"Feeling Fuelish"

[Ken Heyman]

We were away for a good chunk of the Chicago winter. Upon our return, I stopped by our storage yard to do a quick walk around the boat.. All looked well but just as I was leaving I noticed some reflection and a stain originating at the thru hull depth transducer.
Evidently during a freeze some residual water in the Racor fuel filter bowl froze and expanded thereby  bulging the gasket. Then aprox.half a tank of diesel, gravity "downloaded",into the bilge. once the  tank was half empty(or full) the siphoning stopped.
Lessons learned:
Drain residual water out of the bottom of the Racor in the fall. I do this periodically through the season and there has never been much water to drain. Alternatively change the fuel filter in the fall as opposed to the spring.
Turn off the fuel at the tank. This would have greatly limited the spill to the fuel in the filter and lines.
Perhaps buy a "freeze damage" supplemental insurance  cover.  In my case it didn't matter but if an engine block or hear exchanger were cracked by a freeze, it obviously would have mattered as this is direct and not reimbursable consequential damage.
Fortunately insurance covered all "consequential" damage from the fuel spill(cleanup, installation of a new transducer and deodorizing)It did not cover the cost of a replacement gasket or plastic Racor bowl should I need it.
We launch on April 7th and assuming that the transducer thru hull doesn't leak or some other surprise, we should be good to go.
Fair Winds,
Ken

[Noah]

"I love the smell of diesel in the morning...it smells like..."

[Ron Hill]

Ken : Easily installed in the fuel line before the Racor filter, is a ball valve fuel cut off - about $12 !!

Then you never have to fool around with the butterfly cutoff on the top of the tank!! 

A thought

[Ken Heyman]

Thanks Ron,
Good idea,
Ken