Pacemaker Boat Owners Association

I have started some spring maintainence items this week end on my 1978 26' flybridge cruiser. New spark plugs for my V8 5.7L inboard Mercruiser. Rewired the bow bilge pump and float switch. The trim tabs, prop, rudder, and shaft got a good cleaning with an electric drill mounted wire wheel in preparation for new zincs. Some fuel system maintainence: after removing the spin on cartridge fuel filters, I poured out the fuel into a small white bucket and saw hundreds black specs in the fuel. I think that the ethanol in the is starting to deteriorate my fuel lines. I then changed the fuel hoses from the saddle tanks to the filter housing and then the fuel hose from the filter housing to the engine fuel filter. I also installed a Racor fuel filter with a drain bowl to have a way of draining fuel samples to check for water in the fuel. The ethanol in the fuel is a constant problem for us. We have had such a mild winter here on Long Island I decided to got an early start on some of the things that need to be done.