Sooty Transom

claymore

claymore

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Would relocating the exhaust outlet from the centre of the transom to the corner or even around the corner to the side of the boat, reduce the soot we always get? We keep the dinghy on davits so a vortex is created which doesn't help but I'm not altering that!
thanks in advance
 
Ours is just forward of the corner and low down but we still get a sooty bum. I did manage to greatly reduce it on the last boat with a Vetus rubber outlet which projected a couple of inches.
 
Why is the exhaust sooty? over propped, dirty hull or over fueled engine?

We sometimes have the dinghy on the stern vertically which creates the same effect and can fill the cockpit with fumes when motoring down wind, quite unpleasant, but the hull doesn't get sooty. The solution for us is to sail or put the dinghy on the deck in front of the mast.

Pete
 
Pete7 said:
Why is the exhaust sooty? over propped, dirty hull or over fueled engine?

We sometimes have the dinghy on the stern vertically which creates the same effect and can fill the cockpit with fumes when motoring down wind, quite unpleasant, but the hull doesn't get sooty. The solution for us is to sail or put the dinghy on the deck in front of the mast.vr

Pete
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The hull is very clean, the prop is correct for the boat - I was thinking to take the injectors off next winter and get them serviced. I've read people describing it as the 'estate car' effect which makes a bit of sense.
Thanks for the replies.
 
claymore said:
The hull is very clean, the prop is correct for the boat - I was thinking to take the injectors off next winter and get them serviced. I've read people describing it as the 'estate car' effect which makes a bit of sense.
Thanks for the replies.
Click to expand...

I always thought it was the engine at fault. Then I rebuilt it with injectors and HP pump fully serviced and it still did it! Mind you, it is a Bukh
 
I think that the area around the exhaust will always become stained grey even with a healthy engine. Some exhausts exit at a stainless nozzle for an inch or two to mitigate this, but a cloud of fumes always collects here. Most of my hull only needs a clean and wax but around the exhaust I have to use Starbright's Colour Restorer polish in addition, but there numerous cleaners and polishes that do or claim to do the same job.
 
claymore said:
Would relocating the exhaust outlet from the centre of the transom to the corner or even around the corner to the side of the boat, reduce the soot we always get? ....
Click to expand...

Probably not in my experience. I have sailed two boats, same model, one with a stern exit exhaust and one with a quarter exit exhaust and both produces stains on the hull. In fact on all the various yachts I have sailed all had some effect on the hull. A green meanie and dinghy were the only real solution to the soot.
 
johnalison said:
I think that the area around the exhaust will always become stained grey even with a healthy engine. Some exhausts exit at a stainless nozzle for an inch or two to mitigate this, but a cloud of fumes always collects here. Most of my hull only needs a clean and wax but around the exhaust I have to use Starbright's Colour Restorer polish in addition, but there numerous cleaners and polishes that do or claim to do the same job.
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I concur, and find a detergent formulated for hydrocarbons specifically (I use Autoglym Engine and Machine Cleaner - no other connection etc.) makes short work both of the exhaust haze and of grey hull streaking, which is I believe washout of emissions in the atmosphere rather than from the aluminium toerail per se.
 
Claymore,

Why not cure the problem rather than try to hide the symptoms?

As well as possible causes already identified ( injectors, etc) also check the quality of your diesel. I once had a sooty counter caused by (unknowingly) filling up with old diesel from a source infrequently used. One way of telling the age of your diesel is to see if it is very bright pale red (young) rather than very dark red (old).
 
johnalison said:
I think that the area around the exhaust will always become stained grey even with a healthy engine. Some exhausts exit at a stainless nozzle for an inch or two to mitigate this, but a cloud of fumes always collects here. Most of my hull only needs a clean and wax but around the exhaust I have to use Starbright's Colour Restorer polish in addition, but there numerous cleaners and polishes that do or claim to do the same job.
Click to expand...

I use CIF (JIF) household cleaner.
 
Paint the counter black? I know that Grey wouldn't be applicable as it could clash with the spinnaker :)
Donald
sitting getting damp in Tarbert LF.
 
parsifal said:
I use CIF (JIF) household cleaner.
Click to expand...

CIF cream has ‘millions of microparticles ... in each drop’ http://www.cifclean.co.uk/product/detail/972777/cif-cream-lemon, and this MSDS refers to 10-25% milled calcium carbonate which, I’m guessing, is what they are http://images.clasohlson.com/medias/sys_master/9264370909214.pdf. I’ve used it with success on very stubborn marks on the GRP, but tend to avoid even such mildly abrasive cleaners unless it’s essential - and find a liquid detergent formulated for hydrocarbons fine for sooty marks.
 
I posted about using Ciff to clean GRP / gelcoat and another poster advised that it can stain white gelcoat a light off white / yellow colour. On my grey topsides old white hull I cant say I have noticed, but they are not in a prime condition.
 
Hydrozoan said:
CIF cream has ‘millions of microparticles ... in each drop’ http://www.cifclean.co.uk/product/detail/972777/cif-cream-lemon, and this MSDS refers to 10-25% milled calcium carbonate which, I’m guessing, is what they are http://images.clasohlson.com/medias/sys_master/9264370909214.pdf. I’ve used it with success on very stubborn marks on the GRP, but tend to avoid even such mildly abrasive cleaners unless it’s essential - and find a liquid detergent formulated for hydrocarbons fine for sooty marks.
Click to expand...
Does that mean that Cif is one of those implicated in polluting the oceans, in which case I will use it with great caution? I would never use it on shiny GRP anyway.
 
Hydrozoan said:
CIF cream has ‘millions of microparticles ... in each drop’ http://www.cifclean.co.uk/product/detail/972777/cif-cream-lemon, and this MSDS refers to 10-25% milled calcium carbonate which, I’m guessing, is what they are http://images.clasohlson.com/medias/sys_master/9264370909214.pdf. I’ve used it with success on very stubborn marks on the GRP, but tend to avoid even such mildly abrasive cleaners unless it’s essential - and find a liquid detergent formulated for hydrocarbons fine for sooty marks.
Click to expand...

Warning noted but I have owned my boat for 20 years and cleaned the hull at least every year. Her previous owner had her for 8 years and it was he who told me that's what he used to clean the hull. :)
 
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