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Even pros run out of fuel

4K views 27 replies 13 participants last post by  SailNet Archive 
#1 ·
As I was sitting in the cabin reading and keeping track of the boat traffic in Peavine Pass (my other job), I noticed a power boat a mile or so away. After a while I thought something looked kinda funny so I grabbed the binoc's and took a look. A guy was in an inflatable out in front of this good sized cruiser trying to tow it in our direction. Problem was that the current was running about 4K through the pass towards him. I thought "just another dummy, probably out of fuel", and then started walking to the marina to go get him. Well, I was half right, he was out of fuel. But the part about the "dummy" isn't entirely correct. Turns out he's a licensed captain and he was on a delivery(guage didn't read right?). He didn't say so, but I suspect he didn't really want to have to call vessel assist and have this become public info. He got some fuel and went on his way, and it's just as well he didn't get to the fuel dock on his own because the current runs opposite to the pass there, he would have had his dink and the 37' cruiser approaching the dock at about 6K! So it just goes to prove that it can happen to anyone, and probably will.
John Davidson Blakely Is. WA
 
#2 ·
Stuff happens to anyone, but a captain's license definitely doesn't make you an expert(and doesn't preclude being a dummy)! Not knowing what the currents are doing and having that little control over the vessel you are being paid to look after is more than a little irresponsible. Was there no where to drop a hook and go for fuel with the dinghy?

I'm all in favour of looking after your own problems, just not when it endangers people or boats.
 
#3 ·
LOL... that's priceless.... can you imagine what it would have looked like if he had gotten both through to the fuel dock... CRUNCH

One thing I would like to point out... just because you're a licensed professional, doesn't necessarily mean you're any good... all it means is that you passed a test and the IRS knows you try to do it for a living. There are a lot of amateurs out there that are far more skilled than many of the pros I've seen. This is true in most fields, outside of boating, as well.
 
#6 ·
I have to say, guesser, that it doesn't happen to everyone. I don't mean to sound arrogant but, I am a yacht engineer, and the vessel i work on will not ever run out of fuel while i am in charge of ensuring that. My gauges and their backups may fail, weather may surprise us, but running out of fuel is not an option. One simply needs to be very aware of their vessel and its function to avoid it.
 
#8 ·
yotphix said:
I have to say, guesser, that it doesn't happen to everyone. I don't mean to sound arrogant but, I am a yacht engineer, and the vessel i work on will not ever run out of fuel while i am in charge of ensuring that. My gauges and their backups may fail, weather may surprise us, but running out of fuel is not an option. One simply needs to be very aware of their vessel and its function to avoid it.
Of course, now, you've all but guarnteed that you'll run out of fuel at some point.:p
 
#9 ·
yotphix said:
I have to say, guesser, that it doesn't happen to everyone. I don't mean to sound arrogant but, I am a yacht engineer, and the vessel i work on will not ever run out of fuel while i am in charge of ensuring that. My gauges and their backups may fail, weather may surprise us, but running out of fuel is not an option. One simply needs to be very aware of their vessel and its function to avoid it.
I hope you knocked on wood after that post.:rolleyes: And thank you, I will take your advice and hire myself a yacht engineer to watch the fuel gauge; their first duty will be to install a fuel gauge so they have something watch. Let me know if you're interested in the job. The position will require a keen eye for detail, as I only use the engine about 30 minutes per month. While you're are keeping an eye on my fuel gauge, I'll be sailing, as that's what I do best.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Licensed captain? HA! I know of a non-boater that passed his USCG written by taking one of those 5 day take the test at the end crash courses, lied his way through the expereince portion of his USCG app, and now has his 6-pack. A license often is not worth the paper that it is printed on. If you run out of fuel as a private pilot in the US your ticket can be pulled, as it should be. Of course flying or sailing has many similarities, but at least boaters don't need to fall out of the sky.

Sailaway; those 7 P's are good, a little vulgar for proper company, but then just abreviate to the 6 P's. Well done!
 
#11 ·
yotphix said:
I have to say, guesser, that it doesn't happen to everyone. I don't mean to sound arrogant but, I am a yacht engineer, and the vessel i work on will not ever run out of fuel while i am in charge of ensuring that. My gauges and their backups may fail, weather may surprise us, but running out of fuel is not an option. One simply needs to be very aware of their vessel and its function to avoid it.
It may be hubristic to say this, but I agree. I keep an hourly log and record fuel consumption (and I use a calibrated stick as I have yet to buy a Tank Tender set-up...) and at the end of each day I write a line with "est. remaining fuel/range" which assumes a cruise speed and a moderate sea and is about 1/3 overcompensated.

I could have a leak or a hose failure or bad diesel, but it would otherwise be pretty hard for me to "run out of fuel" because in the course of normal operations I had simply burned it off.

Besides, doesn't everyone carry a five-gallon jug in the shady spot on deck?;)
 
#12 · (Edited)
Most boats and ships I have worked on did not have fuel gauges, though they could meter the amount of fuel that an engine or boiler consumes. We sounded the tanks with a sounding tape and measured the amount of fuel in the tank. On some vessels we can meter the amount of fuel we transfer to the day tanks. And on others we sound carefully as we transfer the fuel. But Never have we ever ran out of fuel. We do pay attention to the fuel consumpsion and use those figures in our voyage planning with a fuge factor of about 10 to 15%. Pending on our mission. There are times when we have to figure in fuel usage when operating on station. Either as a fishing boat, research vessel, Oil field work boat and many others in the wide varity of commerial usages of sea going vessels.
But a delivery Capt(?) should know how to work the math to figure out fuel usage and the amount of fuel needed to deliver a vessel. And more importantly know if his/her tanks can hold enough fuel or does he/she need to make refueling stops along the way and those stops should not be more then 3/4 of the max distance of your tankage. (Some people fail to figure in currents also.)
But that is why we put sails on boats right?? So we don't have to listen to those engines running 24/7. Now a Generator may be a different story.
Where are my ear plugs....

