"tar balls" could conceivably clog a cooling system. I'm somewhat familiar with them as they are naturally occurring and wash up on the Texas beaches a couple of times a year. They are a pain to wash off your feet and hands but the chances of sucking up an abandoned "ice bag" are probably greater. As far as the fire hazard, I wouldn't light up a smoke but "crude" is hard to burn when it's floating on the water. The real reason to "steer clear" of the spill, aside of the environmental reasons, It'll stain the hell out of the hull.
Mark, Gratis (6115) Native costal Texan, now proud to ply the waters of Lake Pontchatrain, Mississippi, L.A. (lower Alabama, where the tar ball report came from) and Florida. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Phil Agur Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 7:15 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [IC27A] Oil being sucked into the water intake by a boat in the gulf- What would it do to the engine? I'm not sure oil or oil and dispersant would be a problem, but I heard a report of tar balls on a beach. Tar sounds like something suitable for plugging a strainer or passages in you heat exchanger. As far as a fire hazard goes it probably a bigger risk in the open air before it gets sucked up with water. The boats tying to burn the stuff off the surface had limited success. Phil Agur <http://www.catalina27.org/public_pages/profile270.htm> s/v Wing Tip C270 LE #184 MMSI 366901790 From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Planton,Christian Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 1:05 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [IC27A] Oil being sucked into the water intake by a boat in the gulf- What would it do to the engine? As I was watching someone covering the gulf oil spill I thought crossed my mind. The reporter was in a center consul motor boat of some kind but this would apply to all boats- If they are water cooled engines- what is the oil doing to the insides of their cooling systems? Could this create build up? A fire hazard? Effect the ability of the water to cool the engine with so much oil in it? Just a thought! Christian
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