posted 04-30-2010 07:20 PM ET (US)            

For small outboard engine boats I doubt that any significant damage would be caused by operating the engine in oil contaminated water. Why would the water passageways be damaged? If the water pump impeller is a modern product not made of rubber it should not be affected. I also doubt the propeller would be affected but that assumes there is no rubber in the propeller.

The hull could be badly stained by oil contaminated water if it is gel coated fiberglass. Cleaning the hull could be very difficult and stains could possibly soak into poorly maintained or scratched gel coat. I've seen gel coat so neglected that it was visibly porous.

The painted outboard engine lower unit should be cleanable with strong detergent but may suffer hard to remove stains.

Live well plumbing could be damaged and stained. Mooring lines, anchor rodes, fenders and lines, etc. would be badly stained possibly beyond cleaning.

Keep in mind that this is light crude.

I guess I'll be able to provide first hand reports in the next few days or weeks as I have no intention of giving up boating on Mobile Bay when it becomes contaminated probably beginning on Sunday.

posted 04-30-2010 08:23 PM ET (US)            

I don't think the cooling system of an engine would be catastrophically damaged by having some oily water flow through it. Pure crude oil might be more hazardous.

posted 05-01-2010 10:34 AM ET (US)            

Light crude will generally cause a thinner slick. Some factors that may come into play are wind conditions possibly causing wider disbursement of the oil, distance from the source also possibly causing wider disbursement of the oil, and water surface temperature possibly, if higher, causing a thinner slick. For containment purposes a thicker, more concentrated slick may be more desirable.

If efforts to stop the discharge of oil do not succeed soon the entire Gulf of Mexico may become an oil slick depending upon how much oil is available to the pipe.

I hope BP can financially survive this event so they can pay out the costs of the cleanup and the compensation needed by all those affected. The ultimate cost in dollars is so huge as to be almost unimaginable. The damage to our environment can never be paid for. If the environmental impact is too severe many of us who live near the water will want to relocate. Who will want our homes?

I agree that the impact of operating an outboard engine in the oily water would be minimal.

posted 05-01-2010 11:15 AM ET (US)            

What a mess to clean up, but I didn't notice any problem with the motor. The spill was localized in Petaluma Marina's tiny "harbor", and I motored slowly through the scummy water on the way out and back. The lower unit of the motor got filthy, but the sea water intake was well beneath the crud floating on the surface going and returning, so I doubt any appreciable amount got into the motor's cooling system. I used a spray bottle of commercial strength Fantastic for the clean-up, BTW, which worked well enough. The trailer was a mess as well. But what an unpleasant situation, and I doubt the discharge, which covered the greater part of the marina, was more than several gallons.