which fuel filter?

[Soupy]

I'm sorry guys but you are wrong.

If you look at the Optimax manuals it clearly says you should not fit additional filters in the fuel system.

The engine has its own filters and seperators so it does not need any more externally mounted.


Don't know about Opti but my Evinrude Ficht has own filter and seperator on engine but which became overwhelmed more than once earlier this year due to water having got into inboard tank. After lots of hassle and draining tank problem was resolved. Was probably due to a mixture of codensation due to boat lying unused before my purchase; the natural element of water in fuel; filling up from village garages in rural Scotland directly into tank and also using jerry cans to top up.
In any event was recommended by main Evinrude agent to fit RACOR inline water seperator/filter (about £65). He considered it important on a bigger engine. Anyway, never regretted it as it works well. Even after draining and cleaning tank am still getting a very small amount in the glass bowl which can be both easily seen and emptied. Worth the money and precaution after limping back on aux. a couple of times at the start of season.
Also, did my Intermediate course in a 8m Humber with a Honda 200 (fitted engine filters) which could only be filled from cans due to its location. Boat in use daily for training/commercial use. Had 2 Racors fitted in line and skipper swore by them and after a few hours we saw for ourselves what he meant. So much so, they were checked routinely along with the oil level etc.

May not be the same problem if filling up from major supermarkets but then fishing skippers told me they put a lot of emphasis on checking their water seperators for their diesel. Occupational hazard they say!

[jwalker]

I just came across a pic of the Lancing filter.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by jwalker

I just came across a pic of the Lancing filter.

Which is the one I have fitted... very reassuring to look at it and "see" what's in your fuel... although, if anyone can tell me how on Earth, wood pulp got in theire, I'd appreciate it.....

[jwalker]

You were scratchin' your head as you filled the tank.

[Kernow Buoy]

Originally Posted by jwalker

You were scratchin' your head as you filled the tank.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by jwalker

You were scratchin' your head as you filled the tank.

[Tideway]

One thing that you may want to consider is whether a glass or plastic (sight glass) type filter is sufficiently impact resistant for your proposed application. If you are mounting them on the transom, rather than in a engine bay, then they are highly likley to get whacked at some point. I.e. coming onto the plane or in any rough stuff. It depends on whether you carry much kit, but if something heavy hits a glass bowl then that could give you problems.

This is just a suggestion.

I thought that there may be something relating to this on MCA Coded boats, but I couldn't find anything on the web, so I may have just made it up!

cheers.

t

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Tideway

One thing that you may want to consider is whether a glass or plastic (sight glass) type filter is sufficiently impact resistant for your proposed application. If you are mounting them on the transom, rather than in a engine bay, then they are highly likley to get whacked at some point. I.e. coming onto the plane or in any rough stuff. It depends on whether you carry much kit, but if something heavy hits a glass bowl then that could give you problems.

This is just a suggestion.

I thought that there may be something relating to this on MCA Coded boats, but I couldn't find anything on the web, so I may have just made it up!

cheers.

t

Very valid point though!!! It is a wonder they don't have cages to go around them like you see on air compressors water traps.

[Jono]

Well, I don't carry anything in the boat that isn't in a locker or nailed down, so all I've got to worry about is pax sliding about... and if they manage to break it, where it's mounted we're in deep doo-doo anyway......

Compressor filters/separators are caged because of the chance of them exploding from internal pressure after a knock....

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Very valid point though!!! It is a wonder they don't have cages to go around them like you see on air compressors water traps.

because you just might want to take it apart in a hurray, clean it out and put it back together before you are blown onto a lee shore. The CAV glass ones look like pyrex type glass, very tough. Haven't managed to break one yet despite it being on a club dive boat with lots of cylinders and weight belts for the past 8 years.

Pete

[Searider]

Originally Posted by Tideway

I thought that there may be something relating to this on MCA Coded boats, but I couldn't find anything on the web, so I may have just made it up!

cheers.

t

It's there

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mgn280.pdf

Paragraph 7.4.6 "located so that it can be easily seen and protected against heat and accidental damage".

Some useful stuff in the codes

[Jono]

So putting a s/steel bar in front of them to protect them from heavy footed and clumsy pax and mounting them alongside the transom knee whilst still leaving them visible and accessible seems like a darned good idea to me... Gosh! That's how mine's mounted

[Tideway]

Ahh, Thank you Duncan,

At least I wasn't just imagining it!

I would guess that if carefully sited, the risk of impact could be minimised. On one of our old RIBs the filters were tucked in-between the sloping, reinforcing stringers (not sure if that is the correct term?) that braced the transom. This meant that they were relatively protected.

Pete and Jono are obviously better at keeping random cr~p off of their boat and that is to be applauded. Sometime ago, before I knew any better, I'd come off of waves and whilst the boat had landed, half the gear was still on its way down

The MCA Guidance note is quite a good reference source though, and would apply if you wanted to use the RIB for commercial operations.

t

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Searider

It's there

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mgn280.pdf

Paragraph 7.4.6 "located so that it can be easily seen and protected against heat and accidental damage".

Some useful stuff in the codes

Some pretty useless stuff as well.....

"inflatables boats should supply fuel to the engine from a portable tank of less than 27 litres"!!!

So my 480l under deck tanks don't count then???

It also says

"A petrol engine may be accpeted providing it is an outboard" - does that mean no petrol inboards then?

[hard1]

Inflatable as in NOT Rigid Inflatable?

[Tideway]

Hi Codprawn,

" 'Inflatable Boat' means a vessel with attains its form through inflatable tubes only, which are not attached to a solid hull "

I guess that this means a SIB? So your 470l tanks should be ok...

Not sure about the petrol inboard situation though, but it does state that "pilot boats shall not be fitted with a petrol engine", so unless you are moonlighting for a Port Authority you should be ok!

Weirdly, I actually find this guidance less baffling than previous MCA publications, so they are getting better... Or I am getting more of a geek?

t

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Tideway

...tucked in-between the sloping, reinforcing stringers (not sure if that is the correct term?) that braced the transom.
t

I believe the term you're looking for is...

Originally Posted by Jono

..the transom knee ..

God, I crack myself up.....

[Tideway]

Thx for that, I wasn't sure what it was called! I didn't see your earlier post, even so, I never knew it was called the 'knee'. Bugger, I've learnt something...

t

[Searider]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Some pretty useless stuff as well.....

"inflatables boats should supply fuel to the engine from a portable tank of less than 27 litres"!!!

So my 480l under deck tanks don't count then???

It also says

"A petrol engine may be accpeted providing it is an outboard" - does that mean no petrol inboards then?

A RIB is a RIB - different to an inflatable boat.
Portable tanks to ensure that there are no sharp corners that might puncture the inflatable.

Inboard petrol engines are not generally allowed unless there are some exceptional circumstances.

It takes a long time to fully appreciate the sometimes strange rules and regs but they usually have some sort of explanation behind them.

[Cookee]

In Salcombe the MCA banned a ski school from using a Mastercraft ski boat as it was a petrol inboard - they ended up using a cheap (relatively) centre console outboard for the rest of the season! It didn't matter what precations they were prepared to take the MCA refused to allow it.