[C320-list] Bilge blower

[Jeff Hare]

That boater safety advice should have been prefaced by "This is highly dependent on how the boat is laid out."

Remember that in the 320, a leak in the propane line within the boat will end up in the bilge in the main cabin and in the space BELOW the engine pan, not in the shaft tunnel where the engine is. There is a large open area below the engine pan where propane would collect that the bilge blower would never be able to affect. It would not likely start accumulating in the shaft tunnel until it had filled the bilge and area below the engine pan high enough to start coming in the drain below the shaft coupler.  

-Jeff Hare

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Ade Bateman
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2021 7:21 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Bilge blower

Years ago, when I took boat safety classes, I was taught that bilge blowers were installed on diesel engine boats that had propane, because propane is heavier than air and will also sit in the bilge. 

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Joe Luciano
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2021 1:35 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Bilge blower

Agree with Jack.  I never use mine either with a Diesel engine.  Just isn’t necessary unless you like extra noise.  Different story altogether with a gasoline engine.  I’ve seen a gasoline power boat blow up at the dock due to a buildup of fumes in the bilge.

Joe Luciano 
#1044

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 15, 2021, at 12:19 PM, Jack Brennan <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 
> Blowers originally came into use for gasoline engines, the idea being that you remove potentially explosive gases from the bilge before causing a spark by starting the engine. It has never been clear to me why Catalina installed the blowers in boats using diesel, which is not explosive. 
> 
> If you have an extremely tight engine compartment, the diesel can run short of air. But I’ve never found that to be the case with my 320. The housings at front and rear are not air tight by any means. You can tell when an air shortage  happens because the engine will not run properly.
> 
> I don’t think they’re necessary, and I’ve never used mine. They wouldn’t even remove much stink from the bilge because there is only a couple of small holes connecting the engine compartment to the main bilge.
> 
> Jack Brennan
> Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
> Tierra Verde, Fl.
> 
> 
> Sent from Mail for Windows
> 
>