Deck Fill Chains

[lehighsail]

I'm in the middle of doing minor repairs after winterization and one of the items on the list was to repair the fuel deck fill little chain which has come loose. I searched the forum quickly and noted that some suggest not even using the chain especially on the waste cap.

What is current thinking on whether or not to have this chain on the fuel cap?

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

Mine came off years ago. I put my fill cap in a cup holder. Much safer that depending on another chain that could break or fall off and you lose your cap.

 

[Calif. Ted]

I feel more secure with the cap in my pocket while fueling.
The fuel always seems to be located on a piece of sloping deck that drops straight overboard, pump-out is on a flat piece of deck and the chain is enough to prevent accidents around there.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Chains on fuel and water fill caps are a good idea...but NOT on waste pumpout fitting cap, cuz the chain prevents the pumpout hose from sealing, and without a good tight seal nothing can be pumped out.

So always keep a tight grip on the waste cap and NEVER just set it down next to the pumpout fitting. Put it in the cockpit...wrap it in a paper towel and put it in your pocket if it's too inconvenient to put down on a cockpit settee or in a cup holder. Just make sure to put where there's no way it can slide over the side and into the water.

 

[Rich Stidger]

I like the chains on the water fill only. The fuel nozzle tends to break the chain on the fuel fill and as Peggie stated the chain on the pump-out causes a seal failure.
I do have one spare cap that will fit on any of the deck fittings - just in case I lose one.

 

[Stu Jackson]

One of the very first things I "learned" was that more caps go overboard because of dependence on those flimsy chains that even leaving them on a gunwale. I just remove them when I get new caps.

When sailing, I treat the edge of our decks as "500 foot cliffs" and have trained my fill caps to do the same.

 

[quadrille38]

Agree with previous comments. Chain on water fill only as it is on flat deck.
On holding tank it interferes with seal and on fuel the nozzle breaks them.
Plus fuel and holding are on sloped part of transom and wouldn't trust the chains.

I never let dock attendant remove cap. Figure if I drop it, it's only me to blame. And I always use two hands to try to make sure I prevent loss.

 

[Ron20324]

I removed the water chain so I can rest the hose fitting into the hole.

 

[lehighsail]

Thanks for all the info. No more dependent on chains. I really like the idea of putting the caps into a cup holder.

 

[Ron20324]

[QUOTE="lehighsail, .... I really like the idea of putting the caps into a cup holder.[/QUOTE]

One more suggestion... do not put the cap in the cupholder of those fold-up stern rail seats.

 

[Dalliance]

Chains? If my boat ever had them, the P.O. removed them long ago. I just carefully place the caps out of the way on the cabintop, or in the cockpit (The fuel fill is in the aft lazarette). Haven't lost one yet. Now that I've said that, I better confirm that I have a spare.

 

[jssailem]

Be sure your spare had the necessary
o-ring to seal the fill ports. I acquired a boat where the PO had conveniently eliminated the o-rings. He must have thought it a great way to keep the tanks full.