A heads up. on the 500 the fuel vent is a straight length of hose from the tank to the bow just behind the port tramp. it has a steel cap on it which i am guessing someone thought would prevent water ingress. They were wrong. in heavy weather sea water seems push through this opening into the tank and just when you don’t want it you get a water in fuel alarm. we just sailed through a reasonable storm in the gulf with some 2.5M seas ang got the alarm. i removed about 500 ml of water from 2 separators on the stb engine and 300ml from the port. we ran the polisher for the rest of the trip to mexico and took out another 750 ml.
i will look at fixing this when we dry out but i think as pert of my heavy weather prep i will turn the posher on. it’s a bit of a challenge to service/control as its in the back of the water hatch by the chain locker, not a place you want to go when sea water is hitting the helm. i need to move the vent or install a water lock
We didn’t have this issue. The vent line on Second Chance ended in the bottom of the chain locker, not to a fitting underneath.
We did have occasions when fuel would siphon out of the vent line if we filled the tank quickly. The level in the tank was at the bottom of the filler tube but it still got a siphon going. Caused a panic a few times in the US. I started removing the vent when fueling and just putting a rag at the fitting. Solved that.
We have not had any issues with water in the fuel but as we are the boat before you I would expect the same setup. We’ve also sailed in much bigger seas than 2½ m but which direction and many other factors contribute to how wet it gets forward.
We have what looks like the metal fitting near the centre - with the hole slightly angled to the centreline.
Then on the inside of that fitting the overflow pipe loops up in a swan-neck up maybe 6"/15cm then along under the deck before going to the tank. I would expect that to stop water ingress from splashes.
thanks. the chain locker is likely a better choice
as you can see our vent is above the tramp facing forward. the hose travels straight from the vent to the tank with no loops or bends so if a surge of water hit the vent getting to the tank is not an issue
i may need to add a loop but will need to get new hose.
we are 99% sure the water was not from fueling. we on boarded fuel in key west after two ferries pumped several 100 gallons each.
there are a number of things that make one wonder if the designers had ever been sailing but alas, it is what it is.
