. That is one of the main reasons we decided to buy a boat and travel. We actually started these videos to send to my mother so she knew we were being careful. Needless to say, she was not initially pleased about us buying a boat six months after my brother died. The videos evolved into what it is now.
I was thinking the same .. saw a guy trying to fix an anchor problem in the middle of a hurricane with flip-flops and NO vest at all !!! also you see people in a bad weather while cruising , fixing things absolutely careless !!
We have a 55' Californian made by Carver MY in Tustin, CA. I would love to be able to do video's like this cruising the West Coast. What equipment and video editing do you have? If you are ever in San Diego let me know.
Does it sound like it needs a valve adjustment. This is my first diesel and I am still learning. According to the maintenance records he had it done about 4 years ago.
Have you treated your tanks for microbes? Because boats don’t use fuel like an on highway vehicle and the fuel sitting not being replaced very often gives the bugs an opportunity to grow. You can buy fuel treatment specifically for this. S.
In the Jet that I fly we put biobor in the fuel on occasion to kill off the algae that grows in the fuel when the airplane sits. JetA is pretty much the same as diesel fuel. It sounds like your fuel system is similar to that used on jets. We have a low pressure high volume fuel pump that creates motive flow that operates a jet pump that picks up even more fuel this fuel then goes to the high pressure fuel pumps an to the fuel control unit. The unused fuel is returned to the fuel tank.
your motor yacht has spoken to you and its up to you to respond..its saying time for course sediment filters on the tank main feed lines with a before and after pressure/vacuum gauges for at a glance monitoring..you already experienced the reason why..the question is do think its worth not going through this again? i will guarantee you it will..as machinery gets older things are introduced..things work loose..thing get wear on them..i was paid a good wage for many years to troubleshoot and implement preventive maintenance programs for many fleet operators..what had me in demand was i never listened to the mechanics i always went to the maintenance records..then spent time with the actual machines that were deemed troublesome..they are very honest and will tell you what they need..the trick is understanding the signs..then implementing a strategy that eliminates the issue..in this case a piece of wood..response.. course sediment filters..never again will this happen and for a days labor and a few hundred dollars..id say thats cheap piece of mind :) btw hows happy fish? :)
Are you saying that I should have a filter between the tank and the tank selection valves? Our racors are 10 mil, and located after the selection valves, before the on engine filter. We have two on each engine, so that we can switch to the clean filter immediately if needed. In this particular case, the clog was back at the valves. Thanks for the input.
yes thats what im saying brother..i cant claim to know your filter element size but your assessment sounds about right..as for the sediment filters..they are just that..they can deal with large objects like wood :) and other things like algae or if your in rough seas..that crud that is currently sitting at the bottom of your tanks..so this is how it should be for each tank: course sediment filter..then fuel tank main fuel line..then your fuel valve manifold..now as for implementing that description..that could be easier said than done..truly the optimal placement would be where the main fuel line is attached to the full tank.. then you would reattach the fuel line to the course sediment filter assembly (i say assembly because you will want a pressure/vacuum gauge before and after the course sediment filter..the pressure difference between the (2) gauges tells the level of restriction you have in the filter at a glance or in layman's terms..how clogged up it is :) note: be sure to mark with a sharpie where the needles indicate as soon as the the engines are fired up again..so you know how to gauge the filters condition) as of this posting all of the shops around here are closed..also i live in a small town so choices are limited so i looked for some good examples..the strainer i found is what we used to call a trash strainer..when you see it you will understand..the 2nd one is the actual housing..now i don't know if the (2) are compatible but Goldenrod makes several different housings and im sure finding the right one shouldn't be to hard if you find a decent size supply house with the proper expertise..now remember these are just an example i have no idea how robust this casing is but the element is spot on with what Ive used in the past with great success..also if i wasn't clear on anything or any questions on building the filter assembly..please feel free..i like you folks and i love old school motor yachts..my only regret is im not there to help out..btw you never did tell me how happy fish was doing :) strainer---> www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200381591_200381591?cm_mmc=Google-pla&Google_PLA&Fuel%20Transfer%20%2B%20Lubrication%20>%20Fuel%20Filters%20%2B%20Filter%20Crushers&Goldenrod&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3fe6xv2V3QIVlLrACh2wbQxVEAQYASABEgJnhPD_BwE houseing---> www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_910810_910810?cm_mmc=Google-pla&Google_PLA&Fuel%20Transfer%20%2B%20Lubrication%20>%20Fuel%20Filters%20%2B%20Filter%20Crushers&Goldenrod&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2MWw6IGW3QIVENvACh3hDwoAEAQYAiABEgIB7fD_BwE
Thank you very much for the great information. I am going to give serious thought to adding the extra filters this winter. We also have an auxiliary tank on board, that was used as a fuel polisher by the previous owners. It has the ability to transfer fuel to either of the two main tanks. I was planning to replace the broken pump, possibly with something with a high transfer rate. The thinking being that I could use that tank whenever getting fuel and have it simultaneously transferring the fuel to a main tank. The auxiliary tank has a dual racor set up as well. I imagine the problem will be if I can not move the fuel to the main tanks as quickly as the fuel dock feeds the auxiliary tank. Adding additional filters as you suggest might be a better, or additional, option.
wow..nice option to have..well a fuel polisher will have its own filters as you mentioned..with stages that will drop in microns..hence "polisher" it really comes down to what the filter assemblies can flow if you want to go with your idea.so id start there first..but a polishers sole purpose is to purify/polish your existing fuel..now im operating in the dark here..but usually a fuel polisher is a closed loop system that ultra filters whatever tank its hooked up to..id really need to see your setup before making a recommendation brother..so please make a video..im sure you have some gear heads here that would like to see your engine room including me :) but im more concerned about that wood..it MIGHT have come from a fueling stop..what are your tanks made of? regardless of the the current set up i would defiantly still go with the trash filters..like i said before..use introduces crud..(remember your new bilge float?)..their cheap and very effective insurance..also if your aux tank is truly set up properly as a "polisher" i would put one in front of the current filter array on your aux tank also..this is my thinking..unless you suck a tank dry and open the inspection hatch and physically look inside..we have to assume that theres a couple of inches of crud at the bottom..just the nature of diesel..the impurities and microbes/algae in diesel die and sink to the bottom..rough seas/fueling can stir this up and your fine element filters of your "polisher" will clog almost immediately..pre "polishing" is a worth while endeavor..however what of your already contaminated fuel/tanks? a properly set up "polisher" will achieve the same thing and will maintain that quality level of the stored fuel..basically scrubbing your tanks for you :) you seem to be a capable person with a good understanding of your vessel so i don't in any way want to insult your ability..please check out this video..primarily where the intake is and the type of pump..you want to be able to suck the crud off the bottom of the tank..a standard fuel pump will quickly give up the ghost..once again a large supply house should have the expertise to get you what you need :) ua-cam.com/video/Q1SYRYDzXl0/v-deo.html
You do a great job , I have been on the water over 50 years and I still screw up now and again it’s a law of the sea 😎 one thing tho there are no “ maps “ aboard a vessel they are always Charts , using the nautical terms keeps you in good favor with the sea spirits... trust me I sailed our Deck Salon 43 sailboat on her maiden voyage Annapolis to yes indeed Marathon ... lots of stories to tell
Great video! Thanks for sharing the details of your fuel issue problem.... Two questions; since you suspect you picked up some dirty fuel, would help to have someone come in and polish your fuel to save on your own filters? And I noticed there was some sentiment in one of the fuel bowls, would be go to clean out that bowl so you can see if there is new or more sentiment coming into your filter/s? Thanks.
