Chapter 4: Fuel Piping and Fuel System Bonding
Figure 4-15. Hose clamp distance from hose end (Courtesy ABYC)
Figure 4-16. A spring-type hose clamp is
not acceptable for fuel lines (Courtesy
ABYC)
Aluminum Fuel Piping
CFR Commercial allows aluminum fuel pip-
ing on aluminum commercial vessels only.
Though this makes no sense to me, it’s the
law. But you can go with aluminum on yachts
of any material.
Schedule 40 (standard) marine aluminum
pipe can in theory be used for noncommercial
diesel, but CFR Commercial requires schedule
80 (double weight) for all aluminum fuel pip-
ing, and I recommend schedule. 80 for recre-
ational vessels as well. CFR Commercial does
not allow hose for fuel piping and insists on all
solid pipe or tube, except for a short length of
hose at the engine or gen set. Though I follow
the rules (there is no choice) for commercial
craft, this one doesn’t make sense to me for
most yachts.
Note that on commercial craft, the Coast
Guard is now sometimes requiring the next
step up even from A1 hose: shielded hose,
such as Aeroquip FC234. This meets SAE J
1942 (formerly USCG COMDTINST
M16752.2) fire test criteria for type-A hose.
My personal opinion is that this is overkill.
It’s cheaper just to comply than to argue the
point. Remember that even if this hose is