I drained my primary Racor filter today and have this to report on one of
the world's smallest on board fuel polishing systems:

There was not a drop of water or speck of dirt in the drained fuel. It
looked perfect. The 2 Mu filter element was slightly discolored but with
nothing visible on the surface and it was clearly not challenged by anything
in the fuel.

The previously white polishing system filter was a dark grey brown and had
clearly picked up quite a bit of stuff. No visible loading though.

This system:

http://home.roadrunner.com/~rlma/StriderFuelSystem.htm

exceeded all expectations in operation this season. It's simple and
intuitive to operate, works in almost any mode, and was trouble free. The
only change made during the season was to add a high point loop to the
common vent so fuel wouldn't flow into the lower tank at large heel angles.
The only operation challenge was forgetting to open the main tank valve a
few times since I close the tank which can siphon in case of a fuel leak.
Fortunately, the fuel pump makes a distinctive clattering when drawing
against a closed valve for several minutes before the engine starts to
stumble and I can open the valve from the cockpit.

The only surprise was the that transfer pump would only suck about 80% of
the fuel out of the lower tank when transferring to the upper tank. Once
the boat was hauled, I determined that it is simply because the flow
capacity is so high that it sucks air down through the fuel. With the lower
draw of the regular fuel pump, it will draw down to a lower level. The
operational quirk then is that the polishing system needs to be off to use
the last of the fuel in the keel tank. This would be a rare occurrence
though since drawing from a tank that low runs the risk of drawing air into
the system due to sloshing.

This whole system is a testament to the value of a group like this, even for
a boat designer. Thanks to all who took time to discuss it while I was
developing it.

--
Roger Long

"Roger Long" wrote in
:

The previously white polishing system filter was a dark grey brown and
had clearly picked up quite a bit of stuff. No visible loading
though.


Normal algae load from the fuel company.

You should see the **** in the bottom of the tanker that delivered it to
the fuel company's dock! It had shrimp in the ballast water under the
fuel!

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Roger Long" wrote in
:

The previously white polishing system filter was a dark grey brown and
had clearly picked up quite a bit of stuff. No visible loading
though.


Normal algae load from the fuel company.

You should see the **** in the bottom of the tanker that delivered it to
the fuel company's dock! It had shrimp in the ballast water under the
fuel!



Please! I made a shrimp dinner for friends and family two nights ago. I
didn't need to hear this. LOL

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Larry" wrote

Normal algae load from the fuel company.


Yes, but the difference between the amount on the polishing filter and the
primary filter makes me glad I put the system in. Not necessary for fuel of
the quality we usually get around here but it should help when I'm buying
stuff that may have been sitting in drums on a dock for weeks.

--
Roger Long

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
I drained my primary Racor filter today and have this to report on one of
the world's smallest on board fuel polishing systems:
snipped boring crap

Fuel polishing??? Whoever coined that stupid, inaccurate phrase?

It's fuel filtering. Why not call a spade a spade? The saddest thing about
it all is how diesel fuel is so unsuited to anything but being burned. It
can't be stored for any decent length of time with out growing all sorts of
crud. Pretty damned stupid for yachts where it's often stored for month upon
months. The only thing more stupid is people who try to make it sound
glamorous by calling it "fuel polishing" and bragging about their systems
that only indicate they hardly ever sail.

Wilbur Hubbard

In article s.com, Wilbur Hubbard wrote:

..... nothing worth quoting.

I don't know how it is, but every-so-often WH seems to say something I
think worthwhile. The last time I had to go to Google groups to find the
rest of what was quoted by someone else, and on the strength of it I
removed him from the KF. Oh, what a bad move that was.

Willy, your logic is flawed. It is exactly because Roger sails that he
needs to polish/clean/filter his fuel. If he motored everywhere there'd
be less need because the diesel wouldn't be in his tanks long enough to
grow those organisms.

Justin.

PS. I'm putting him back in the KF, it's really not worth letting him
out.
--
Justin C, by the sea.

"Justin C" wrote in message
...
In article s.com,
Wilbur Hubbard wrote:

.... nothing worth quoting.

I don't know how it is, but every-so-often WH seems to say something I
think worthwhile. The last time I had to go to Google groups to find the
rest of what was quoted by someone else, and on the strength of it I
removed him from the KF. Oh, what a bad move that was.

Willy, your logic is flawed. It is exactly because Roger sails that he
needs to polish/clean/filter his fuel. If he motored everywhere there'd
be less need because the diesel wouldn't be in his tanks long enough to
grow those organisms.


If he sailed he wouldn't be needing a diesel in the first place. Duh!

If he used his diesel so sparingly as you seem to think he would have no
need of large integrated tankage where the fuel sits and grows crud. A
simple portable six gallon tank would suffice.

Think how it really is absurd to ship 50 or more gallons of diesel "just in
case" and then spend time, money and effort constantly filtering it in order
to keep it usable "just in case." Would it not be ever more so intelligent
to only ship the amount one intends to use plus a small safety factor and
then use it all to avoid all the stupidity of husbanding that which you have
little or no use for?

Look at it this way. If you liked to bake bread aboard would you buy 500
pounds of flour even when you knew you only needed 20 pounds to supply all
your bread needs for the length of your voyage? Would you set up a system so
you could strain the flour through screens each weak to keep the weevils at
bay? No you wouldn't. That would be just plain stupid. Would you brag about
on sailing newsgroups as if it were an intelligent thing to do? I doubt it
because people would quickly point out your folly to you. I am just pointing
out the folly of "fuel polishing" and glamorizing a stupid and unnecessary
activity by calling it something that it isn't.

