With a lost week costing anything upwards of £10,000, unplanned downtime is not only inconvenient it can also be costly, resulting in the loss of catches and subsequently, earnings. This is a priority for any fisherman to consider, as a productive fishing vessel is vital for a profitable livelihood.
Optimum engine performance is intrinsic in maintaining productivity, with any engine abnormalities having a detrimental impact on earnings in particular, especially when large repair bills are incurred.
Therefore the sooner an engine problem is highlighted and prevented could mean the difference between a minor repair and a major failure.
To prevent these issues arising, an increasingly popular solution is fluid sampling, a preventative maintenance tool. Available from Finning Fluid and Condition Monitoring services, this simple process offers boat owners an insight into the condition of their engine and then provides interpretations and recommendations for action.
Fluid analysis is the process of extracting a small amount of fluid from an engine compartment, which is then sent away to be analysed. Finning offers a sampling solution for any make and model of engine, ensuring accurate readings by taking samples, including oil, fuel and coolant, from the working parts of the engine.
The extraction of the fluid is very easy and can be carried out by the fisherman or boat owner without the need for a service engineer. Finning recommends that samples are taken every 250-500 working hours, which takes into account the time taken to reach and return from the fishing ground.
As well as cutting the risk of major repair work, fluid sampling can also maximise engine efficiency. Optimisation of the fluid life cycle through careful monitoring and the implementation of a contamination control system ensures that the system remains clean. So with regular sampling intervals it may not be necessary to carry out routine oil changes in line with the manufacturer’s specification; instead changing the oil when it starts to become contaminated or degraded.
Regular sampling not only helps reduce the risk of major repair, breakdown and engine failure it also helps protect earnings and productivity and provides the reassurance of consistent and reliable engine performance.
