Boating for Dummies 101: Part 5: Fuel Hose Replacement

……an article by Dom Appay

Last year we did the Club overnighter to Little Ships Club. We moored at the pontoon, partied and slept in our Haines 493F.  Apart from being cosy up front, leg room was a little short, the big thing we noticed was the smell of petrol fumes.

Next morning we woke with slight headaches (It was the fumes, trust me!).

So we looked under the back seat and floor and found that after 9 years, the fuel hoses were perished and the tank loose.

1. the fuel tank was able to slide towards the back of the boat, bending the fuel filler hose to the floor. Petrol could sit in the hose and leach out (see white deposit) fumes into the cabin.  Solution: replace with new up rated hose & secure fuel tank.

2. the tank breather (foodgrade) hoses were discoloured, gone hard from holding fuel because they were sagging and holding fuel which bubbled out into the engine well when filling up the petrol tank. This made filling up a real slow painful job.

Solution: replace with new upgraded hoses, attached horizontal to allow fuel to drain back to tank. Worth doing!

3. removing the fuel tank revealed a disgusting amount of Morton Bay mud, old lures, & slimy fish guts to remove. Under tank areas had gelcoat missing. Solution: clean up, recoat gelcoat, glue down the tank with Sikaflex.

The new hose fixed the fumes because it’s plastic coated inside, not just rubber or PVC which leaches fuel.  But you have to get Type A1 hose, not A2 which is much “leakier” (stinkier!).

Supplies: The 50mm fuel filler hose came from Reel Tackle @$85/metre. It’s SAE J 1527:04 USCG Type A1 ISO 7840:04 A1

The 12mm/1/2” fuel hose: Trident marine fuel hose – barrier – #365-0120 came from Southern Seas Marine @$11/m. SSM also sells the good 50mm fuel fill hose too.

I also changed the fuel filter at the same time from Western Filters via website.