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  1. #11

    Re: So You Think You Like Diesels

    It's not the engine, it's the fuel leaking. When I had gas it was a ritual to pull the hatch up and use my nose to see if it was safe to start after running blowers. I was so scared from stories told about BOOM that I did this 95% of the time. Then after diesel conversion in 98 I saw some stories in the news (back when news was real, sorry couldn't resist) I realized this $hit is real! Glad I kept safe.

    There was a real bad one at an island off Apollo Beach some years back. Almost exact same story as Oscar told. Horrible.


    For those with gas it can be safe with precautions, safety procedures, and most important common sense. Don't just turn the key or start the genset.

  2. #12

    Re: So You Think You Like Diesels

    Quote Originally Posted by madhatter1 View Post
    It's not the engine, it's the fuel leaking. When I had gas it was a ritual to pull the hatch up and use my nose to see if it was safe to start after running blowers. I was so scared from stories told about BOOM that I did this 95% of the time. Then after diesel conversion in 98 I saw some stories in the news (back when news was real, sorry couldn't resist) I realized this $hit is real! Glad I kept safe.

    There was a real bad one at an island off Apollo Beach some years back. Almost exact same story as Oscar told. Horrible.


    For those with gas it can be safe with precautions, safety procedures, and most important common sense. Don't just turn the key or start the genset.
    From what I understand, never tried it mind you, you can drop lit match into a pool of diesel fuel, and the match will extinguish. The gasoline- probably will flash from the fumes, before the match hits the gasoline, plus subsequent fire and maybe explosion.

    The formerly highly questionable Hatt dealer (years ago, much better now), on the East side of the state in N. MI, changed out all my fuel and lube lines. This was at the recommendation of their triple ABYC tech, from their good shop, on the W. Side of N MI. Well, one of the lube lines was leaking from the stbd engine and diesel fuel was leaking into the bunker, under the engine. Probably 2-3 gals. This was about 10-12 years ago.

    I managed to contribute to my difficulties, by allowing myself to run low on fuel. Ergo, I run out of fuel about 2 miles from the fuel dock. As my then 5yoa grandson asked, as he peered out of the aft cable porthole- where's the dock? That was when the engines stopped, out of fuel. He knew that the engines only stopped, when at the dock; oh, and when G'pa runs out of fuel.


    So while the fuel in the bunker would have got us to the dock, that was no excuse. P.s., since then we always ensure we have the 20% reserve, which is 75 gals, per our 375 gal capacity. Yes, it was very embarrassing, but to make matters worse, the Hatt yard's incompetent manager, long gone, bore no responsibility for the leaking line, and only called me out in front of other for running out of fuel; minus the part about dumping fuel in the bunker, thank's to him. I'll stop here....
    50 Years on the Great Lakes...

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