Sailing with Nine of Cups

In our early years of cruising, we learned the hard way about how important clean fuel is. I didn't worry about the fuel as long as the primary fuel filter looked clean. On one offshore passage, however, the seaways were a bit rough which churned the fuel enough to mix up all the sediment that had been lying benignly in the bottom of the tank. As we motored into a tight marina full of very expensive boats, I discovered how quickly the fuel filters could clog up, starving the engine of fuel. The old adage about aiming for the cheapest boat came to mind, but fortunately we managed to secure a line to a t-dock before damaging anything other than our pride.

As soon as we could, we hired a service to clean the tanks and polish the fuel. There was nothing magical about the process. They simply pumped the fuel out of each tank, processed it through a rather large industrial version of a marine diesel filter, then discharged it into another tank. They cleaned the inside of my tanks with a wand, and pumped the fuel back in, all for a rather outrageous price.

Since that expensive lesson, we have been a lot more careful about our fuel, and do what we can to prevent getting contamination into the tank. Our first line of defense is our old reliable Baja filter. We almost always use it when refueling at a marina or fuel dock. This increases the time needed to refuel, however, and there are times when the attendant gets a bit cranky when we insist on using it, especially at a busy fuel dock. Usually we can reach a compromise by using the filter for a minute or two, then doing a quick check of the filters to see whether we are getting water or other contaminants. Only once has an attendant flatly refused to allow us to use it.

Even with the best of precautions, however, we still get water in the fuel tanks. I have replaced the o-ring on the fuel cap, thinking this might be the source, but that didn't eliminate the problem. I suspect it comes from condensation forming inside the metals tanks as the ambient temperature varies. If not removed or treated, the water will allow algae to grow, which in turn will clog the filters. To combat this, I built a small fuel polishing system and routinely clean the fuel and tanks. While not my favorite chore, it isn't difficult and I do this annually, or any time I see any signs of sediment build-up in the primary filter.

For more discussion, illustrations and pix, go to justalittlefurther.com. It's quick, easy and promises to be helpful. Really!