Bennet Trim Tab hose blow out.... ?
 

The Potomac River was REALLY rough and sloppy on Sunday. I had my tabs at neutral, but came down really hard and all of a sudden my port side Bennet indicator was all the way up. I was really afraid that it had been been ripped off, but luckily, there is no damge to the tab or transom. After I high-tailed it to Mattawoman Creek to get out of the rough, and check the damage, I opened the engine hatch to reveal a completely pink splattered port side; ala ATF. The ferrel for the compression fitting on the front of the Bennet pump could not hold the pressure of the wave slapping the trim tab up, and blew out. BIG F-ING MESS!!!! I was able to fix the problem by reinserting the compression fitting, and even had enough fluid in the reservoir to continue the day.

Has this happened to anyone else? What can I do to keep this from happening again? (Aside from installing K-planes; thank you peanut gallery.) I have not contacted Bennet yet, as I have not yet had time; but do they have any better ferrels or options? Bennet is a really stand up company, but I want to know if this happens a lot, or if this is a fluke. Given this, and my handy-dandy-no-leak trim-pump cap for the drive, (which leaks like a SOB), I may just give up on a clean bilge floor.

I had Dual ram Bennets on my 302 Formula and that same thing happened to be twice. I replaced the ferrel and it never happened again.
It is very dangerous when it happens I was in 8 footers the one time and the boat got sideways.

Mark

Sydwayz,

I was out on the Potomac Sunday afternoon. I could not get over how rough it was when the winds kicked up. I finally got to put my boat thru its paces for awhile. I think I saw you running down Mattawoman Creek late that afternoon. I was over by the Citgo station in the cove relaxing after making a long run South of the power station.

I haven't had any hoses blow out, but I've been concerned since I purchased the boat about how those fittings on both the Bennett pump and on the tabs themselves would hold up under impact. I'm wondering if there's any way we could secure the hoses with double fittings or even a more stout fitting?

Racing_Fan

Bennett problem
 

I never had the hoses come off on my Donzi (and I know I hit hard a lot of times), but the whole reservoir unshipped from its bracket once or twice. Turned out Donzi had installed the mounting bracket backwards. Tabs still worked, even with the thing laying in the bilge.

My twinn engine Liberator lived on the tabs. Ive hit so hard it bent the tab!! Never blew a hose though............guess i was lucky......If i had lost one at speed it woulda thrown me out for sure!!!!!!!!!

I had one blow out on my before. I was only going around 60 and I came out of a channel into the lake and boat hit a wave and got a little crossed up and landed on the tab. It blew the ferrel out.
luckly a marine store had some in stock. I bought two and for the life of me I don't remember were I put the other one:rolleyes:

Thanks for the inputs guys and gals. It seems as though this does happen once in a while. CheckmateF1 posted a good suggestion on the Tech Forum, that I think I will do this week, which is remove all the nuts, and ferrels, and replace them, with a good coat of lock-tight. Hopefully that will hold the lines in place better, in the compression fittings. I was by myself on Sunday, so I put on the life vest, and let it all hang out a bit. I have never seen the River with regular 4-6 foot waves and chop before. I knew something was wrong the minute I landed. I am just so surprised this happened on such a little launch; compared to this one last year, with no damage:

http://offshoreonly.com/cgi-bin/gall...x.pl?photo=449

Brian,

Sorry to hear that the fitting on the tubing came off. I should not happen (of course!) and is often due to being innstalled incorrectly the first time. Send me your mailing address at [email protected] and I will send you some new nuts and ferrules (no charge) along with instructions for replacing them. This way you can check all the connections if you want.

I went and looked at the photo of your boat jumping. !!! I would like to use it at our web site if you would let me do so. You are correct is your thinking why would the connectin hold under a big impact like that and not the other day, so something was probably not right. Let me know if I may do anything for you.

Tom McGow
Bennett Marine

SEE!!!
 

ARE THESE GUYS THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE or what?!?!?!

Thanks Tom. I will get in touch with you.