As I said, I'm snow bound. From what I am reading you know didley about your boat though you may have crewed on it? Despite your "6 Pack" there is
Dennis. Beau's question did not seem unreasonable to me. I suggested hiring a captain to help you walk through the boats systems, then asked if that was just something you weren't going to consider. You spent over 50 hours on the boat with the Captain who ran the boat for the previous owner and didn't know how the fuel system worked? What air time has to do with this, I don't know. You found 2-4' to be extremely rough in an area that's quite normal. Changing racors is suggested with all the back and forth of fuel you've done, but you rejected that. Now you talk about all the fuel you transferred months ago, but then yesterday didn't know which way it was flowing. Beau was expressing concern and I can't help but share his concern.
You should really go back and read what I wrote. I did over 100 hrs.with a captain.And your wrong about radar which makes me wonder about you all. I not only use NOAA but I call Flight Service for a briefing. I also said the gauges on this boat are wrong. There is no manual for this boat etc. etc. you all may have cabin fever. Come on down to Florida, it's nice
Actually you said you had done over 100 hours on the post, more than half with the captain. So, as to not make it sound worse than it might have been I just said over 50 hours. As to radar I said nothing. I live in Florida, although in Mexico at the moment. I was attempting to explain Beau's concern to you. Oh, and both my wife and I have our 200 Ton Near Coastal and that doesn't even rank compared to many people in here. Good luck to you.
Figuring out how a fuel system works, is pretty darn easy, you just follow the hoses from point A to point B, so with so much experience one would think you'd know how it works...... what was the largest small boat you had before this boat? Would you think it would be wise to go from flying a Cessna 172, directly to flying a Lear 45?
Dennis, I own a 56 Post as well. You posted that yours was the last one built. What is the hull#? Great boat. We love ours.
My Hull #PMC56007E404 Does your boat have 2 fuel gauges u top? my Strb. tank is Aft, but top reads off top gauge. Aft tank I believe is 650 gal. I three Fwd. tanks. (1) 350 gal. and (2) 92 gal. When I fuel port side it records on lower gauge, suggesting that its the aft tank. Do you have o transfer fuel or are you running one motor off each tank.I so can you tell me your lever positions. The picture I posted is the way mine is set up. But does the opposite of what it says. Haven't talked with CEO yet. Last name I think is Jensen. I will ask the question you wrote when I talk to him Dennis
After reading this whole thread, I can see both sides of what Dennis and Beau are saying. I too was a bit baffled by my fuel system on my 50, as it was my first two tank setup, my previous 38 had a single tank. I was thrown a bit, as my Xfer pump is labeled backwards (that was a fun find...) and the shutoff for my racor filter change was a bit convoluted as each filter is not isolated by valves for a convenient swap out. I had to really spend a day just looking, following and experimenting at the dock to really dial myself in and get a feel for what the designers had laid out there. Dennis, I think now that you are in Naples, its time to spend a weekend crawling around, labeling and making some notes on procedures for proper fuel distribution and how-to's for filters, transfer and emergency situations.
an owner/operator is very different from an owner or guest going for a ride as a passenger. I have plenty of friends and family who have spent considerable time aboard but don't know much beyond how to open the cockpit freezer. I am an owner/operator that has lived aboard and I have made several trips up and down the east coast. There is still a lot I have to learn and don't know. One of the things I rely on to get smarter is YF. Also, having someone sign sea time and taking a test does not necessarily qualify you as an expert mariner, there is much more to it.