You can choose to employ boat surveyors Jacksonville trusts to verify the boat’s condition when purchasing a used boat, or you can perform a thorough check yourself. Regardless, determining the state of the boat’s fuel system is one of the trickier chores. In recreational boats that are left idle for extended periods of time, water in the gas, particularly ethanol-boosted gas, is quite prevalent. Since ethanol actually draws moisture, fuel tanks should be filled to the top during storage times to reduce the chance of condensation. Any boat can also have water enter through fuel caps and vents that are not properly sealed.
It is only in the presence of water that microbes can thrive. Microbes consume hydrocarbons and produce sludge. The sulfuric acid that these same algae generate as a waste product corrodes tanks, pumps, and injectors. Given that fuel-related issues account for 90% of all engine issues in diesel engines as well, fuel system inspection needs to receive a lot of focus.
Water or debris in the fuel can be a sign of more serious issues, such as poor maintenance or dirty fuel tanks. So, before starting an engine, boat surveyors Jacksonville will usually assess the condition of the fuel filters and engine hoses when they board the vessel for an examination. When a yacht is fixed at a layup, it may still have issues with the fuel tanks despite having new hoses, clean bowls, and filters. A marine surveyor will look for additional signs of fuel issues while running the engine, such as black smoke, a lack of power, or delays when accelerating.
When possible, a surveyor should visually inspect the inside of tanks in addition to using a water-indicating paste to check for water in tanks. He should also inspect the filters again after running an engine.
Simply adding Biobor to a fouled system won’t fix the issue; it will only push it past the filters and into the engine. Use Biobor and other products as preventative measures rather than as treatments. The only effective treatments for fuel contamination are complete fuel replacement and proper disposal of the old fuel or hiring a company to perform thorough tank cleaning and fuel polishing (filtration). Although the presence of algae, discoloration, or sediment shouldn’t prevent a sale from happening, it would be wise to suggest that the owner pays for fuel polishing or tank cleaning services from a reputable expert.
The worst-case situation is discovering that the boat you purchased has corroded tanks that need to be replaced. This will be an expensive problem, especially if they are bespoke baffled tanks or, as is often the case on pleasure boats due to the way they are built, call for the decks to be taken away. So any additional time you or your surveyor spend ensuring the quality of the gasoline when considering the purchase of an old boat will be time very well spent.