Sailing is as much about a seamanlike attitude and course of action than it
is about trimming sails. Going on and on about "polishing" fuel as if it
were something to be proud of is indicative of a lubberly attitude combined
with a low IQ.

Wilbur Hubbard

On 2008-11-11 17:13:59 -0500, Justin C said:

PS. I'm putting him back in the KF, it's really not worth letting him
out.

Oh, he's not THAT bad. Quick tip: If it's a long post from him, just
delete it as it's a meaningless rant.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Justin C wrote:

Willy, your logic is flawed. It is exactly because Roger sails that he
needs to polish/clean/filter his fuel. If he motored everywhere
there'd be less need because the diesel wouldn't be in his tanks long
enough
to grow those organisms.

It's actually quite a bit more complex than that. First, Neal's affectation
that "real sailors" use their engine as little as possible is silly. If
that's the way he wants to play the game (at least in his fantasy life),
fine. One of the most respected saiors in Maine cruised and won races for
years in a boat that didn't even have an engine installed. Making a value
judgement about others who cruise differently, however, is just another
personality and perspective defect. I sail as much in my real cruising as
Neal does in his fantasy cruising but, because I have a real and reliable
engine, I ADD to that long periods of powerboat operation.

For sake of argument, sure, I'm not a sailor. I'm a mariner. I have a
sailboat because I prefer sailing to motoring when the conditions are right
and like the freedom, range, and economy of next to no cost power. When
conditions are not right for sailing though, which is a lot of the time in
this part of the world, I prefer motoring to sitting still or going very
slowly with the kind of concentration it takes to keep a boat moving in
light air. Strider is nearly as good a powerboat as sailboat and I'm just
as content to listen to her excellent diesel run as the coast of Maine
slides by as I am sailing. During sailing season in Maine, we typically
have wind for only half the day so I burn a lot of fuel.

I burn enough fuel and supplies are clean enough here that I don't need the
large capacity and polishing system at all. I'm getting the boat ready for
long cruises to areas with few fuel supply points. I'll have to do a lot
more light air sailing and sitting at anchor to conserve fuel but that's
fine because I won't have the time pressure of fitting the cruise in between
fixed shore commitments as I have had to do for the past few years. I want
the flexibility though of being able to operate as a powerboat for
reasonable periods. Since I consider power equally as much a part of my
cruising as sailing, I want the engine to be as reliable as the rig. Clean
fuel, especially in remote areas, is the foundation of that.

--
Roger Long

"Roger Long" wrote in
:

Justin C wrote:

Willy, your logic is flawed. It is exactly because Roger sails that
he needs to polish/clean/filter his fuel. If he motored everywhere
there'd be less need because the diesel wouldn't be in his tanks
long enough
to grow those organisms.

It's actually quite a bit more complex than that. First, Neal's
affectation that "real sailors" use their engine as little as possible
is silly. If that's the way he wants to play the game (at least in
his fantasy life), fine. One of the most respected saiors in Maine
cruised and won races for years in a boat that didn't even have an
engine installed. Making a value judgement about others who cruise
differently, however, is just another personality and perspective
defect. I sail as much in my real cruising as Neal does in his fantasy
cruising but, because I have a real and reliable engine, I ADD to that
long periods of powerboat operation.

For sake of argument, sure, I'm not a sailor. I'm a mariner. I have
a sailboat because I prefer sailing to motoring when the conditions
are right and like the freedom, range, and economy of next to no cost
power. When conditions are not right for sailing though, which is a
lot of the time in this part of the world, I prefer motoring to
sitting still or going very slowly with the kind of concentration it
takes to keep a boat moving in light air. Strider is nearly as good a
powerboat as sailboat and I'm just as content to listen to her
excellent diesel run as the coast of Maine slides by as I am sailing.
During sailing season in Maine, we typically have wind for only half
the day so I burn a lot of fuel.

I burn enough fuel and supplies are clean enough here that I don't
need the large capacity and polishing system at all. I'm getting the
boat ready for long cruises to areas with few fuel supply points.
I'll have to do a lot more light air sailing and sitting at anchor to
conserve fuel but that's fine because I won't have the time pressure
of fitting the cruise in between fixed shore commitments as I have had
to do for the past few years. I want the flexibility though of being
able to operate as a powerboat for reasonable periods. Since I
consider power equally as much a part of my cruising as sailing, I
want the engine to be as reliable as the rig. Clean fuel, especially
in remote areas, is the foundation of that.

I'll point out again that this group is rec.boats.CRUISING. It's not a
sailing group and it shouldn't discriminate between sail and power boats.
If you want to be a sailing purist, go have conversations in a purely
sailing newgroup.

If you're a cruiser, many times you'll find that either the wind isn't
blowing or is blowing out of the wrong direction. As I often say, "The
windex points the way" meaning that's the way that you want to go. And
many times you can't sit around waiting for the perfect weather window,
and as a result you have to motor.

There's also a big difference between someone who goes out on the weekend
with the boys, bashing along with the toe rail in the water and a cruiser
who has their household stored below. I hate pulling in and finding the
contents of the cabinets shuffled all around and things in the cabin
tossed around.

Let's not forget that all important marital/relationship bliss factor.
It's very important, especially on a small boat where there's little
personal space, to keep the admiral happy. I know very few women who
like having the toe rail in the water for any extended period of time.
I'd much rather cruise with a wonderful, happy woman who keeps me warm at
night as opposed to cruising solo or with a bunch of smelly guys!

So to emphasize Roger's statement, engines aren't something that most
sailing cruisers want to use on a regular basis, but they're important,
as without them most cruisers wouldn't go very far.

-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org