Monday, April 26, 2010



We also replaced the spreader boots and a new fuel vent line . This will hopefully stop my fuel flow problem,

2 comments:

bluesails said...

I've learned more cool stuff from Your blog than I've shared. The reason that I'm not sending this as an email is hopefully others feel the same way from reading TOS and this (vent problems) are SO PREVALENT. While I don't know the exact nature of the problem that JoyfulII had, I do know that most boats would just as soon blow the fuel or water back in your face as let U fill the tank. I have not found a vent prob that couldn't be fixed,tho.My comments apply equally to fuel, water and holding tanks.Sometimes these rules are just too complicated for production builders to follow.
Vents need to (obviously) come out of the top of the tank, not the side. But if the tank is more "flat" style than "deep" style this sometimes isn't enough. They also need to be at the high end fore and aft, and especially athwartships. If they are at the outboard or inboard side, then when the tank is full and the boat heels towards the side they're on, they get blocked by the liquid going to that side. It's very common to see horizontal runs in ventlines, more of a problem if the hose is running athwartships than fore and aft. Best if the hose goes up up up as it makes its way to Your new deck fitting. Best results are when it goes up as high as possible immediately after leaving the tank. Athwartships horizontal runs usually result in traps forming (even on powerboats).I like to go HIGHER than the deck fitting and then loop back down to it to help keep water from coming in the vent screen. Another thing that makes vents work better is if they are routed as close to the center of the vessel as possible; vent hoses that travel up or near the hull sides are not going to work very well on a monohull sailboat.
I usually try to put fuel vents where they won't catch water if the leeward rail goes under, and where a little bucket can be held under them while fueling. The higher the screen is above the tank, the better. I often run holding tank vents ALL the way up to the bow, the very pointy end is suprisingly dry compared to a foot aft of the bow. Venting into a "sealed-from-the-interior" anchor locker will also keep the fumes as far from the cockpit as possible. Admittedly I put valves on pointy end holding tank vents but so far nobody has had to close one of them (temporarily) in bad weather.
Everything that I've said about vent hoses goes double for the hose running from the bilge pump to the thru hull or drain fitting. I like to run pump discharge hoses as high as possible as soon as possible, and then downhill the rest of the way out. Personally, I try to avoid one-way valves in the line but when nec they should be immediately after the pump. Also, sharing an underwater thru hull with the sink drain for example is strictly for raceboats. Which brings me to my pet peeve: Why do the makers of float switches expect us to run sometimes 15 or even 20 amps through those rinky 20-something guage pigtails when the pump is on "AUTO"? What a perfect place for a solenoid (or relay) to help out the same way a solenoid will save the windlass switch from mondo current.Again, the best route for a bilge pump out hose is centered athwartships.
Thanks for letting me post on Your Great Blog!
Marty

Unknown said...

Thankyou some really great tips here.
Yes my billege pump has the same problem as well as the blower vent Both have a new 90 amp circuit breaker.