LouC wrote:
skidaddytn wrote:
I once had a boat (with no alarm) overheat for several minutes, start smoking like crazy, and still work just fine for several years until I sold it (obviously I corrected the overheat condition)...
BAAAD IDEA....the smoking....was the rubber of your exhaust hoses melting...and if they melted through...that could sink your boat...you were lucky that it didn't get to that point...you guys need to take repairs to your marine cooling system more seriously...an overheated engine on the road means you pull over and call someone...an overheated boat engine (if you have an I/O...doesn't apply to OBs...) could mean water leaking into the boat and a dangerous situation...and then you get to do even more extensive repairs....like replacing all the rubber parts in the exhaust system...
I don't think anyone here is trying to minimize the risks and the need to maintain the engines properly. I'm guessing when someone talks of an engine 'smoking' it often has more to do with leaking coolant being sprayed around a hot engine rather than from heat great enough for a fire. I'm all in favor of being careful but the temps necessary for a hose to 'melt' are a lot higher than what's going to come from a simple overheating engine. Loss of coolant generally isn't going to cause that kind of heat. Yeah, in some cases the failure of exhaust hoses would have the potential to make things a lot worse. Still, hearing stories like that makes you wonder about what a previously owned boat has been through before a current owner gets handed surprises...
Overheating is bad and for several reasons.
The biggest reason being the risk to occupant safety in a boat that can't make it's way back to a safe port. This is true regardless of engine types (outboards are no less of a problem). Yes, a hose failure that lets seawater directly in the boat is bad. That's why emergency plugs, hoses and rescue tape are good things to have onboard. At the very least, knowing were the seacocks are located and being able to shut them in a big-ass hurry are important. Just like the main water shut-off in your house. I get the feeling too many people don't know this.
Seconded by the much greater expense for repairs caused by the overheating (heads warp, blocks crack, etc). The alarms for overheating squeal like a stuck pig for good reason. To save you from losing the engine and excessive repair costs. It's also why most gauges have their 'normal' operating condition registered on the dials all at a similar angle. This way your eye only has to notice that an indicator is not at a similar position to the others.
As for replacing hoses, rubber products do not last forever. Especially not ones exposed to harsh conditions like wear, heat, fuel and other fluids. Like it or not those parts should be part of planned maintenance. Too many people ignore them because they "look ok". When they look bad enough to replace they're already beyond their useful lifespan. I try to replace mine every five/six years.
All part of the "joys" of boat ownership...
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