The life of hose

[jeremyshaw]

With our boat coming up to it's tenth birthday next year, and a transat scheduled, I was thinking about replacing all the engine hoses - and maybe the exhaust. The boat's always been in the Med or Caribbean and until I put blowers in the engine compartment regularly went to 60C, which I felt would have shortened the life of the hoses.

But when I looked at them, they seem perfect. I recall changing hoses on my old boat at about ten years old, so I was surprised. And pleased, given the high cost of exhaust hose - and probably the hoses I'd need for the Yanmars too.

Has the quality of hoses improved so much in recent years? What do most people reckon is the life of engine and exhaust hoses - and is surface cracking the best way to judge them?

Many thanks.

 

[William_H]

I worked in the light aircraft maintenance industry for a long time. On a small petrol pisdton engined aircraft all airframe hoses were required to be replaced at 6 years likewise all engine hoses except those on turbo engines which were 3 years. (due to greater area heat)
There wasa style of Teflon hose allowed to stay much longer.
Now hoses on your boat don't have such a safety of life importance and we tend to only replace the hoses on a car when they need it. Mine must be about 15 years old and I wonder if I should replace them.

So my opinion is that the hoses are possibly OK but if you wanted to be conservative replacement wouldn't be so silly. Hoses that get hot more likely to be worth replacing, especially if you are contemplating a big voyage. olewill

 

[covenanter]

Hoses tend to rot from inside, especially those carrying oil or diesel residues. Watch for the hoses that have a downward bend where oily residue may sit.

 

[ccscott49]

Carrry a spare set, you should anyway, along with fan belts, impellors, filters etc etc. Replace as neccessary. You can then replace the spare(s) hose as and when convenient.

 

[jeremyshaw]

Thanks for the advice everyone - much appreciated.
Guess I will add hoses to my pile of spares...