Uniflite Refit

[BC4Lyphe]

Hi I recently bought a 41YF and am slowly updating different systems. Ive gone thru the electrical and it's in good shape for the time being. This summer I'll do a small/simple upgrade to it.

I've got my eye on the fuel system next. I'll have to get photos of the boat but I doubt the valving on there is original. Anyone else with Uniflite fuel photos? Its got four 100 gallon tanks, twin VP 60Bs, a genny, a hydronic heater, two 12 volt Holley fuel pumps. I'm designing a manifold system and was wondering what everyone else was using and how theyve designed it.

 

[C lectric]

Photos would be good but even better would be a schematic of what you have now.
SOmetimes photos , usefull as they may be, cannot show all the connections and the hidden bits.

 

[steelydon]

That will be a pretty detailed project. I would sketch it out and let us take potshots at it. Seriously if you can draw a proposed refit then will you get lots of advice on tweaking the system for the better.


Good luck!
Don

 

[BC4Lyphe]

Because I made some changes the photo should show three separate manifolds even though it looks like two. The check valve would be a hard line connecting the two lower manifolds. I'll work on getting better photos of the valving as it sits as well as a schematic of it.

 

[helm]

Check out this thread on the hull truth, describes a uniflite rebuild including the fuel system and the boat is in Alaska
https://www.thehulltruth.com/showthread.php?751128&p=8944833#post8944833

 

[BC4Lyphe]

Oh for some reason my reply didnt go through. I do follow that thread. Very jealous of his work. I was looking for something a bit simpler than the manifold he built.

The picture is rather crude. The boat has two Holley fuel pumps used to prime the system after a racor filter change. I would like to reuse one fuel pump with the three new manifolds to prime after a filter change, transfer fuel, and with an inline (spin on?) filter do some fuel scrubbing if need be. I planned on having a few extra ports in each manifold for future add ons. Any ideas? I think I'd like a pressure/vacuum gauge on the supply and suction manifold, any idea what PSI?

Port
Starboard
Fwd
Aft
Generator
Heater

 

[C lectric]

https://www.emicorp.com/products/13/Aluminum-Manifolds/


https://www.acklandsgrainger.com/en...ADYNE+INC&isWildCard=false&page=2&pagesize=16


http://www.ppe.com/17pdf/0748.pdf

Take a look at these.

I have made mflds out of 2" alum square rod. It worked well but was a bunch of work.
A heavy duty drill press and some means of solidly securing the material for the end drilling will be needed. Then the ports can be drilled and tapped.

M aking would be OK if you have the taps for the threading and the drill bits as they will need to be larger than the typical 1/2" diam to do the end drilling for the main supply ports.

 

[BC4Lyphe]

A long overdue update. This photo is from a ways back and was during fitup so its quite a mess. I just bought some heavy wall stainless bungs, cut them in half. Welded them to a 2" stainless square tube with caps welded on the ends. I like the KISS method.

Coming into the Supply manifold are my four fuel tanks. The output from that manifold goes to a 3 way valve. Up is to a 12v electric fuel pump which pressurizes the Feed or Return manifold. Down on the 3 way is direct to the Feed manifold. The Feed manifold has outputs for the two main Racors, the Espar heater, a temporary pressure/vacuum gauge, and a genset Racor. Not pictured is a simple 7 port Return manifold of similar design.

 

[BC4Lyphe]

I have no idea why the photo is sideways. It shows right way up on my computer.

 

[C lectric]

Looks to me like a nicely done job. Hope it gives you good service.

 

[Portage_Bay]

What are the hose clamps you used? The a very clean, low profile compared to screw clamps.

I had a similar system fabbed for a buddies boat using square tube and pipe couplings welded in. I used smaller handled valves. Not suggesting you change yours but for those considering a similar manifold system it might be worth the small extra expense.

 

[FF]

After the system is installed write down the a schematic and a description of how to make the system function at various tasks.

Then copy the text into your boats PDL (pass down log) so the next owner wont have to spend time guessing how it all works.

This logging should be done for electrical and other systems , you may forget in years to come.

Every time the next owner uses your PDL, he will Bless your kindness.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

It sounds like a good idea but I would at least have the manifold professionally constructed, probably braised or welded. Home made threaded joints are a potential source of vacuum leaks and headaches.

It would sure clean up the looks of the lines.

pete

 

[Portage_Bay]

After the system is installed write down the a schematic and a description of how to make the system function at various tasks.

Then copy the text into your boats PDL (pass down log) so the next owner wont have to spend time guessing how it all works.

This logging should be done for electrical and other systems , you may forget in years to come.

Every time the next owner uses your PDL, he will Bless your kindness.

I did just that. A schematic and a matrix showing valve positions to accomplish any task the manifold system is capable of.