When I recently had purchased my carver they put ethanol fuel in, was my fault as I should have been paying closer attention. My tanks were cleaned with that alcohol, clogged my filter as I was preparing to dock with a boat full of people, had to bring her in on one engine, it was my 1st season, the fuel in the filter was filled with crud used Starbright enzime fuel additive and changed filters frequently.
I subscribed w/notifications so I can keep up. Will have to start from #1. Keep 'em coming. Are you ever going to do the Great Loop?? Hey, if you ever get to the west coast of FL, give me a holler. I’m in Sarasota. I did see your vid on the Carver. Is it still for sale?? There’s another channel I watch (Michael Steen) who owns a Carver 32'. He might be interested in yours. Why don’t you contact him and see. I’ll try to get you two to contact one another... the rest is up to you.
Unfortunately, we are too tall for the great loop. There is a 19 foot bridge in Chicago and we are 24 foot. We were just on the Gulf Coast. The Siesta Key area.
ED don't fill bad I have had a few of the duh you dummy moments in my life doing it the long hardway and getting either finished or almost finished and realizing that I could of done it a lot easier and faster good job on figuring out your problems and fixing it yourself I wonder how a piece of wood got in your fuel line that is puzzling if you continue to have d9rt and fuel problems you may want to look into have tanks drained cleaned and polished but all these things are part of owning a boat. Please keep the videos coming really enjoy them and getting to you guys If you ever make it to Nashville please let me know. Have a great day. God Bless!!!
Good troubleshooting. Do you have an air compressor/reservoir tank onboard, or just hand pump it for the blow out? I have a 120V/12V tire pump onboard for all sorts of uses. The fuel manifold really looks great and gives you fantastic options when it comes to selecting fuel source and return tank. I'm gonna have to think about designing a similar set up. I'm always soooo jealous when I see all the room you have in your engine rooms. I'm thinking about taking up yoga just so I can be more flexible to work around my engines.
Thanks. We have an engine mounted compressor and a portable tire size compressor as well. That's funny, I wish my engine rooms were bigger. If I designed this boat I would have eliminated the center hallway and had a spiral staircase to the master cabin.
I'm experiencing Deja vu , a few Hours ago I watched this same video. Commented !, but it didn't take, everything shut down to a blank screen appeared . We were worried about you two. Getting ready to notify the Coast Guard to be on the lookout for the Triton LOL. All those hoses look like Spaghetti. Now we have Capitan / Chef Mechanic Ed, and the Honorable First Mate / Video Photographer Lyn. :-D Thanks for taking us along, really enjoy the water view and points of interest. Glad you were able to make repairs and get back under way. God Bless !!.
You may be nuts Bob, but It did happen !!. If you didn't confirm it with me I was thinking maybe I'm NUTS !! And your welcome / Thank you too, Cheers !!***.
No, you guys are not nuts. There was a sound problem on the first video. My narration was missing in the beginning, and some of the sound was not in sync. After an hour I closed that video and re-posted a fixed version in the morning. About 500 people saw the first version.
Aren't those vacuum gages? When the fuel filter begins to clog the fuel pump sucks harder as it tries to draw fuel past the filter thus an increase on the vacuum gage.
It must be hard what to determine to bring for parts and tools. You don't want to bring a machine shop, I imagine as you get to know your boat better you'll know more about what is a must have and what you can get at a marina. Things not unique to your yacht. Glad to see you enjoying yourself. I really want to get out there like you but cannot bring myself to trust a sailboat like I can a pair of big lugging diesels. Redundencys. As a guy who has known diesels on a farm, so large diesels, if you put time in on maintenance and keep the fuel clean and do not run out, it's hard to break. Marine diesels I expect demand more, but I like the idea of those chugging diesels.
Fortunately, the previous owners had many of the required tools on the boat when we bought it. We keep the fuel clean and the oil changed, but have yet to do any other type of maintenance.
Thank you the reason I was asking,because I like the houseboats because of the room,but I know I cant go out into the gulf or open waters,but looking at some of the charts it looks like I can stay on the ICW all the way . that is why I was asking someone like yourself and I love your videos Thank you !
The ICW would be fine (at least the parts I know). You would just need to keep a look out for some tricky areas, with strong currents and narrow channels. There are only a few, and can be easily managed at the right tide. Usually the hard parts are near inlets. Sebastian Inlet comes to mind. However, most of the ICW is slow and calm. You may be surprised at how much room some trawlers have. My boat has over 1700 sq ft of inside space.
We have a 100 gallon auxillary tank that is set up to polish fuel by sending it through Racors while transferring to a main tank, however, we haven't used it. We run through fuel so quickly we don't usually have time for polishing. We currently send all fuel through a Racor before it hits the regular fuel filter. We have been considering adding another filter, prior to the switching valves to prevent what happened in this video.
You might have crud in your fuel tank.....You have been in the ICW so not enough to stir up the crud. When you went to the ocean, MAYBE some crud got stirred up.....The great thing is, you are learning your boats systems...lol
A day prior to this happening, a Yacht Fisher cut in front of us at high spend, leaving a 10 foot wake, which broke every wine glass we had in the cabinet and several bottles of alcohol.. We think that may have been the problem.
That piece of wood didn't come from contaminated fuel. It had to get in the tank by some means other than pumping. Dealing with problems is what brings experience to the Captain. Plus you learn the details of the boat. Happy sailing.
Lmfao!!! I bet you wanted to jump overboard when it clicked! I have done things similar and it really makes you feel like a moron when your brain figures out the "work smarter, not harder" methodology.
