Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

How to stop overfilling your tank
We want to get the most out of our tanks but it is very easy to overfill them. Once this happens the result is diesel splash-back and a mess that is virtually impossible to clear up.

Preparing for a rigging degradation when sailing to out-of-the way locations
Stress cracking is a serious problem with stainless steel standing rigging and shrouds - the stainless steel cables that extend from the mast-head to the larboard and starboard sides of the vessel, supporting the mast. However they typically provide ample pre-failure warning by way of broken strands. As shrouds are made of multiple cable strands they individually break down before the entire shroud fails, particularly so at the swage or terminal. These individual broken off strands within the shroud are easily detected with careful inspection Once broken strands are found the rigging wire is degraded and requires replacement. This can be addressed effectively in most any location with a busy marine supply industry. However this is far from the case when en-route deep ocean or sailing in out-of-the-way-sailing locations where it could be difficult to get hold of, or prohibitively expensive to ship in.

Preventing blowback when filing the fuel tank
Tanks typically cannot vent displaced air as fast as modern pumps can fill fuel. The result is an excess of air builds up and releases back up the filler pipe through the infilling diesel. This typically causes diesel blowback splashing it about the boat.

Avoiding engine problems caused by diesel fuel bacteria
Many varieties of bacteria and fungus feed off diesel fuel in warm conditions. More than two dozen of these will cause engine performance degradation and total breakdown.