The yard who installed it did a fantastic job mounting the supply and return manifolds along with the transfer / polishing pump and the primary Racor all in one place so that the fuel system can be managed without crawling all over the engine room. Shut off valves are at each critical point for example tank pickups at the bottom of the tanks to isolate hose failures if need be.

This was a huge improvement. Some PO of the boat had scattered valves everywhere around the engine room and every place that a flow 'decision' had to be made there ware TEEs and 3 valves. It was a nightmare.

It sounds like a good idea but I would at least have the manifold professionally constructed, probably braised or welded. Home made threaded joints are a potential source of vacuum leaks and headaches.

It would sure clean up the looks of the lines.

pete

Both the OP and I used fittings welded into square tube with the ends of the square tube welded shut. At some point threaded fittings are necessary where the valves attach and the hose nipples go into the valve bodies. I did use the services of a professional welder and the entire manifold plus valves was pressure tested to 4 PSI overnight before installation. It has performed flawlessly for years of cruising.

 

[JLT]

Hi there - we just bought an '81 Uniflite YF41 too! Our first "big" diesel boat after decades of runabouting. She's currently in Tacoma and we're in Seattle & Whidbey Island. Ours needs some work too, although the surveys show she's basically sound. Let's keep in touch!

 

[Comodave]

Hi there - we just bought an '81 Uniflite YF41 too! Our first "big" diesel boat after decades of runabouting. She's currently in Tacoma and we're in Seattle & Whidbey Island. Ours needs some work too, although the surveys show she's basically sound. Let's keep in touch!

Welcome aboard. We will be need photos of your new baby.

 

[Ken E.]

A TF member, sbman, has put a lot of effort into rehabbing his Uniflite in California. Suggest you research his posts if you're interested in ground-up Uniflite basics. Welcome aboard.

 

[BC4Lyphe]

What are the hose clamps you used? The a very clean, low profile compared to screw clamps.

I had a similar system fabbed for a buddies boat using square tube and pipe couplings welded in. I used smaller handled valves. Not suggesting you change yours but for those considering a similar manifold system it might be worth the small extra expense.

Those aren't "hose clamps". I used a tool called "clamptite" and stainless safety wire. They're not reusable but with a little practice they can hold enormous pressure.

For hose clamps I've always preferred Awab brand but have had a hard time finding them lately. ABA and Norma are also good.

Those small valves would be nice. I ended up getting a bunch of those big yellow handled stainless valves on eBay really cheap.

 

[BC4Lyphe]

After the system is installed write down the a schematic and a description of how to make the system function at various tasks.

Then copy the text into your boats PDL (pass down log) so the next owner wont have to spend time guessing how it all works.

This logging should be done for electrical and other systems , you may forget in years to come.

Every time the next owner uses your PDL, he will Bless your kindness.

Yes that's a very good idea which I'm sure not nearly enough people do. If not for the next owner if only one person has the knowledge of the systems on board and they fall overboard, have a medical emergency, etc it can really be a problem. I'll be putting a printer, scanner and laminator on a couple of my boats for the many drafts of SOP. Also need to go thru those with crew to be sure everyone's on the same page.

 

[BC4Lyphe]

I did just that. A schematic and a matrix showing valve positions to accomplish any task the manifold system is capable of.

The yard who installed it did a fantastic job mounting the supply and return manifolds along with the transfer / polishing pump and the primary Racor all in one place so that the fuel system can be managed without crawling all over the engine room. Shut off valves are at each critical point for example tank pickups at the bottom of the tanks to isolate hose failures if need be.

This was a huge improvement. Some PO of the boat had scattered valves everywhere around the engine room and every place that a flow 'decision' had to be made there ware TEEs and 3 valves. It was a nightmare.


Both the OP and I used fittings welded into square tube with the ends of the square tube welded shut. At some point threaded fittings are necessary where the valves attach and the hose nipples go into the valve bodies. I did use the services of a professional welder and the entire manifold plus valves was pressure tested to 4 PSI overnight before installation. It has performed flawlessly for years of cruising.

Wow those look beautiful. I'll probably be doing a smaller manifold similar to that for the gensets and hydraulic engine. Very clean setup. I had thought about welding barbed fittings directly to the square tube as I hate having excess fittings/threaded connections as a potential for leaks. I did pressure test the manifolds to 20psi and they held pressure fine. Been Tig welding stainless for 13 years and have a bad habit of putting overbuilt stainless stuff on boats.

 

[BC4Lyphe]

Hi there - we just bought an '81 Uniflite YF41 too! Our first "big" diesel boat after decades of runabouting. She's currently in Tacoma and we're in Seattle & Whidbey Island. Ours needs some work too, although the surveys show she's basically sound. Let's keep in touch!

Top notch! I'll be bringing a boat from Oregon to Alaska this fall. If we stop near by I'll let you know, maybe we can trade boat tours