Fuel questions

[Jim Sullivan]

Diesel fuel is without doubt safer than gasoline. I totally agree. I would not own a gasoline powered inboard. I do however question just how "safe" it (diesel fuel) is as proclaimed/implied by some in this thread. See a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for diesel fuel:

http://www.petrocard.com/Products/MSDS-ULS.pdf

Please note that diesel fuel has a NFPA flammability rating of 2 versus gasoline with a rating of 3. A rating of 2 means that it is moderately flammable. From the MSDS, diesel fuel "can be ignited by heat, sparks, flames, or other sources of ignition (e.g., static electricity, pilot lights, or mechanical/electrical equipment, and electronic devices..." Is this not a concern for any of us in the event of a spill or other accidental release? It is for me and because of this concern, I choose not to store extra fuel on board.

[chase]

I'm thinking about relocating my mooring to a place that doesn't have a fuel dock and I'm wondering about the logistics of keeping the tank filled. We have a Yanmar 8 diesel.
1. I read that the only difference between auto diesel and marine diesel are taxes and dye. Is that right? -- so if I don't mind paying a little extra to avoid having to motor to a port with a fuel dock I shouldn't have a problem?
2. I'm wondering about the safety of keeping an emergency fuel supply in a secondary plastic can aboard. Do other folks do that as a matter of course? In general I try to keep explosive things to a minimum on the boat.

Cliff,

We keep extra diesel on board, probably less risky than cooking fuels. The five gallons greatly increases cruising range. I'm on a mooring and fill up at fuel docks when cruising but occasionally it is less stressful to dink the fuel out like others have said.

Diesel is about $2.25 right now at the filling station(NC), bet it is more at the marina. The biodiesel blend (B20) in the farm tank was cheaper than that...

Try Kerrydeare's siphon and keep rags and absorbant mats around for spill protection. I like to use a Mr. Funnel filter with mine but not sure if that will be enough drop for this little siphon.

Kerrydeare, that looks very handy, can't wait to try. Did you ever use on one of your offshore passages? Looks like a lot easier than holding up a 5 gal can in a seaway.


Chase

[The Patriot]

... Kerrydeare, that looks very handy, can't wait to try. Did you ever use on one of your offshore passages? Looks like a lot easier than holding up a 5 gal can in a seaway ...

For many years I've carried diesel in 5 gallon plastic jugs. When underway I have 4 jugs on deck on a CD28. Yes, this setup is less than perfect, but it extends the range under power by almost 200% and I rarely tie up at a dock for fuel only. When I find a convenient fuel dock, I fill the water tanks, dispose of trash, get the salt off, etc. Even when alongside I'm usually only filling the jugs since that procedure is simpler. Note that I have a small tank and my method won't work with a 60 gallon tank. Also I've bought and tried just about every filter or funnel on the market. Not a one was satisfactory. Transfers from jugs were always difficult, awkward, and messy, usually requiring briefly laying to, etc. In fact more than once I planned a transfer primarily depending on the weather and conditions. BTW I've never figured how to add additional tankage below decks in a completely satisfactory manner. The boat's just too small and cramped in the machinery spaces.

Then a friend showed me one of these siphons and was kind enough to make a gift of one to me just before an offshore trip. The device allows transfers without a funnel, underway, and in most conditions. Of course one must still manhandle the jugs, since at some point the jug needs to be raised up to keep the siphon flow going, but that usually happens when the jug contains quite a bit less than the full 5 gallons so the task is more manageable. Also it's not necessary to use a spout and keep it aligned with the funnel. This means I can transfer at night, under sail in relatively normal conditions, while the engine is running, etc. I really haven't encountered a downside to these gadgets.

I'm beginning to wish I could get a commission on these things. Hey, there's a recession out there, you know.

[cguthrie]

You folks are great -- much good advice here and helpful information. I hope to see many of you on the water this year in Maine!

[kerlandsen]

I could not resist and bought the siphon hose the day I read those comments.
Ordered what like Monday, showed up at my house Thursday, I think it came to about $30 with shipping.

I tried it out with a jug and the sink, simplest thing ever. Just awesome. You don't even get your hands dirty.

Of course now I have to mark one for deisel and one for other things, ie water.

Thanks,
Kyle

[bottomscraper]

Samar Wonder Pump

Item #: 45157 Model: 3PMP6 $6.94

I haven't bought one yet but on my next visit to Lowes!

