Typically I change Calypso’s diesel fuel filters annually or after +-100 hours. If I am setting out on a longer cruise and expecting to putting a lot of hours on the auxiliary engine I will change the filters before leaving Seattle and carry 2 filter changes with me.
Older tanks that have not been cleaned may let you get away with infrequent filter changes right up until they don’t. According to Murphy’s Law, filters will plug on dark and stormy nights, not sunny and calm afternoons in sight of a full service boatyard. With a recently cleaned tank the risk of long term contamination building up is reduced but diesel fuel tanks can build up an algae problem quickly. I use an anti-algae treatment and occasionally a cetane booster, especially if the fuel in the tank is more than 6 months old. There has been some recent debate on whether it is better to keep the boat’s tank full to reduce air exposure and resulting condensation. Typically I top off Calypso’s tank at the end of the racing season so it is mostly full over the winter. Calypso’s fuel tank has been at less than ½ through the current deck restoration project. When we re-commission the boat I will be inspecting the tank to look for algae and condensation build up. I will not be surprised to find enough that a fuel polishing/tank cleaning will be needed. If I was preparing for a long offshore voyage I would install a dual fuel filter manifold with a vacuum gauge. The next upgrade would be the ability to circulate the fuel through the filters in case I picked up some contaminated fuel. Next step after that is to add a day tank that only filtered fuel enters and where the engine draws its fuel from. I sailed a Transpac (1985) on a custom 52’ ULDB that would suffer from engine stalls when the boat heeled or rolled. The boat sailed much better than it powered. We were first to finish in class B, only being beat in by some of the 70 footers. We crossed gybes with Merlin 400 miles out of Diamond Head. Our navigator won the Transpac Navigator’s trophy that year. IIRC that summer of sailing on that chartered boat was the most fun I have had with my clothes on. The fuel starvation problem was fixed by adding a day tank on centerline above the engine. Each day several gallons of fuel would be transferred to the day tank from the main tanks and all was well. Martin DeYoung Calypso 1971 C&C 43 Seattle [Description: Description: cid:D1BF9853-22F7-47FB-86F2-4115CE0BAF2F] From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Bev Parslow via CnC-List Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2015 12:06 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Bev Parslow Subject: Stus-List filters Last year after we changed both fuel filters and then cleaned out the tank on the 29-2. On the weekend it appears that the filters need to be changed again. Is this normal? We have been putting in the usual additives. What is working with your fuel systems?
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