jake
Full Member
Posts: 25
Jeanneau Model: Sun Odyssey 35
Yacht Name: Sugar Mountain
Home Port: Gilford, NH
Country: USA
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Post by jake on May 24, 2022 15:12:51 GMT
I am looking for advice on use of the fuel valve. On my Sun Odyssey 35 it is in the aft cabin. It is a small white plastic knob which only turns one half turn to open. Question: how often should this valve be opened and closed? The manual states for an extended time period only. My boat is left for about 4 days per week, should I close it? Thanks!
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Post by Charlie-Bravo on May 24, 2022 15:43:34 GMT
I leave mine open all the time, partly as no doubt I would forget to open it , and suffer embarrassment halfway out of the marina! But I closed it whilst installing a new primary fuel filter as the new filter is slightly lower than the fuel level in a full tank, the valve stops the fuel siphoning into the bilge. So unless you have a leaking primary filter housing, I wouldn’t see a problem leaving it open.
CB
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Post by Zanshin on May 24, 2022 16:20:35 GMT
While I have a different Jeanneau, I believe that the principle remains the same. Although the fuel system is a closed one, if a leak develops below the fuel tank and the valve is left open you will have lots of diesel to contend with.
Coming from flying, I am a believer in paper checklists. If you intend on using a checklist whenever you leave the boat for an extended and upon return, then by all means close the fuel line and any other through-hulls or other items. If you do not intend on using a written list then it is better (in my opinion) to leave the fuel open so as to avoid the engine suddenly stopping at what is guaranteed to be the worst possible moment.
I no longer use a checklist, and consequently don't shut off my fuel valve. I use Post-It stickers in the guest heads to denote that through-hulls are closed, because I tend to forget to open them when guests come on board.
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Post by Don Reaves on May 24, 2022 19:56:01 GMT
I also have a SO35, and accessing the valve under the mattress is a pain. I leave the valve open except when the boat is on the hard for the winter. Note that the valve can get quite stiff; operating it twice a year seems to help keep it loose enough for my arthritic fingers to manage.
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Post by Charlie-Bravo on May 25, 2022 8:43:41 GMT
On my last boat it had two fuel valves, one installed by Moody, the other by the owner, he explained that should some low life steal the boat, they wouldn’t get far before they ran out of fuel, ….. vengeful!
I close all seacocks on departure, and have laminated ‘start up’ and ‘close down’ lists on the companion way , mostly so we get everything ready before we go out , from engine wobble to winch handle, and don’t forget something we only remember once we have got home, most gets done without use of the list, but it’s helpful.
CB
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jake
Full Member
Posts: 25
Jeanneau Model: Sun Odyssey 35
Yacht Name: Sugar Mountain
Home Port: Gilford, NH
Country: USA
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Post by jake on May 25, 2022 23:06:49 GMT
Thanks for the responses! Very helpful. It is a pain to get to, so I will just leave it open as long as I'm sailing weekly. I did just create a checklist for leaving the dock, and for leaving the boat unattended. Thanks!
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Post by Trevor on May 26, 2022 4:53:20 GMT
I have never turned mine off. It is under the aft bunk so would be extremely painful to do.
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Post by rxc on Jun 7, 2022 15:04:08 GMT
I only shut the valve on my boat when I do maintenance on the fuel system - e.g. change filters. But when I first bought the boat I used it regularly to clear debris out of the pickup tube that had been left behind. I got very good at pulling the pickup tube and cleaning it, at sea.
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Post by mikebz on Jun 13, 2022 10:57:26 GMT
On our SO32 you have to take the aft bunk apart to get to the fuel tap so it only gets turned off when I clean/change filters.
Our previous boat did have a fuel tap which I turned off when not in use and did have a heart stopping moment once when the engine stopped whilst motoring through lines of moorings shortly after dropping ours. Luckily the light bulb pinged on in my head pretty quickly and I was able to turn the fuel on and restart within a few seconds. That boat had an ignition key which when leaving the boat I hung on the engine seawater intake handle to make sure I didn't forget to turn that on.
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mdrsail
Full Member
Posts: 43
Jeanneau Model: 2008 39i
Yacht Name: Grace
Home Port: MDR
Country: USA
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Post by mdrsail on Jul 27, 2022 5:10:32 GMT
Does anyone know the part number for the check valve just next to the petcock? Mine is sticking and I want to replace it, but don't know the part number and the local Jeanneau rep is no help.
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