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

[Evergreen]

For our long cruises into unfamiliar areas (such as our trip to Canada last season) we carry seven extra diesel jugs. My wife, Sharon, purchased some Sunbrella fabric from Sailrite and made up covers (which match the rest of our accents) for the jugs. They not only cover the rather ugly yellow plastic jugs but I believe the diesel lasts longer when it is out of the sun. We also store our extra propane tanks under the same covers on the side decks.

[Steve Laume]

I could not resist and bought the siphon hose the day I read those comments.
Ordered what like Monday, showed up at my house Thursday, I think it came to about $30 with shipping.

I tried it out with a jug and the sink, simplest thing ever. Just awesome. You don't even get your hands dirty.

Of course now I have to mark one for deisel and one for other things, ie water.

Thanks,
Kyle

I also checked out the site for the siphon hose and ordered right away. I think mine can in two days, express mail.

I had a jug of diesel sitting on the boat all winter and was in a quandary as to what to do with it. I figured by now there must be some nasties in there.

Whenever I used to transfer fuel to the main tank it looked kind of like a hazmat site were the spill never happened. I would tie the dodger out of the way, lay down absorbtion matts, have a roll of paper towels at the ready and some simple green to clean up whatever drips inevitably hit the deck.

It was always hard to get the jug between the life lines hanging out on a narrow side deck. When you tilt that jug whatever is in there goes in the tank. I tried a filter but that made the whole process even more difficult. Forget about doing this in a sea way.

Yesterday I used the new siphon, to transfer the 4 plus gallons in the jug to the fuel tank. I left the canvas in place only had a few paper towels and was very impressed.

Put the hose securely into the fill, sit the jug on the cockpit seat, a few quick jerks on the hose and a nice flow of fuel you can see in the clear hose. The best part is the hose does not pick up from the bottom of the jug. I peeked in there as the fuel level got lower at which time I lifted it to the edge of the combing board. There was a half dollar sized blob of water sitting on the bottom. I kept the hose away from the water and sucked out all the clean fuel.

If I had poured the jug into the tank, that water would have been the first thing to go.

Clean up was nonexistent except for wiping the short section of hose that had been in the fuel. I found a cap that fits over the copper end and will get a plug for the hose so it stays dirt free and cannot drip when stored after use.

Thanks again to this message board for a simple solution to what had been a difficult job, with the potential for huge consequences.

That little siphon hose changed one of the more stressful jobs into a very simple task. If you carry fuel jugs I would strongly recommend getting one of these little puppies, Steve.

[mattlydon]

I've heard that you should run your fuel through a pre-filter, which has water-seperating capabilities. Anyone use them, can recommend a specific one, etc?

Matt

[mattlydon]

My CD28 has two 14 gallon tanks mounted in the cockpit lockers - is that really not enough fuel, such that people on the thread need to keep numerous additional cans, or is my tank setup unusual.

Matt

[Dixon Hemphill]

Matt, I would say that your CD28 is quite unusual in that you have two 14 gallon fuel tanks in your cockpit lockers.

If my CD28 had this much fuel capacity I sure wouldn't feel it necessary to carry and extra cans along in addition to my 10 gallon tank.

[Steve Laume]

Matt, if I had 28 gallons in two separate tanks I would not be carrying a fuel jug. My main tank is now 18 gallons. Even with the 4 or 5 gallons in a jug you have a much greater fuel capacity than average. You also have a reserve or alternate if a problem should occur with one of your tanks.

I also use the jug to bring fuel from home as our marina does not have a fuel dock so it is just as easy to top off the tank with a jug if I am sailing locally.

The duel tank set up sounds pretty sweet. That is a lot of fuel. If you don't motor too much, it might sit in there for a very long time.

So how much fuel is too much, Steve.

[mattlydon]

Bless the PO's pointy little head. I thought mine was a standard, from the factory setup. I'll send some pics along, but basically, the tanks are cylindrical, riding in fiberglass 'beds'

These beds are bonded to the hull just below deck level, with teh fills just aft of my winches. It's a nice setup, as the tanks take up no real 'usable' room.

Matt

[Stan W.]

Cliff, it's great to see that you and your family are still in the game.

I was just flipping through my Robinhood Marine newsletter and came across an insert stating that henceforth they will sell only Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, and owners of older motors using that fuel might want to use an additive. As the owner of an older motor, I'd like to know how prevalent is ULSD at fuel docks and automobile filling stations? Also, can anyone recommend an additive? I've been using something called PRI-D. Will that do the job?

[Evergreen]

In past years, and once again this year, our local diesel engine dealer consistently recommends "FPPF - Improved Lubricity Plus Fuel Power". It both lubricates and improves cetane level. However, I believe it does not fight the growth of microorganisms.