T&T: Freaky fuel leak...

[Pascal Gademer]

not on a trawler... but interesting experience...

I'm delivering a 70' Johnson to Nantucket, owner bought the boat 2 weeks 
ago, full survey, sea trials, etc... i was also advising her on the purchase 
and have spent a lot of time on the boat in the past 2 or 3 weeks.

30 miles into the trip this morning, aft ER bilge pump comes on twice...  I 
got down to the ER to investigate and finds a big diesel puddle under the 
stbd engine... talk about an oh s..t moment.  I quickly see that the sight 
hose from the stbd tank is lying in the bilge and spilling fuel.  I close 
the valve at the bottom, put the hose  back on and .. surprise.. the clamps 
were never tightened up!

the boat has been running like that for 5 years...  I suspect that the 
watermaker intaller bumped it last week, pulling it off the most of the 
barbed fitting... it held for a while and finally let go today...

spent some time cleaning the fuel up, pumping it into 5 gallons jugs and 
cleaning...   could have been worst i guess, like happening when nobody was 
on the boat or at night.

so lesson learned...  on a "new" boat, check hose clamps!!!

pascal
miami,fl
70 hatteras 53
live helmcam www.sandbarhopper.com  (currently broadcasting from Johnson 70 
heading up to Nantucket)