When completing inspections on recreational vessels, our surveyors often find that many of these vessels have been fitted with incorrect flexible fuel lines without hose clamps.
The images below were taken from a brand-new vessel during a pre-purchase survey. The fuel lines in the images are not suitable and the hoses have been secured with cable ties instead of hose clamps.
A plastic cable tie will become brittle and can also loosen over time whilst a hose clamp can easily be tightened by the operator. Good stainless-steel hose clamps for your fuel lines are cheap and easy to install. A fuel leak could lead to the engine not starting or even worse an explosion, so it pays to have the correct gear on board.
If you have flexible piping you should ensure that it has a synthetic rubber inner tube with metal braided reinforcement. It should be resistant to heat, saltwater and petroleum products, and must be a component supplied for this purpose by the engine manufacturer. It must also comply with a relevant national or international standard, such as SAE J 1527 USCG Type A1, ISO 7840 or equivalent.
If you require a pre-purchase survey or have questions regarding fuel system compliance, contact Maritime Survey Australia.