A hint, Sound your tanks weekly even if you do have fuel gauges for those tanks... Hey the gauges are man made and are not always fail safe. And keep the Tank tables on board so you know that when you 15" or 2'3" you know what the gallons/liters really are.
And if you don't have tank tables. Well? Use your math and make a set of tables for each tank.
 
#13 ·
I thought you would all get a kick out of that. Wow, I don't even want to think about running out of fuel in the Seattle locks, that must have been kind of stressy! I love the 7 P's, thanks for that one. We don't have a guage on the tanks, there is a sight guage and it is checked daily as well as the engine oil, coolant, belts, stuffing box, and bilge before getting underway. John
 
#14 ·
OK, so maybe this is naive of me and just a dumb question, (but I am kind of a newbie)....for just day sailing what would be wrong about bringing a couple gallons of fuel in a 'gas can' stowed securely below or in a lazerette (as long as the temps weren't too high?
 
#15 ·
Nightowle-

Not much... Lots of boats do that... even ones making longer passages, and aren't sure of what the fuel situation will be during the passage. If this guy had done it...it would have been less embarrassing and less dangerous... but he didn't.

The one thing is that you should have those jerry cans very securely lashed down, and preferably covered to protect from direct sunlight, and UV damages the plastic used in the jerry cans. The other problem some people have with using them is that they appear ugly and add more weight to relatively high up in the boat, since they're usually stored on deck, as the larger ones you don't want below or in a lazarette in case of a leak.. Most peopel would rather have the fuel go overboard than into the bilge.
 
#17 ·
OK. Thanks. I thought that might work, but talking about fuel seems to be a touchy if not opinionated subject considering I have an Atomic 4 and many don't approve of that engine bc it is gasoline. Anyway, I only have a 2 gallon plastic can that I would use for the dinghy engine, so at least there would be a gallon or two that would get me to the nearest fuel dock if I ran out. Speaking of the Atomic 4...wondering if you have an opinion on adding a fuel additive? I added Marvel Mystery Oil to a recent oil change, as I read that was recommended for the A4. The previous owner left a bottle of lead replacement on board and wondered if it was worth using?
 
#18 ·
If you're using a two-stroke dinghy motor and have to use it in your atomic 4 in an emergency, it is a lot like adding some of the Mystery Oil-type additives to the gasoline, since that's effectively all they are.

If your fuel is going to sit in a tank for any extended period of time, and it has ethanol in it, which most gasolines do nowadays, since they phased out MTBE, use a fuel stabilizer in the tank. It will help prevent phase separation of the ethanol and the gasoline. Without the ethanol, which is a n octane booster and gasoline oxygenator, the gas has an effective octane rating of about 82.. which is low enough to cause most engines to complain.
 
#19 ·
I used to know what I was doing 25 years ago when I had my last boat but am closer to a novice now. That might explain why I ran out of fuel, sort of. Left Annapolis on Saturday heading 40 miles up the bay with my recently purchased Tayana 42. New filters, clean fuel, half a tank in each of the 2 tanks. Sailed a good bit but with the wind on the nose needed to do a good bit of motoring for time constraint reasons. Somewhere along the way the engine does a slow sputter and dies. Check the fuel tanks. Port side empty, starboard side full. What, it was only half full when I left! Light bulb goes off. For some reason the previous owner had the port side return valved to the starboard tank! Now why would he do that! What I did wrong: not check the valve alighnment. What I did right, not much. What the heck, we all had a good time anyway.
Tom Shannon
 
#20 ·
I've seen fuel systems with valves for the fuel and return lines... and the valves weren't keyed to each other, so you could have the fuel come out of the port side tank and return to the starboard tank. Always created a huge mess if the return tank was full... UGH..

Last system I helped install, we put in a bar that ties the two valve handles to each other... so you can't turn one without turning the other. It can be removed pretty easily so if you have an emergency, you can do it... but it will prevent it from happening on a casual basis.
 
#22 ·
Glad to help tom. What we did is we drilled a small hole in the each valve handle and then made a rod that was long enough to reach the distance with two holes in it. Put a screw into each hole and through the ones in the valve handles... and it was a very visible reminder to turn both... since you really couldn't complete the turn without turning both. :D
 
#24 ·
CaptainChetCo-

This was a professional delivery captain on a delivery of a boat... not exactly what I would consider a pleasure boater...
 
#25 ·
I can proudly say that during ownership of 5 boats within 26 years, never have I run out of fuel. That is, unless an outboard powered dinghy counts . . . which resulted in a LONG row back to the boat. :rolleyes:

Now I've probably gone and cursed myself for this season.
 
#26 ·
TB-

I'll have to ask SeaTow and Tow BoatUS to keep an eye out for a stranded Nauticat 33... with a very embarrassed looking skipper... ;)

Fortunately for me, dinghy fuel is boat fuel, and vice versa... And I could probably use my boat's outboard on a dinghy.. if the dink were big enough. :D
 
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