A juice box traps both oil and cartridge
Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017
Changing an oil filter without making a mess is a challenge I have long faced, as have many other boat owners. Despite having relatively good access to the side-mounted filter on the Universal M-30 in Larina, our 1984 Tartan 33, I never seemed to be able to change it without spilling some oil.
Then a good friend suggested cutting one side out of a plastic milk container to make a catchment device I could slip under the filter to catch any oil that drained as I removed it. I found that a cardboard juice container is just the right size for my filter and the cap is conveniently placed where I can later drain the captured oil through it.
To make my filter trap, I cut the side of the container opposite the cap so it forms a flap. I slip the container under the filter, then spin the filter off and simply set it into the container and remove everything from the engine room at the same time. The flap helps contain the oil as I maneuver the container away from the engine. Clean and easy!
Bob Weismantel started boating when he was in his teens. He and his wife, Ginger, have been sailing together for 46 years. They have owned their current boat, a 1984 Tartan 33, since it was first launched 34 seasons ago.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