Great video and good job. I still do not understand the fact that diesel engines return unused fuel back to the tank at a rate that can mean a difference between an empty tank and a relatively full tank. Why so much diesel is pumped to the engines and then not used?
Nope ... only diesel. Diesel engines uses fuel for power generation as any other engine, but also for lubrication and cooling. The % of the return can be up to 90% of the global flow. Many boats and/or engines has fuel coolers to keep it cold. Understand the flow of the diesel fuel on the yacht is a must !! you have to understand the fuel manifolds that sometimes are very weird !! Build a fuel polishing systems is NOT difficult and keep problems at dock. One last word ... fuel intakes, as fuel caps , with time get their o-rings worn and you can get water entering the tanks this way. Check the caps of the tanks as well as hoses so you avoid water entering the system. Happened to me once and was a mess to discover and fix the problem.
It is an off-engine fuel filter. Diesel is a very dirty fuel so boats use a 2nd filter, usually 30 microns, to clean it up before it gets to the engine fuel filters.
Those are what make life exciting though. I can remember almost sinking on a friend's sketchy boat out on Lake Minnetonka. I got it up on the trailer just as water was up through the floorboards and almost up to my ankles.
We were worried about depth. Perhaps needlessly. We were not sure if we would run into a problem with a 4'9" draft. We would have loved to check out Key Largo. There is really nowhere on the ocean side for us to stop.
I cringe when I hear you say marathon key. Marathon is a city, it is on Vaca Key. There is no marathon key. Lived there in Boot key harbor 15 years ago. Love your videos.
The houses on stilts is called stiltsville back in 1920 s prohibition people went out in biscayne Bay and built these houses about 300 of them all through the Bay For gambling and brothels all that was left about twenty of them then hurricane Andrewhit in 92 those are the one that are leftsince that is my home channel to go fishing in ocean also Biscayne National Park expanded and took the house from the owners but gave them rights to in and use they have to maintain the houses if they catch fire or get destroyed they can't replace them and the home owners fought them for years on ownership rights and finally gave to these rules started watching thatvwhat I want to do on my 26 wellcraft with 300 etec go down to key west with my sons boatand mine and run west towards Fort Jefferson dry tortugas fishing on the way and alligator reef is out fishingarea when we go to keys those boats are sandbaring partying on sandbar we do that too next time in John Pennycamp state park go to the Christ of the abyss statue it on chart in about forty feet of water and reef line comes up to the twenty foot mark or so it is worth seeing its been there about fifty years I think John 🇺🇸🌴🐟🎣🛥
Mighta taken you a while to realise about the fuel diversion... but your siphoning, albeit not the "best" solution was still a solution, that woulda got you outta the pinch, so good job regardless!
Seems like you're always dealing with one problem or another. Doesn't seem like a lot of fun trying to figure them out and repairing. You could have bought a very large sailing yacht for what you've got in the Hatteras. No fuel bill, and much simpler to operate. Just my humble opinion.
The problems are actually very far in between. We just tend to film them so others can see. Most of the problems, such as hitting ground, would have happened even on a sail boat.
That is not holding the two lines together. It is a snubber. It is a single line running through a metal circle that is connected to a hook. The hook attached to the anchor chain. The ends of the snubber lines go to bow cleats. It takes the stress off the windlass. You can see us using it in more detail in some recent videos.
Thanks for showing us the whole story and not cutting out your mistakes. It helps us all learn!
Happy to oblige!
Thanks for sharing your diagnosis of the fuel problem - as a boat owner, I really appreciate watching others work through problems because it always arms me with new insights. It’s also nice to know that I’m not the only one who deals with unforeseen boat drama miles from a marina!
Thanks for watching. Since we are stuck in Philly for a while, we plan to do a bunch of videos on repairs and mainteance.
Great video! My dad has a 45 hatteras and when he bought it he had the same problem with bad fuel. He had to change the filters 3 times just to get the boat home!!! He found that Algae-X works very well. He's has the boat for 20 years now and hasn't had any fuel problems. He adds Algae-X to the tanks every time we fill up.
That is interesting. I believe I saw a bottle of Algae-X somewhere on board.
Nice job on the diagnosis and fix. My family used to do cross country RV trips...always some issue there too, although being stranded on the side of the interstate isn't nearly as problematic as the ocean! Enjoy the channel. Now that I've moved to the coast the boating itch is getting strong.
We are glad you like the videos! We believe RVing is somewhere in our future as well.
Great video. There is always a better feeling when you solve your own problems. Glad to see it all worked out for you.
It always feels like a nightmare at the time. Afterwards it is a great story and a sense of pride.
It's a good thing you know how to troubleshoot problems. It's all about "Trying Not to Sink." I really appreciate your videos and how well you explain what's going on.
It sure saves us a lot of money, and time. There is always something breaking on a boat. Especially a 40 year old boat.
I really enjoyed following along watching you troubleshoot a clogged line. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Thanks for watching and for the feedback. We never know whether what we film is going to be interesting to anyone.
Great lessons learned..and your doing what alot of big boat guys don't do, you figured it out and fixed !.. I was in a Yacht club that had guys in it that didn't know what a choker value is in the crapper...let alone trouble shoot a fuel problem.
In the Navy we had little flip books in the Engine room that would walk you through casualties such as this that we'd use during drills, now would be a good time to write one for this so you know to get the recirc valve lines back to the supply tank... Y'all did good
Thanks. Owning this boat has definitely been a learning experience. Our Carver 355 was so simple compared to this yacht.
Damn, I want a flip book too. That sounds like the perfect thing to have in an emergency to keep one's head cool and not start taking everything apart...
Ed,
It’s nice when you can solve your own problems, congrats on the fix and hope your enjoying your summer.
Also less expensive!
Excellent! Thanks for your candor, as it helps all of us.
You are welcome!
Nice video's. I like the way you go about solving issues. Common sense will serve you well with those Detroit's. I used to work for that company that someone mentioned, Johnson & Towers. Had my hands in many 92's. I disagree that the valves need adjustment. They sound great to my ear. I'm a retired mechanic that builds hot rods. My wife's dad passed and left her an old boat, 90 Kha Shing 40', that I've been bringing back. I won't be cruising her to the keys, short jaunts around the Chesapeake is about it for me. Keep the vid's coming.
Quite a few of the boaters I know use Johnson Towers. I wish I knew more about the Detroits. These are my first diesels and I have a lot to learn. People have mentioned detuning them since I only go about 10knots. I just haven't met anyone who has done it yet.
Unfortunately, I've been there and done that. Having to deal with fuel contamination issues on a diesel powered boat while at sea, will certainly test your desire to own and/or operate a boat.
