Fuel polishing

[Trundlebug]

Hi everyone. May I speak from experience? I've been involved in boating for almost 30 years some of which has been involved as 'staff' on Motor Boats Monthly cruise in company adventures.

I've seen too many boats have issues when seas become emotional, just the time when you want your engines to work. Far too many occasions are traced to blocked fuel filters, blocked from diesel bug and or water. Why? Emotional seas stir up the rubbish at the base of the tanks. In most cases, the owners have admitted not knowing about 'fuel etiquette'. For too long they've not treated their fuel and they've not thought about water ingress.

So, my belief is simple. Not wanting engines to fail when I need them the most, look after the fuel. Change filler O rings regularly. Check the bottom of your tanks regularly to see what's there. Treat the fuel, carry many spare filters, and know how to change them.

It's when things go wrong that you need your fuel to be clean.

+1
There are some persistent doubting naysayers trying to prove that the theory says it can't happen.
But the fact is fuel contamination DOES happen, regardless of how, and the longer the fuel stays in a tank without being used and replaced the more likely it is to get diesel bug.
The main reason cars don't get diesel bug is that the fuel doesn't last longer than a month at most, and more usually gets refilled every week or two.
With boat tanks being much larger, in many cases the tank contents may only get turned over once a year. That's a significant difference.

As Piers says, the sensible thing to do is prevent it and be prepared for it. Don't think it can't happen.

Depending on who you listen to, It's either the biggest or second biggest single cause of engine breakdown at sea (up there with dicky electrics)