Running engine tied up to dock harmful to engine?

[Guan]

1. Burning fuel tied up....winterising to top up tank each year leaves much old fuel yearly as my summer usage only 20+ hrs.
V tedious to pump out and dispose anywhere. So try to burn as much then top up and additives added for winter.
2. V dirty tank ...as OP left rusting pieces of metal in tank from broken sensors. Found out only when I emptied the tank.
Buyers need be aware..Surveyors don't n can't.
3. Repeated stalling probably caused by clogged fuel tank pickup...No filter there. Not blocked primary or secondary as first thought.

 

[Guan]

Jessailem, I tied up ran for 1hr. each time ...Engine runs v well.
Only out n shaken about did the stalling return.
So must be the fuel tank uptake..Beware. shake it up not only tied up.

 

[jssailem]

Yes Guan. You are correct. On my first rough water cruise, I stirred the soup and found that the 1974 filtering system was a bear to change.
My boat has 2 tanks... listed at 85 gallons each. There was unknown fuel quantity and age in the boat when I bought it.
After considering many options, I have been running through the fuel. 2 years finally got to the bottom of the Starboard tank while cruising with my friend Les on Mahalo. When got to the tank bottom, lots of stuff plugged the filter. Cleaned the filter, started the engine, it died. Looked in the tank, empty. Switched to the 3/4ths full port tank... Now considering a fuel polishing strategy. Not sure I want to pay someone $800-$900 to run fuel through filters... Might be better to buy the filters and pump. But there are other issues higher up on the Boat List.

 

[SG]

Parker makes a small continuous duty, low amperage pump that you can cycle through a dedicated Racor to polish fuel. I use one. By hats really for maintenance -- not cleaning a bad tank with crap on the bottom or surfaces that built up.

As for fixing the problem, do you have an access port on the top of the tank? You have tank sensor holes and retun and pickup holes.

 

[jssailem]

No access port (old school tanks) but a sensor hole and pickup tube holes.

 

[SG]

Can you see through the fuel to the bottom of the tank if you shine a light in through the existing holes? Depending on what you see, you might be able to do a credible job by cleaning out the bottom sediment -- if it's loose or you just have some lurking water.

It really is something you have to deal with sooner than later. :^))) I tried to avoid it, assuming that my Racor would solve the problem. When I saw the crud in the Racor a season later, I knew that I'd have to bite the bullet. We have two hard tanks, which (respectively) have two inflatable tanks that drain down into them when needed. That's 160 gallons. We cruise up and back from Annapolis to Maine every year. Usually I cycle the fuel without a problem. One year, my wife had shoulder surgery after we got "bad fuel" later in the prior season. Uggh, but since then I've very watchful. Still, you can get some crappy fuel and get slammed.

You are obviously are treating the fuel with a biocide AND anti-corrision additives? Practical Sailor did a piece on the need to be careful with older metal tanks (especially if they have water in them lurking the bottom).

 

[jssailem]

While I suspect water has been in the tanks (the PO failed to put o-rings on the fuel ports), I removed the Ford Truck filter

installed a Racor 500M with vacuum gauge.


Filter changes are now a "oh that again" task, no big deal. I carry spare filters. Monitor the gauge and know if I see greater than an 9 on the gauge it is time.

I removed the starboard sender unit and looked down into the tank. Empty of fuel. Stuck a stick down inside the tank and it came out clean. I have been using additives to manage the bugs. Hope I can consume most of the fuel in the port tank then explore a transfer/filter/spray about in starboard tank, attempt at cleaning process. Suck what is stirred up and then refill starboard tank.

Depending on other tasks may eventually do a polishing on the port tank. We will see. Till then a supply of filters, a watch of the gauges, and additives are getting me by and allowing me to sail.

 

[SG]

IF (really IF) the tank is empty and free of vapors, you could cut an access port.

It has to more than just dry!!!!

 

[centerline]

It depends...
If you are running at max throttle, it could easily damage the engine.. but if you are just about half throttle, No....

A prop has some slip to it but it also has a lot of "bite" on the water.
as the prop screws thru the water while pushing the boat forward, it all works in balance...
But when the boat is tied down to the dock so the prop cant push it thru the water, the balance between bite and slip is upset, and it can overload the engine and not let it come up to the proper rpm with the heavier then normal load on it... the boat, the prop and the water may not know there is a problem,but the motor does...

 

[jviss]

My boat has 2 tanks... listed at 85 gallons each.

A Cal 35 with two 85 gallon fuel tanks? Holy Cow! I thought 'stock' was one 35 gallon tank.

 

[Ron20324]

A Cal 35 with two 85 gallon fuel tanks? Holy Cow! I thought 'stock' was one 35 gallon tank.

Must be the 35LRC model. Long range cruiser?

 

[jssailem]

Based on fuel consumption I figure I can motor about 40% of the way to Hawaii, Or to LA California or Ketchikan AK and back. This is a Cal 35 Cruiser Hull #21... one of 120 built in 1973-74.

 

[Rick D]

Wow! A Cal cruising 35 is a VERY cool boat. Congrats!

 

[Solarfry]

You should consider replacing fuel tanks older than 15 years. Some tanks may last over 20 years but After that lenght of time they tend to leak from bottom of tank as the aluminum desintegrates from water and other contaminants in fuel.

 

[NYSail]

Gunni.... recently I borrowed a friends pump. Figured I would do a sweep of the bottom of the tank to see what I find. Turns out the beneteau plastic tank has a small sump near the pick-up where all the crud gathers. When I found this, a large black mass sucked through the clear pipe. After that no other stuff was found so I feel good about tank.
I am of the belief that I use as much fuel as possible so as not to have old fuel in the spring. In the years I have been doing this.... 15+ I have ever found water in my fuel separator and never an issue with bad fuel. Also this is why I love the racor 500.... I can actually see what is happening. Also I never add additives other than an injector cleaner/ cetane booster. I just make sure I use the fuel before winter storage

 

[Jackdaw]

I agree with with all the other reasons whey you should not do this, the engine will be fine unless you run it at a speed where the prop starts to cavitate. This will happen at an lower RPM than it would if the boat moved.

 

[Guan]

Yeah

No access port (old school tanks) but a sensor hole and pickup tube holes.

I'll probably go JS's route. But they say getting new tanks maybe cost effective.

 

[Rick Webb]

Heard a story of a guy who left his boat running in gear in his slip to blow out some accumulated silt.

He had a covered slip with a deck on top. Well, he forgot about it fell asleep and the deck ended up on top of his boat when he blew out a trough big enough to float a cruise ship.

 

[shemandr]

# 1 rule of when a thread has gone on too long: I can't remember if I already posted this and I'm not going to look back to see. I don't think it is legal to run your engine in gear in a slip for a long period of time. It also isn't a way to ingratiate yourself to your neighbors. In other words, I don't think you are allowed to dredge your slip by running the boat in gear. I don't think the DEC will be sympathetic to the dirty fuel argument.

 

[jeepbluetj]

Doubt it's actually illegal. It's definitely against my marina's rules tho.

OTOH, I've violated those rules plenty of times. Worst was fixing the dang "mercruiser shift interrupt switch" on a fishing boat. We had that thing in and out of gear hundreds of times. All tied to the slip. Ohwell, don't tell the marina.

(And that mercury design is absolutely the worst thing in the world.... It's a joke... A simple 555, an opamp, and a few photosensors and it'd be bulletproof. As it's designed, it relies on mechanical pressure on a perfectly lubricated slide... )