Several years ago, I was ferrying a 51' Symbol from Marathon to Texas for restoration and after a rough night at sea two days in, we discovered that the weather had churned up crud from the bottom of the tanks. Subsequently, this plugged up not only the fuel lines to both Racors, but the filters themselves and starved both engines. We then had to clear the lines and begin changing filters(primary&secondary) several times per day for the remainder of the trip. If, you've never had to repeatedly change filters in a hot engine room, while underway, far out at sea, I really can't recommend it.
Thanks, for your videos and I hope to see more of your trip soon!
What I had to do was not fun. I can only imaagine what you went through. Glad you enjoy the videos!
to work in a hot engine room is not a joke !!!!!!!!!
Good video. Very good explanation of the fuel problems.
We are glad you liked the video!
We have a 100 gallon auxillary tank that is set up to polish fuel by sending it through Racors while transferring to a main tank, however, we haven't used it. We run through fuel so quickly we don't usually have time for polishing. We currently send all fuel through a Racor before it hits the regular fuel filter. We have been considering adding another filter, prior to the switching valves to prevent what happened in this video.
Trying Not To Sink maybe just a switch to a 2 micron filter.
The problem with what happened in the Keys is that the blockage happened before the Racors.
That's how you learn. By figuring it out, great job. Love the vids
Glad you like the videos!
As always another great video. But I like how you stopped at the end and explained what you where doing with the fuel transfer. Great camera work and you explain what's going on at our level. Keep the videos coming.
Thanks. Many more videos to come!
Like some others have said, really appreciate you sharing the challenges you face as a boater as well as the fun stuff! Good job troubleshooting the tricky fuel issue, not everyone could have avoided the mechanics on that one.
I like how you explained your trip and all the content. Thanks El Capitan.
Thanks. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Captain you found the problem now you need to have that hose on both engines replaced because if it was clogged on one I guarantee you sooner. Or later it will be clogged on the other old hoses corrosion inside will clog - replace both so you have no further problems good job on figuring it out experience means a lot especially when you have two big motors. I have been a captain for 30 years know what you’re going through.Safe journey
Captain Don 🇺🇸
I do not think there was a problem with the hose. It was perfectly clear before I took apart the valves. I think there were more wood chips behind the one I first removed, and that they flowed down stream once I cleared the path. After I cleaned out the hose it had great flow again. The only reason I do not know for sure what caused the problem is because, when I blew out the hose, it was aimed towards the bilge and whatever became dislodged vanished under the engine.
Really enjoy your videos. You are a perfect couple and have a great life. Thanks for sharing. Always liked Hatteras yachts too.
Thanks for watching! We are glad you enjoy the videos!
Captain enjoy your cruise.amazing how u are able
To solve issues
I try
I always enjoy these videos!
We are glad you like the videos!
Love your video's so much. I would live to own a nice boat but, it's things like that fuel problem that discourages me. Can't wait for your next video! 😀😁
We are happy you like the videos! Problems on a boat are just part of the experience. At least it was not an airplane losing an engine!
Lol.... 😄😅😆That is very true. It just seems like everyone I know has some trouble with there boat. I retrospect, if your car broke down as much as a boat, you would get rid of it. Is it just the normal wear and tear of the boats systems or is it because most boats are only used a few months a year?
We have only broke down once. Although we have had things break that do not prevent us from using the boat. In our case, the boat is 40 years old. Much has been replaced but some of the systems are still original. Non-use is definitely a problem for some. We run the engines/generator at least once a month, even in the winter, and run each of the toilets regularly. A boat like ours is more like a house than a boat, there is always something that needs to be done. With four bedrooms, four bathrooms, six air conditioners, four water delivery systems and keeping her clean - the job never ends. But it is fun.
@@tryingnottosink9107 That is a brillant way to think about it! It is basically a floating house.. Thank you for your reply's.. When I do get my Lagoon 630 Catamoran, we will meet up and drinks on me..😉
Just discovered your channel. Great and thanks. Need to know where you got that great Manhattan glass. I am a fan of the drink and need to know your recipe. I am not a knowledgeable boater but wonder if you should be filtering the fuel as it enters your tanks?
The fuel is filtered by Racor filters (30 microns) and than the primary filter (2 microns). I just make simple Manhattans, 3 parts Makers, 1 part Vermouth and a couple dashes of Bitters.
Your sidebar where you featured a donkey 🤣. You had me laughing so hard. Actually learning from mistakes is a good thing and mistakes weren't made we wouldn't learn. Just remember captain every experience you have on your boat is only going to make you better. I think your excellent skipper.
Thanks. I forgot about that. This video is a couple years old. Thanks for watching!
Enjoying your trip a lot. Good for you figuring out the manifold. It won't be your last shot! You may want to look into adding a fuel transfer pump into your system if it's not there. I use my aft tank as my "day tank" and transfer fuel from a bow tank as needed. I can mess with the manifold and returns if I have to, but I tend to pump fuel around too.
We actually have a auxiliary tank that was used as a polisher. It had a broken pump when we bought the boat. I plan to fix it and use it as a spare in case something like this happens again.
@@tryingnottosink9107 that would be a great setup!
Nice video as always, Cap'n. Thumb's up for you.
That nightscape @ 2:38 is beautiful.
I'm so impressed at you for being able to troubleshoot and solve the problem all on your own and not give up. I've noticed some people talk about a fuel polisher on a boat. I don't know what it is but I wondered if you had that or if that would help you in the future?
We actually have a fuel polisher but it too slow for how much fuel we burn through on our trips. It is just an auxiliary 100 gallon fuel tank that gets filled and run through racor filters on it's way to the main tanks. Basically double filtration. And yes, it would have prevented the wood chip from getting to the main tanks.
In the UK inland water ways there is something commonly known as diesel bug, it's a organism that lives & breeds in water that has formed from condensation within metal fuel tanks. It causes a sludge to build up in the fuel system.
Do you get this in the States ?
We can buy an additive to keep it at bay but once it's formed the fuel is potentially ruined but there are firms that can remove the fuel & do something called fuel polishing to remove the diesel bug & then treat it to prevent further contamination.
I think that is what we had in the starboard tank. The racors keep it from hitting the engine but it did require me to clean the filters a few times. I threw some additive into the fuel a couple months ago and plan to do so again in the spring. We burn through fuel so fast while on our trips, there is little sense in getting the fuel polished. We are refilling every 3 or 4 days.
Really enjoy watching; I had a small boat before and it got stolen so I never went back. I cannot do it anymore because my wife get scared of everything now, she wasnt like this a while back. I tried motor homing for 10 years and just stopped, it was just getting boring
Its not a pressure gauge its a vacuum gauge. I just put a charge of the anti micro treatment in mine today. Had black goo in the racor. It happens more the warmer it gets.
