1988 Hatteras 38c fuel pickups

[captcrunch]

Dealing with an overconsumption issue, and managed to run out of fuel on the way home fro. The canyon yesterday. Interestingly, first lost starboard motor, then port generator stayed running even under tow. Was told generator pickup should be highest and I should’ve lost that before the motors. Does this make sense to anyone?

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Makes sense if motors sucked up trash from the bottom of the tank and clogged lines and/or filters. Generator has lots less suction as well as can run on much smaller volume. Pick-up should indeed be higher and probably out of the gunk zone.

Stick the tank and see what's left in there.

 

[captcrunch]

Coast guard had to tow us last 20 miles in and brought us to safe harbor at nearest fuel dock by Jones inlet in the middle of the night. Put in 150gal and reprinted motors so to late to stick tank for the moment. I know those 671tibs Move a lot of fuel. Should t both pickups in the tank be similar height though?

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I would think they would be the same. But, running out of fuel doesn’t mean both motors quit simultaneously. I speak from experience. You are sucking air and likely trash at that point. It’s just a matter of what trash goes where and stops her up—purely random. But let’s say your boat carries a little list. That’d be enough to cause one to suck air before the other. That you refueled and ran says the fuel was probably pretty clean. I'd look at those filters, though.

 

[Captain Ralph]

ALSO;;
Were you bow down when the mains died? Bow up when towed?
Where are the main vs genny pick ups in the tanks fore/aft.

We have two tanks I have the port engine runing from the forward tank, the stb engine runing from the aft tank.
There are games and tricks I have to play if I run low of fuel in the stern tank and in a no wake zone (Bow down). Bow up, I got hours more.

 

[captcrunch]

The 38c has a single. 490gal tank In The stern I was slightly bow down running

 

[Captain Ralph]

The 38c has a single. 490gal tank In The stern I was slightly bow down running

Yep, I do wonder where the pick ups are?