Keep it clean, keep it filtered.

You all know the meaning of  BOAT, Bring Out Another Thousand. Keeping the heart of your boat pumping away below decks can result in a big cash outlay for the non DIY boaters amongst us.

A straight forward service can add up to a hefty bill with filters being of no small part of the total. I am the service mechanic for Nb Valerie and as such search out the best prices for filters. Now probably a lot of you are already aware that the oil and fuel filters used on boats are also used on road vehicles, remember engine manufacturers make engines not filters. So if you think your branded high price filter is the only one that fits......it`s not.

Ok i can hear you saying `yes Les we know all this`. Well I am just trying to help those who like myself years back sought out the branded filters until another boater put me on the right road.

 Nb Valerie has a Vetus 4.15 engine and anyone will tell you Vetus parts probably no different to any other engine are expensive.

Left to right in the picture, electric lift pump, oil, fuel (metal drain plug) and last the water separator WS180. The 2 that I was most keen to get were the pump(left) and WS180(right) filters. Vetus dealer prices are £10 and £37 respectively, those above £3.99 and £13.99.
Altogether on 4 filters the price difference was £46 and as you can see I have a stock.

One of the reasons I blogged this was the fact the outlet was 10/15 mins walk from the boat moored near Acton Trussell on the Staffs. and Worc. canal so no worries of mailing.
Filtermania can supply practically any marine filters, Barrus, Beta, Bmc, Bukh, Hatz, Isuzu, Lister, Russel newberry, Nanni, the list goes on. They are also on E Bay.

I have no connection with Filtermania and the only reason for this blog is to help others.  I will say though the plug might not have been so big but for the fact that Lee the M.D. was so helpful assisting the sales desk switching stock around to accommodate my multiple order and it was nice chatting after  the transaction.

So as I said a short walk from Mill Lane Acton Trussell bridge 93, there is a bus or if you moor soon after bridge 94 there is a path across the field.