Thanks for the correction. I am slowly learning these diesels.
No sweat, you will never learn it all,,, always something busted. I always think I must have seen it all, then something new to me blows up... LOL.. It reads the restriction in the line on the suction side. Your engine lift pump draws the fuel through the racor. If the vacuum increases than you have a restriction.
Thanks for the info. Now I can sound like I know what I am talking about in my next video on fuel problems! :-)
We always use the forward tank as a day tank and only pull from that
Thanks for the detailed description of how you trouble-shooted and solved the fuel issue.
You are welcome! Glad you liked the video.
Wow Pleased you figured it out, mate I'm wondering if you have crap in the Tank and it's going to happen again is there a way to look inside the tank with a light I had a similar problem and it turned out it was bits of old fiberglass left over from the Build a Long time ago Worth a Look if your able to do so Great Vlog as always thanks
THIS is why we watch your channel! :))
I'll try to do more dumb things in the future! :-)
@@tryingnottosink9107 LMAO!
Hi. You sure make some enjoyable videos, and I like the Hatteras . If I may give you some tips for making the filming a little easier for you: Get a long-haired microphone hood to cancel some wind-noise, a gimble to get the camera shaking less and for night-filming you can use a red light to illuminate the cockpit. That will help preserve your night vision. I wish you all a smooth sailing. Greetings from Lofoten, Norway.
We have a long-haired cover, however, I sometimes forget to put it on, or forget to bring it. We just purchased a gimbal. We are slowly steeping up the quality of the videos. :-)
I bought a Hatteras 58' last May......one of my concerns is something like this happens in deep water.......amazing you were able to track down that piece of felt (or whatever) and the section of pipe with an obstruction. Have you run this boat on one engine to get back into port?
Yes, I did take it back to port on one engine once. It was after I bent my shaft existing Little River inlet in S. Carolina. It is difficult but it can be done. The bow thruster helps.
Darn Edd, I'm sitting here laughing my azz off. When you said that "Now is my chance", I had visions of Lynn being dragged down the river with her cocktail in hand and not spilling a drop!
I hesitated. Opportunity lost! 😁
You guys are very brave to face the problems as they come up. Ignore the negative derogatory comments. They are from people who have never challenged themselves or even done anything out of the norm.
Thanks. We try to ignore the trolls!
I live right off South Biscayne Bay National Park. I wish you had taken your dingy to Fowey Rock Light House; which is near stiltsvile and the waters are so clear. Biscayne Bay is tricky and shallow so stay on course.
I wish we knew. We really wanted to go ashore but did not know where to go. Biscayne Bay is very tricky. We ran into a problem on the way back, which we will show in another video.
Does the fuel pick up have a screen ? You found a wood chip , there may be more. It is always good to have a screen..
Not that I know of. We are thinking about adding another filter between the tanks and the switching valves.
Hi, definitely no need to beat your self up over not figuring It out right away. With all the different configurations and of feeds , tanks and filters the permutation must be a lot. One good think you discovered is how much fuel gets 'polished' as the engine is running normally. Proves there is little need for a extra fuel polishing system.
Cheers Warren
I was really surprised how much fuel was returned to the tanks. I only though it was a trickle. Your point about fuel polishing makes a lot of sense.
diesel engines returns a HUGE % of the fuel to the tanks. Specially if you don't hit the throttles too hard. You may ask a fuel polishing company to run a couple of cleanings to the tanks.
As a retired yacht captain every new job I took on first order of business is to have all fuel tanks opened and cleaned. On my personal 47 foot Concord, this involved cutting into the top of the fiberglass tanks with a saber saw. Big project but the tanks were loaded with algae. On a 123' Fradship nearly wiped out a dock at Bradford Marine because of plugged fuel lines.
It is something I know needs to be done and I have been putting it off. A good winter project I suppose.
When you are working on fuel lines and blowing them out does the diesel smell up the whole boat?
or is there a trick to help keep the fuel smell down?
Can you was the engine room down to help with the spilled fuel.
I really like the honestly and showing the ups and downs.
I do not really notice a diesel smell, but I might just be used to it. Lyn burns a lot of incense, so who knows. We have to sop up any spilled fuel or oil with special rags so that it does not get into the waterways.
Absolutely no pressure offshore engine start dying storm on it's way jester. actually I've been following your videos for a little while gave me a different impression on you very amazed at how well you know what's going on in your engine room and might be mistake are those Johnson Towers engines . Real smart set up whoever did it
They are Detroit 8v92s. Little by little I am learning the engines and the boat. Mostly I learn by fixing problems!
Yes I could tell they were Detroit's . First giveaway was when you're talking about how much fuel they transferred and the second one was a picture Johnson Towers known as a company up in your part of the country for doing Marine conversions and pumpin a bunch of horsepower out of Detroit and tuning them I believe you're fromwww.johnsontowers.com/marine/ Pennsylvania area link
Good to see you guys use life vest. Great video's!! 😁😁
We are very careful when the water is rough or we are underway at 10 knots. No one is permitted outside alone, unless the captain is notified and can keep and eye on you until you come back in, and you must wear a life jacket. We are a little less strict on the ICW. My brother drown in a boating accident a few years ago, so it is often on my mind.
I'm so sorry to hear that happened to your brother. A friend of mine and his dog drowned in lake st. Clair (in Michigan) a few years ago.
We have learned that life can be cut short in an instant. That is one of the main reasons we decided to buy a boat and travel. We actually started these videos to send to my mother so she knew we were being careful. Needless to say, she was not initially pleased about us buying a boat six months after my brother died. The videos evolved into what it is now.
I was thinking the same .. saw a guy trying to fix an anchor problem in the middle of a hurricane with flip-flops and NO vest at all !!! also you see people in a bad weather while cruising , fixing things absolutely careless !!
2:31. Can anyone tell me what the metal thing is holding both ropes at 2:31?
We had an algae problem that stopped up the fuel line so badly we had to replace the line!
Wow! That must have been a pain.
Great job working that problem
Thanks.
Excellent video's I have a sign near my valves that states "Return Lines need to be the same as Draw Tank". My way of preventing the same mistake.
Thanks. We are glad you enjoy the videos!
We have a 55' Californian made by Carver MY in Tustin, CA. I would love to be able to do video's like this cruising the West Coast. What equipment and video editing do you have? If you are ever in San Diego let me know.
Need to have me down and do a valve adjustment on the ole detroits :) Good troubleshooting !
Does it sound like it needs a valve adjustment. This is my first diesel and I am still learning. According to the maintenance records he had it done about 4 years ago.
what model are those ?? looks like 12V71 .........
