That was a close call: in literallylast second the firefighters in the port of Glückstadt were able to save the twelve-metre-long "Elena" from sinking. Three pumps were needed to remove the up to one and a half metres of water from the ship. The owner was not on board, but fortunately the hatches were open.
The seacocks were also open, so thatan inconspicuous crack in the inlet hose of the pump toilet led to a near catastrophe. That was in October last year.
Let's be honest: who always closes all the sea valves before leaving the ship?
On some boats, not all valves can be locked: If you have an open sports boat with cockpit bilges and close them, you will see the water rising in the cockpit at the latest during a heavy downpour. No question: the valves must remain open in such a case.
And what keeps the ship afloat are functioning hoses. Just 5 millimetres of PVC make the difference between weal and woe.
Working in secret
ButOther lines on board are also of great importanceA porous gas hose, for example, can be the cause of a fire in several ways.serious maritime emergency be. After a gas explosion on board, the only possible solution is to jump into the water, away from the burning ship. This is because the mixture of propane or butane and air is highly flammable.
The replacement intervals are sometimes even specified on the gas hoses. Due to the adverse conditions on board, such as the strong temperature fluctuations, sea water and the ship's movements, six years is considered to be the maximum service life of the hoses.And what about you? When was the last exchange?
On the bottle? On the cooker? Fuel lines are also crucial components of the drive system; they do their job in the recess of the engine compartment. But if the inside diameter does not match the grommet and air
and air gets into the system, there is a risk of engine failure.
Inadequately fastened hoses, which can rub against sharp parts of the engine in the event of vibration, can also mean a standstill.
With diesel engines, this is just as undesirable, but not directly life-threatening. However, if you have petrol in the bilge, you are sailing on aPowder keg. This is because the mixture of petrol vapours and air is also explosive. Of course, this also applies to the built-in tanks of outboards.
Equally important and also life-threatening in the event of failure are the heating system's exhaust pipes. They often lead through storage boxes or storage compartments, from which the air is often drawn in, heated in the heater and then blown into the interior. If the exhaust hose is leaking, as it is subject to immense temperature fluctuations, carbon monoxide can enter the air you breathe - and death can then occur completely unnoticed in your sleep.
Regular checks, combined with a CO detector, are therefore essential.
To stay with the heating: The hot air hoses are also crucial. They transport warm air from the appliance to the inside of the boat and usually run through the forecastle boxes and stowage compartments. As a result, fenders, inflatable boats, lines and other stowage items are stored on the hose. It has to withstand this. If it is compressed and the volume flow drops, the heater cannot dissipate its heat and goes into malfunction mode. Once again, it is the hose that makes the difference.
These examples show that it is definitely worth giving the subject some thought. After all, hoses often age with the boat, just like electrical cables. As long as everything works, this is not a problem.
Just as with the cables, there are alsoLimiting factors for the service life of hoses. UV exposure is one of them. Or the substance that is carried in the hose. Aggressive cleaning agents, for example, when used regularly, will bring simple hoses to the brink of failure.
Replace in good time
Alarm signals are even small cracks in the hoses, even if they only appear minor, severe discolouration, dents and a sticky surface - all indications of a lack of plasticiser, which leads to the material becoming brittle. Replacement is then unavoidable; after all, it would make little sense to jeopardise a boat worth hundreds or several thousand euros for a component that only costs a few tens of euros and whose installation is by no means rocket science.
The first step is to find the right replacement, i.e. the right material for the application and the right diameter to match the connections in the boat. It can make sense to replace the hose clamps at the same time, especially if they were originally made of materials other than stainless steel. Anyone changing from a conventional PVC material to thicker EPDM for the toilet hose, for example, should switch to heavy-duty clamps at the same time.
They have a greater and more even contact pressure and are wider, so that only one clamp is required below the waterline.
When laying, it is important to ensure that the radii around the corner are not too tight. As a very rough rule of thumb, double to triple the diameter is the smallest radius. Under no circumstances should the hose buckle on the inside of the bend, as this would impede the flow. For critical radii, there are special plastic sleeves that keep the hose in shape.
When used in the area of a hot water boiler, attention must be paid to temperature and pressure resistance. The cooling water can reach temperatures of up to 90 degrees Celsius. Even warmer in the event of a cooling defect. If the system does not have an expansion tank, the pressure can also rise. The hose must be able to withstand this, otherwise there is a risk of scalding from hot water.
When checking or replacing the hoses, it can also make sense to take a look at theSeacocks because they are also subject to wear and tear. Hoses are therefore a more multifaceted issue than one might initially assume, as they usually do their job unnoticed and out of sight. However, if they fail, the consequences are quickly catastrophic.
