Four Things Never To Trust

[Muttondressedaslamb]

Two weeks ago, I learned the hard way, how inaccurate the fuel gauges can be on most auxiliary sailboats. On my day off, I left Staten Island's Great Kills Harbor with 1/3 of a tank of diesel left, according to my fuel gauge, which should have meant anywhere from 5 to 8 gallons of fuel. As usual, I fired up the engine on the way back, then noticed that the gauge was reading empty. Less than 5 minutes later, Old Thumper went dead. We were stuck sailing back to the mooring against the wind and had to tack through a narrow channel. Lucky the tide was incoming. The moral of the story is never trust your fuel gauge. If you are wondering about the other things not to trust, they are a parachute or scuba gear bought at a flea market, or a business proposal coming anonymously from Nigeria.

 

[jviss]

Wow. I always thought it a good idea to log engine time and fuel fills, and to check against the gauge, but I confess I'm not so diligent. I did it for a short while. Maybe I should pick up that practice again.

 

[kappykaplan]

My eyeballs are my fuel gauge, as in open the lazarette and look at the tank! I do it every time I take the boat out.

 

[JRacer]

We were stuck sailing back to the mooring against the wind and had to tack through a narrow channel.

Well done. A skill all should be able to demonstrate IMO. But, I get it with the fuel gauges.

 

[jibes138]

Never trust a notice that looks like official government paperwork notifying you that your documentation will soon expire and offering to renew it for you. It comes with a fee and adds no value since your official notice comes direct from the government. I received one of these this week and was surprised at how "official" it looked with a watermark.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I learned the hard way, how inaccurate the fuel gauges can be on most auxiliary sailboats.

Just out of curiosity, what was the sensor in the tank ?

 

[Justin_NSA]

And don't forget the words of wisdom from Jack Nicholson in 'The Bucket List': "Never trust a fart.".

 

[Rick486]

And don't forget the words of wisdom from Jack Nicholson in 'The Bucket List': "Never trust a fart.".

"...over 50..."

 

[DayDreamer41]

I thought that was over 60.......

 

[JamesG161]

The moral of the story is never trust your fuel gauge.

I believe my gauge always, but I have back calculations and time running too.

The reasons I believe mine...
1) New sensor $80
2) I calibrated my Gauge by 10% increments of tank capacity and have a graph.
3) Each time I refill I predict the amount by gauge. Then slowly top off.
In other words I verify each fill.

I also stow 10% of my tank volume safely on board as back up.

The moral of the story for me...

SAFETY for my crew and boat.
Jim...

PS: I had my Safety event with empty tank in a squall. I learned my lesson too.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Aha! New boat with an experienced owner. What could go wrong?

My fuel gauge hasn't worked in 18 years. I keep a log, judiciously and religiously, if those two can ever go together in one sentence...

Either a self-bleeding engine or now you know how to do it!

 

[Meriachee]

Short tacking up a narrow channel should be a test on the application.

 

[pateco]

Last weekend, On the way to our clubs Oktoberfest cruise, I decide to stop at the fuel dock to top off the tank. It was a good thing I did because my 10 gallon tank took 9.9 gallons. I keep a spare 5 gallon Jerry can of diesel in the Lazzarette, but re-priming is a complete pain. I wish my fuel gauge was even close to accurate.

 

[DayDreamer41]

I like the idea of a journal, whether it be electronic or written, I would imagine a brief description of the weather, wind direction, wave height, sails used (if that is an option) or sail area (in the case of furling systems), approximate run time on engine and nautical miles sailed and nautical miles total. Now all I have to do is remember to enlist this idea into daily practice. If only I could see my hour meter time running damn Yanmar panel.

 

[Roland5048]

My fuel gauge has never been accurate in the twenty plus years I have had this boat. Tank holds 12 gal. 3/4 on gauge takes 2 gal. 1/2 tank on gauge takes 4 gal. to fill. 1/4 reading takes 7 gal. Tank is perfectly rectangular. Go figure! Always write down the engine hours, gauge reading, and gallons put in every time in the maintenance log.

 

[NYSail]

I thought mine was not working.... I pulled it He only her day and move up and Dow while wife watched guage. Mine always has shown full owever did go down a bit when I was on long cruise this summer. Turns out the sender used was too small so would he float is always showing full until the tank gets to a half. When guage will show empty I will have about a quarter tank left. Been basing fuel on hours of hroughout summer and has been pretty accurate but now at least I know what is going on with readings.

 

[Rick486]

I thought that was over 60.......

YMMV

 

[uncledom]

Or you could have a second fuel tank installed so that when the first one runs low you can use the fuel in the second tank. The PO actually installed the second tank. If you keep the engine at cruising speed which should give you around 7 knots, in theory, 750 nautical miles without sailing. I don't get fuel often.

 

[heritage]

I had a 50's VW Beetle that had no gas gauge, but the fuel tank had a section that held about a gallon isolated from the main tank. When the engine began to sputter you would flip a lever that sent the reserve fuel to the engine. Gave me enough gas to get to the next station.

 

[uncledom]

Motor cycles use the same system more or less. The fuel valve has three positions off - on - reserve. When the motor sputtered you switched to reserve and got to a gas station.