Ventilation Hose Needed?

[bscheper]

I have a 1992 Bryant 20' with 305 Mercruiser. The ventilation hoses are beat up and need to be replaced. Currently there are two hoses going to the vent cover on starboard side of the boat and then down to the bilge. One of the hoses is connected to the blower but the other just runs direct from vent to bilge. It is a tight space and I would really like to only run the one hose connected to the blower. Do I need the vent hose that is not connected to the blower. There is an additional vent cover on the port side so I would think there would be sufficient return air flow. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Generally speakin',... The hose with the blower should be suckin' fumes outa down low in the bilge,....

The non-blower hose provides fresh air, down low, into the bilge,...

 

[bscheper]

Is the non-blower hose required by manufacturing standards?

 

[wrench 3]

The regulations state that the intake air hose (the non-blower hose) has to end below the level of the engine air intake. It doesn't have to go all the way to the bottom of the bilge.

 

[bscheper]

Great! Thank Your Very Much for the info

 

[smokeonthewater]

Uh noooo NONE of the hoses are intake.. They are all exhaust... The blower hose is powered and the rest are passive.

 

[wrench 3]

Uh noooo NONE of the hoses are intake.. They are all exhaust... The blower hose is powered and the rest are passive.

If you take a look at the louvers, some face forward for intake and some face toward the stern for exhaust (or are on the transom). There may be passive exhaust as well as forced but if air is coming out some has to come in to replace it.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Intake air should not have hoses unless it has to pass through a sealed compartment to reach the engine room and then it should end up high

The LAST thing you want is to direct a a stream of air into the bottom of the bilge to disperse any collected fumes instead of pulling them out w an exhaust hose

 

[wrench 3]

This is taken from the Canadian Safe Boating Guide.