8v92 ... already .!
Yes, 8v92T
Have you treated your tanks for microbes? Because boats don’t use fuel like an on highway vehicle and the fuel sitting not being replaced very often gives the bugs an opportunity to grow. You can buy fuel treatment specifically for this. S.
I have not, but probably should. I put a lot of miles on the boat and turn the tanks over often.
In the Jet that I fly we put biobor in the fuel on occasion to kill off the algae that grows in the fuel when the airplane sits. JetA is pretty much the same as diesel fuel. It sounds like your fuel system is similar to that used on jets. We have a low pressure high volume fuel pump that creates motive flow that operates a jet pump that picks up even more fuel this fuel then goes to the high pressure fuel pumps an to the fuel control unit.
The unused fuel is returned to the fuel tank.
Isn't days learning fun😧, when you end your day in a tiki bar. Well done sir 😉
your motor yacht has spoken to you and its up to you to respond..its saying time for course sediment filters on the tank main feed lines with a before and after pressure/vacuum gauges for at a glance monitoring..you already experienced the reason why..the question is do think its worth not going through this again? i will guarantee you it will..as machinery gets older things are introduced..things work loose..thing get wear on them..i was paid a good wage for many years to troubleshoot and implement preventive maintenance programs for many fleet operators..what had me in demand was i never listened to the mechanics i always went to the maintenance records..then spent time with the actual machines that were deemed troublesome..they are very honest and will tell you what they need..the trick is understanding the signs..then implementing a strategy that eliminates the issue..in this case a piece of wood..response.. course sediment filters..never again will this happen and for a days labor and a few hundred dollars..id say thats cheap piece of mind :) btw hows happy fish? :)
Are you saying that I should have a filter between the tank and the tank selection valves? Our racors are 10 mil, and located after the selection valves, before the on engine filter. We have two on each engine, so that we can switch to the clean filter immediately if needed. In this particular case, the clog was back at the valves. Thanks for the input.
yes thats what im saying brother..i cant claim to know your filter element size but your assessment sounds about right..as for the sediment filters..they are just that..they can deal with large objects like wood :) and other things like algae or if your in rough seas..that crud that is currently sitting at the bottom of your tanks..so this is how it should be for each tank: course sediment filter..then fuel tank main fuel line..then your fuel valve manifold..now as for implementing that description..that could be easier said than done..truly the optimal placement would be where the main fuel line is attached to the full tank..
then you would reattach the fuel line to the course sediment filter assembly (i say assembly because you will want a pressure/vacuum gauge before and after the course sediment filter..the pressure difference between the (2) gauges tells the level of restriction you have in the filter at a glance or in layman's terms..how clogged up it is :) note: be sure to mark with a sharpie where the needles indicate as soon as the the engines are fired up again..so you know how to gauge the filters condition)
as of this posting all of the shops around here are closed..also i live in a small town so choices are limited so i looked for some good examples..the strainer i found is what we used to call a trash strainer..when you see it you will understand..the 2nd one is the actual housing..now i don't know if the (2) are compatible but Goldenrod makes several different housings and im sure finding the right one shouldn't be to hard if you find a decent size supply house with the proper expertise..now remember these are just an example i have no idea how robust this casing is but the element is spot on with what Ive used in the past with great success..also if i wasn't clear on anything or any questions on building the filter assembly..please feel free..i like you folks and i love old school motor yachts..my only regret is im not there to help out..btw you never did tell me how happy fish was doing :)
strainer---> www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200381591_200381591?cm_mmc=Google-pla&Google_PLA&Fuel%20Transfer%20%2B%20Lubrication%20>%20Fuel%20Filters%20%2B%20Filter%20Crushers&Goldenrod&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3fe6xv2V3QIVlLrACh2wbQxVEAQYASABEgJnhPD_BwE
houseing---> www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_910810_910810?cm_mmc=Google-pla&Google_PLA&Fuel%20Transfer%20%2B%20Lubrication%20>%20Fuel%20Filters%20%2B%20Filter%20Crushers&Goldenrod&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2MWw6IGW3QIVENvACh3hDwoAEAQYAiABEgIB7fD_BwE
Thank you very much for the great information. I am going to give serious thought to adding the extra filters this winter.
We also have an auxiliary tank on board, that was used as a fuel polisher by the previous owners. It has the ability to transfer fuel to either of the two main tanks. I was planning to replace the broken pump, possibly with something with a high transfer rate. The thinking being that I could use that tank whenever getting fuel and have it simultaneously transferring the fuel to a main tank. The auxiliary tank has a dual racor set up as well. I imagine the problem will be if I can not move the fuel to the main tanks as quickly as the fuel dock feeds the auxiliary tank.
Adding additional filters as you suggest might be a better, or additional, option.
wow..nice option to have..well a fuel polisher will have its own filters as you mentioned..with stages that will drop in microns..hence "polisher" it really comes down to what the filter assemblies can flow if you want to go with your idea.so id start there first..but a polishers sole purpose is to purify/polish your existing fuel..now im operating in the dark here..but usually a fuel polisher is a closed loop system that ultra filters whatever tank its hooked up to..id really need to see your setup before making a recommendation brother..so please make a video..im sure you have some gear heads here that would like to see your engine room including me :) but im more concerned about that wood..it MIGHT have come from a fueling stop..what are your tanks made of?
regardless of the the current set up i would defiantly still go with the trash filters..like i said before..use introduces crud..(remember your new bilge float?)..their cheap and very effective insurance..also if your aux tank is truly set up properly as a "polisher" i would put one in front of the current filter array on your aux tank also..this is my thinking..unless you suck a tank dry and open the inspection hatch and physically look inside..we have to assume that theres a couple of inches of crud at the bottom..just the nature of diesel..the impurities and microbes/algae in diesel die and sink to the bottom..rough seas/fueling can stir this up and your fine element filters of your "polisher" will clog almost immediately..pre "polishing" is a worth while endeavor..however what of your already contaminated fuel/tanks? a properly set up "polisher" will achieve the same thing and will maintain that quality level of the stored fuel..basically scrubbing your tanks for you :)
you seem to be a capable person with a good understanding of your vessel so i don't in any way want to insult your ability..please check out this video..primarily where the intake is and the type of pump..you want to be able to suck the crud off the bottom of the tank..a standard fuel pump will quickly give up the ghost..once again a large supply house should have the expertise to get you what you need :) ua-cam.com/video/Q1SYRYDzXl0/v-deo.html
"I think it's Friday I'm not sure" ... oh man! :-)
You do a great job , I have been on the water over 50 years and I still screw up now and again it’s a law of the sea 😎 one thing tho there are no “ maps “ aboard a vessel they are always Charts , using the nautical terms keeps you in good favor with the sea spirits... trust me
I sailed our Deck Salon 43 sailboat on her maiden voyage Annapolis to yes indeed Marathon ... lots of stories to tell
Thanks for watching. We are slowly getting used to the correct terms. :-)
Wow that’s a big chip
Great video! Thanks for sharing the details of your fuel issue problem.... Two questions; since you suspect you picked up some dirty fuel, would help to have someone come in and polish your fuel to save on your own filters? And I noticed there was some sentiment in one of the fuel bowls, would be go to clean out that bowl so you can see if there is new or more sentiment coming into your filter/s? Thanks.
