I am headed to the Bahamas and am told I will need to filter the fuel I take on. But I can not find the Baja fuel filter everyone recommends. Anyone know where to find one?
Baja Fuel filter
- Thread starter kingsailor
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IIRC, West Marine sells them, or try Defender. There are two types, the WM brand one and the real one. My reading, not personal experience, recalls that the WM isn't as good because it traps fuel and needs to be inverted to drain it, while the real one doesn't and is easier to use. When in doubt, always Google your question and you can find an immense treasure trove of information. Good luck, and have a great journey.
A good blog about a Bahamas trip can be found here, I stumbled across it awhile back, perhaps from a link on this 'site:
http://cblights.com/cruising/icwbahamas.html
Click on the journal under the ICW & Bahamas, let pane. Happy reading.
A good blog about a Bahamas trip can be found here, I stumbled across it awhile back, perhaps from a link on this 'site:
http://cblights.com/cruising/icwbahamas.html
Click on the journal under the ICW & Bahamas, let pane. Happy reading.
The type you want looks like the photo below. We used one along the west coast, Baja outside, in the Sea of Cortez, over to the mainland and NEVER had ONE fuel problem!
Greg
Greg
Question?
What is wrong with these?
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?17980/Fuel Filter Funnel
What is wrong with these?
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?17980/Fuel Filter Funnel
I'm aware of these filters, have been for many years, but don't have one since I don't (yet?) need one.
Question: what does one do with the "debris" inside the filter when fueling is complete???
Question: what does one do with the "debris" inside the filter when fueling is complete???
WayneH,
I had one of those also, the problem is they do not hold enough and spill VERY easy in real world use. When you are filling up the guys we used at many places (in AND outside the USA) HATE all of them! They slow things up and are more work for them! Also, when we used them they did NOT catch as much "stuff" as the big metal ones. Also, they are plastic and tend to go out of shape and are harder to store, on deck in the tropical sun. Our metal one is as good as the day we bought it after YEARS of use.
As to the junk, the metal one has 3 screens in it. Each one finer and the 3ed one stops water. We would pick out the big chunks (if there were any) after use. Pour out remaining diesel into the Jerry jug for further use later. About every 3 to 4 months we would take out the inner filters and clean each one. We tried to do that on shore where there was a place to git rid of the junk.
Greg
I had one of those also, the problem is they do not hold enough and spill VERY easy in real world use. When you are filling up the guys we used at many places (in AND outside the USA) HATE all of them! They slow things up and are more work for them! Also, when we used them they did NOT catch as much "stuff" as the big metal ones. Also, they are plastic and tend to go out of shape and are harder to store, on deck in the tropical sun. Our metal one is as good as the day we bought it after YEARS of use.
As to the junk, the metal one has 3 screens in it. Each one finer and the 3ed one stops water. We would pick out the big chunks (if there were any) after use. Pour out remaining diesel into the Jerry jug for further use later. About every 3 to 4 months we would take out the inner filters and clean each one. We tried to do that on shore where there was a place to git rid of the junk.
Greg
I have a couple of these in different sizes - Hint: If you get one, get the biggest as they are slow - I have used those bilge rags/pads to dump the garbage and water they trap into and wipe out the filter. There is always a bit of fuel trapped along with the water and debris, so you can't just dump it overboard. It also helps to slosh the remaining diesel around a bit to get as much out of the filter trap as possible and into the tank, otherwise there can be an ounce or so remaining in the filter trap.
BTW - I should Add that I barely ever use it - did I say it was slow?
I know that you can never be too careful. However, my experience, after five trips to the Bahama's in the past seven years is that the fuel there was as clean as that I get in the states. Up island in the Abaco's, we refueled in marina's with heavy usage and fuel turnover. Down island in the Exuma's, Eleuthura and Long Island we refueled at marina's or service stations using jerry cans where we could see the fuel. I only observed a very small amount of larger debris and no water problems. This debris could easily be filtered out with a funnel with a fine screen type filter.
On a different but similar subject: I have had problems with the water at some of the marina's having a very high chlorine content. I didn't use or have an inline carbon filter and later wished we had used one.
On a different but similar subject: I have had problems with the water at some of the marina's having a very high chlorine content. I didn't use or have an inline carbon filter and later wished we had used one.
GregThe type you want looks like the photo below. We used one along the west coast, Baja outside, in the Sea of Cortez, over to the mainland and NEVER had ONE fuel problem!
Greg
can you provide the name of your filter or a link to a web site, what is the fuel rate like compared to the large plastic filters?
It's just called a Baja Filter. We bought ours at Downwind Marine in San Diego in 2004 as we were heading down the west coast. It's still working great. Not sure where you can get one now. You might give Downwind a call, or try calling Minnies Marine Surplus and see if they have a used one.
Greg
Minnies Marine Surplus
Greg
Minnies Marine Surplus
Looks like a prime example of selling plastic and being able to sell a replacement every year or so, over a MUCH better product, and not being able keep selling replacements!
Sell junk and you keep selling it over and over.
Greg
Sell junk and you keep selling it over and over.
Greg
Just got one yesterday
...Larry...
I was looking for one also and found a new one over in your area for $85 and purchased it yesterday; it was shipped last night to Virginia. They pop up now and then...check eBay or do a general search under Google with Baja Fuel Filter Feb 2013 and see what hits you get. This one was listed under Craigslist in CA. Good luck!
...Larry...
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