Before and after -- fuel passes through a 30 micron filter then a 10 micron filter

Working on anything while dead in the water and riding abeam to large waves isn’t fun, particularly with the knowledge that it could have been prevented.

Boaters in the Rio Dulce now have access to a fuel polishing service headquartered at Capt. John’s Marina.

Portable fuel polishing unit

Owned by John’s wife, Elvi, and operated by diesel mechanic Marvin, Rio Dulce Fuel Polishing Service can bring their equipment to your marina and, in a short time, clean your fuel and remove the sludge in the bottom of your tank.

Fuel is pumped through a 30 micron filter then a 10 micron filter. The fuel can be recirculated to the same tank or transferred to a different tank or to a barrel on shore.

Fuel is circulated back to the same tank or transferred to another tank

John said the equipment is capable of pumping 18 gallons a minute, depending upon the condition of the fuel and the filter. He uses two pressure gauges to keep track of the cleaning process.

Access to the fuel tank depends upon how a particular boat’s fuel system is configured,  Ideally, the tubing for the fuel polishing service can be dropped directly into the fuel fill of the tank. If that isn’t possible due to elbows in the piping or other obstructions, it might be necessary to connect via a fuel gauge sending unit or another location.

Elvi, Capt. John and Marvin

The equipment’s transfer pump requires 110 volt AC current. If that isn’t available at your dock, the team can bring along a portable generator.

Cost of the service is $50 an hour with a three hour minimum plus the cost of the filters which run about $15 each. Typically, a sailboat with a 40 to 80 gallon tank can be serviced in less than three hours.

Depending upon the condition of the fuel, most sailboats will need between 1 to 4 filters.

Marvin is an experienced diesel mechanic familiar with Yanmar, Perkins, Caterpillar and other engines and is available for additional mechanical work as needed.

Capt. John’s Marina also offers carpentry, mechanical, paint and varnish, electrical and electronic services.

Contact them at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 5732 0219.