I have changed over the tank 3 or four times since then, and cleaned the racors as well. We put about 1600 miles on the boat since that video.
When I recently had purchased my carver they put ethanol fuel in, was my fault as I should have been paying closer attention. My tanks were cleaned with that alcohol, clogged my filter as I was preparing to dock with a boat full of people, had to bring her in on one engine, it was my 1st season, the fuel in the filter was filled with crud used Starbright enzime fuel additive and changed filters frequently.
I know the feeling of docking with one engine. Not fun.
Ed, for every mistake you make we get a lesson.(and a giggle)
Isn't there a screen at the fuel fill? How did a wood chip get into the fuel tank?
We do not know how the wood chip got there, or how long it was in the tank. That video was shot about 6000 miles ago. No problems since.
I subscribed w/notifications so I can keep up. Will have to start from #1. Keep 'em coming. Are you ever going to do the Great Loop?? Hey, if you ever get to the west coast of FL, give me a holler. I’m in Sarasota.
I did see your vid on the Carver. Is it still for sale?? There’s another channel I watch (Michael Steen) who owns a Carver 32'. He might be interested in yours. Why don’t you contact him and see. I’ll try to get you two to contact one another... the rest is up to you.
Unfortunately, we are too tall for the great loop. There is a 19 foot bridge in Chicago and we are 24 foot. We were just on the Gulf Coast. The Siesta Key area.
That area with the stilt houses is called Stiltsville.
Thanks for the info.
that is correct . vert interesting that corridor ... past hurricanes destroyed most of them .
ED don't fill bad I have had a few of the duh you dummy moments in my life doing it the long hardway and getting either finished or almost finished and realizing that I could of done it a lot easier and faster good job on figuring out your problems and fixing it yourself I wonder how a piece of wood got in your fuel line that is puzzling if you continue to have d9rt and fuel problems you may want to look into have tanks drained cleaned and polished but all these things are part of owning a boat. Please keep the videos coming really enjoy them and getting to you guys If you ever make it to Nashville please let me know. Have a great day. God Bless!!!
Good troubleshooting.
Do you have an air compressor/reservoir tank onboard, or just hand pump it for the blow out? I have a 120V/12V tire pump onboard for all sorts of uses.
The fuel manifold really looks great and gives you fantastic options when it comes to selecting fuel source and return tank. I'm gonna have to think about designing a similar set up.
I'm always soooo jealous when I see all the room you have in your engine rooms. I'm thinking about taking up yoga just so I can be more flexible to work around my engines.
Thanks. We have an engine mounted compressor and a portable tire size compressor as well. That's funny, I wish my engine rooms were bigger. If I designed this boat I would have eliminated the center hallway and had a spiral staircase to the master cabin.
I'm experiencing Deja vu , a few Hours ago I watched this same video. Commented !, but it didn't take, everything shut down to a blank screen appeared . We were worried about you two. Getting ready to notify the Coast Guard to be on the lookout for the Triton LOL. All those hoses look like Spaghetti. Now we have Capitan / Chef Mechanic Ed, and the Honorable First Mate / Video Photographer Lyn. :-D Thanks for taking us along, really enjoy the water view and points of interest. Glad you were able to make repairs and get back under way. God Bless !!.
thanks.i thought i went nutts.
You may be nuts Bob, but It did happen !!. If you didn't confirm it with me I was thinking maybe I'm NUTS !! And your welcome / Thank you too, Cheers !!***.
soon as there was a prob,i said sounds like wood plugged elbow and line to raycore plugged.felt smart till i realized same vid
No, you guys are not nuts. There was a sound problem on the first video. My narration was missing in the beginning, and some of the sound was not in sync. After an hour I closed that video and re-posted a fixed version in the morning. About 500 people saw the first version.
Thank you for giving me back my sanity !! Ed And Lyn. Peace Be With You !!!.
Aren't those vacuum gages? When the fuel filter begins to clog the fuel pump sucks harder as it tries to draw fuel past the filter thus an increase on the vacuum gage.
Yes they are.
It must be hard what to determine to bring for parts and tools. You don't want to bring a machine shop, I imagine as you get to know your boat better you'll know more about what is a must have and what you can get at a marina. Things not unique to your yacht. Glad to see you enjoying yourself. I really want to get out there like you but cannot bring myself to trust a sailboat like I can a pair of big lugging diesels. Redundencys. As a guy who has known diesels on a farm, so large diesels, if you put time in on maintenance and keep the fuel clean and do not run out, it's hard to break. Marine diesels I expect demand more, but I like the idea of those chugging diesels.
Fortunately, the previous owners had many of the required tools on the boat when we bought it. We keep the fuel clean and the oil changed, but have yet to do any other type of maintenance.
That recycling the fuel is probably a polishing system, not sure as I run on gas, I'm more like the other guy as I was a Submariner.
do you see any houseboats on the ICW,or is it just trawlers,sailboats and boats like yours ?
We see house boats on occasion. But mostly trawlers, cruisers and sailboats.
Thank you the reason I was asking,because I like the houseboats because of the room,but I know I cant go out into the gulf or open waters,but looking at some of the charts it looks like I can stay on the ICW all the way . that is why I was asking someone like yourself and I love your videos Thank you !
The ICW would be fine (at least the parts I know). You would just need to keep a look out for some tricky areas, with strong currents and narrow channels. There are only a few, and can be easily managed at the right tide. Usually the hard parts are near inlets. Sebastian Inlet comes to mind. However, most of the ICW is slow and calm. You may be surprised at how much room some trawlers have. My boat has over 1700 sq ft of inside space.
what do you cruise this boat at i know it will make 21 knots cruise at 18 but im guessing your keeping them pulled way back
We cruise at 1250 RPMS at 10 knots.
Where is Gilligan when you need him !
Any seas less than you have now would have to be in a duck pond lol !
So what was clogging the last line that you blew out?
I do not know. I was on the other side of the engine when I blew air through the line. Whatever it was went down into the bilge.
