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From: Albin43SDtr (no email)
Date: Fri Oct 01 2004 - 18:24:00 EDT
'Lo All,
Yesterday, I was down at a local marine store where a Sea Tow captain was
purchasing 3 feet of fuel hose for a single engined 38' recreational
trawler that had broken down 70 nm offshore from Panama City. (The Sea Tow
captain believed it was a diesel line from what the Coast Guard said, but
was not positive.) The fuel line had broken at 2 AM. It was 8 AM when the
store opened. The disabled boat's skipper reported to the Coast Guard that
he needed 3' of 3/4" OD high pressure fuel hose. The Sea Tow captain asked
if there was such a thing. No, he was told, as all hose is measured as
Inside Diameter, not outside. However, 3/8" ID fuel hose is about 3/4" OD.
The Coast Guard was asked to see if that would work and if any fittings
were needed if this really required high pressure hose. I had to leave, so
that is all I know about it. Sea Tow boats are fairly fast, but it would
take him at least 3 more hours to get back to the Sea Tow boat and on out
to the disabled vessel. That is 10 hours from the time of failure. At lot
can happen on the Gulf of Mexico in 10 hours, as well as the additional
time to make shore. Fortunately, the Gulf has been fairly calm for the last
day or so, which is probably why the boat was making the run so far offshore.
Failures happen, so for the life of me, I cannot comprehend anyone taking a
small boat/any boat that far offshore and not have simple spares such as a
few feet of fuel line and some hose clamps.
This also touches on the subject of diesel vs gasoline. I have no idea of
how much fuel was lost before the broken line was noticed at 2 AM. I doubt
that the line broke without cracking and leaking fuel first. I do not know
if the engine shut down or an engine room check found the problem. The
point being...in any case, I cannot imagine not having some fuel in the
engine compartment. This boat was not in the Bermuda Triangle, but it could
have simply "disappeared".
Take care and be safe.
Wayne
M/V Celestial
Albin43 Sundeck
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