@@tryingnottosink9107 Thank you for your reply. Does your fuel management system have a fuel polisher?
We have a 100 gallon auxillary tank that is set up to polish fuel by sending it through Racors while transferring to a main tank, however, we haven't used it. We run through fuel so quickly we don't usually have time for polishing. We currently send all fuel through a Racor before it hits the regular fuel filter. We have been considering adding another filter, prior to the switching valves to prevent what happened in this video.
Im curious...what are your fuel costs for the week ,month or year?
I will be posting a video about costs in the near future. We uses about 13-14 gallons an hour at 10 knots and partial generator usage.
You might have crud in your fuel tank.....You have been in the ICW so not enough to stir up the crud. When you went to the ocean, MAYBE some crud got stirred up.....The great thing is, you are learning your boats systems...lol
A day prior to this happening, a Yacht Fisher cut in front of us at high spend, leaving a 10 foot wake, which broke every wine glass we had in the cabinet and several bottles of alcohol.. We think that may have been the problem.
That piece of wood didn't come from contaminated fuel. It had to get in the tank by some means other than pumping. Dealing with problems is what brings experience to the Captain. Plus you learn the details of the boat. Happy sailing.
That is what Lyn says. Every time we have a problem she calls it Captain's College!
There's got to be a way you can verify that fuel going in is good, or at least filtering it when it goes in.
We are thinking about installing a primary filter between the fuel tanks and the switching valves.
Need a portable mechanical pump on hand like used to empty 55 gal barrels to do any fuel tank transfers.
I have one connected to our auxiliary tank, but a spare is a good idea.
Lmfao!!! I bet you wanted to jump overboard when it clicked! I have done things similar and it really makes you feel like a moron when your brain figures out the "work smarter, not harder" methodology.
Isn't there a nautical superstition about bad luck to embark on a Friday?
Not sure. If so, we have broken it many times!
Great video and good job. I still do not understand the fact that diesel engines return unused fuel back to the tank at a rate that can mean a difference between an empty tank and a relatively full tank. Why so much diesel is pumped to the engines and then not used?
I do not know why it is so much fuel that is returned. I only know it burnt threw 3/4s of a 400 gallon tank in less than an hour.
thats how all fuel injection systems works. gas or diesel
Nope ... only diesel. Diesel engines uses fuel for power generation as any other engine, but also for lubrication and cooling. The % of the return can be up to 90% of the global flow. Many boats and/or engines has fuel coolers to keep it cold. Understand the flow of the diesel fuel on the yacht is a must !! you have to understand the fuel manifolds that sometimes are very weird !! Build a fuel polishing systems is NOT difficult and keep problems at dock. One last word ... fuel intakes, as fuel caps , with time get their o-rings worn and you can get water entering the tanks this way. Check the caps of the tanks as well as hoses so you avoid water entering the system. Happened to me once and was a mess to discover and fix the problem.
What is racore
It is an off-engine fuel filter. Diesel is a very dirty fuel so boats use a 2nd filter, usually 30 microns, to clean it up before it gets to the engine fuel filters.
Yeah, it was so bad out in Block Island Sound that Towboat US refused to come out. USCG rescued us.
That was not so bad. You made it back to the marina and no serious damage. This is just par for the course.
It is always fun to talk about it afterwards. At the time, it was stressful, but not scary, and a good learning experience.
Those are what make life exciting though. I can remember almost sinking on a friend's sketchy boat out on Lake Minnetonka. I got it up on the trailer just as water was up through the floorboards and almost up to my ankles.
from the looks of those bowls you need to clean the tanks shouldn't be seeing that much black in the bowls that soon after cleaning them...
We agree.
...but he looks exactly like the second guy!
You could had stayed safe in Biscayne Bay route all the way down to through key Largo and then exit ocean side to Marathon.
We were worried about depth. Perhaps needlessly. We were not sure if we would run into a problem with a 4'9" draft. We would have loved to check out Key Largo. There is really nowhere on the ocean side for us to stop.
Got a little confuuuused here. Might be helpful to have some diagrams.
We show the area where we broke down in the next video.
I hate to say this but that's the filthiest yacht I ever seen 😔
Ha ha ha..oops..lol
I cringe when I hear you say marathon key. Marathon is a city, it is on Vaca Key. There is no marathon key. Lived there in Boot key harbor 15 years ago. Love your videos.
I did not know that. This year we anchored outside Boot Key, so hopefully we do not make that mistake as often.
The houses on stilts is called stiltsville back in 1920 s prohibition people went out in biscayne Bay and built these houses about 300 of them all through the Bay For gambling and brothels all that was left about twenty of them then hurricane Andrewhit in 92 those are the one that are leftsince that is my home channel to go fishing in ocean also Biscayne National Park expanded and took the house from the owners but gave them rights to in and use they have to maintain the houses if they catch fire or get destroyed they can't replace them and the home owners fought them for years on ownership rights and finally gave to these rules started watching thatvwhat I want to do on my 26 wellcraft with 300 etec go down to key west with my sons boatand mine and run west towards Fort Jefferson dry tortugas fishing on the way and alligator reef is out fishingarea when we go to keys those boats are sandbaring partying on sandbar we do that too next time in John Pennycamp state park go to the Christ of the abyss statue it on chart in about forty feet of water and reef line comes up to the twenty foot mark or so it is worth seeing its been there about fifty years I think John 🇺🇸🌴🐟🎣🛥
Thanks for the info. Interestin! We wish we had more time to spend in the area. We had a repair job scheduled and had to rush.
Mighta taken you a while to realise about the fuel diversion... but your siphoning, albeit not the "best" solution was still a solution, that woulda got you outta the pinch, so good job regardless!
Thanks. We are learning as we go along. :-)
When u buy a 40 yr old machine airplane boat car all the rubber an rubber will be aged out
I believe this was th only rubber hose that had not been recently replaced. Everything I replace, I use silicone.
Seems like you're always dealing with one problem or another. Doesn't seem like a lot of fun trying to figure them out and repairing. You could have bought a very large sailing yacht for what you've got in the Hatteras. No fuel bill, and much simpler to operate. Just my humble opinion.
The problems are actually very far in between. We just tend to film them so others can see. Most of the problems, such as hitting ground, would have happened even on a sail boat.
2:31. Can anyone tell me what the metal thing is holding the two ropes together? Thanks.
That is not holding the two lines together. It is a snubber. It is a single line running through a metal circle that is connected to a hook. The hook attached to the anchor chain. The ends of the snubber lines go to bow cleats. It takes the stress off the windlass. You can see us using it in more detail in some recent videos.