If your boat has a diesel fuel filter with a see-thru bowl installed in the engine space, your insurance company may object.
Several years ago we learned a disturbing lesson from a very experienced local marine surveyor. It seems that an obscure reference in the ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council) Standards mandates that all fuel filters used on diesel engines withstand a heat requirement if they are mounted in the engine compartment. We started to become more concerned when one of our technical writers, who lives aboard his Catalina 30 sailboat, got a package from his insurance company. It contained a survey for him to fill out, asking among other things, about Dahl and Racor filters with plastic bowls. The insurance company included a disposable camera, and requested photos of the filter. After researching this situation with the folks at the ABYC and at Racor we discovered the following:
Racor 500MA Diesel Fuel Filter with Heat Shield
ABYC standards for inboard fuel filter installations for gasoline or diesel engines require that filters installed within the engine space must be able to pass a two and one-half minute heat test as defined by ANSI/UL 1105. Gasoline and diesel filters that meet this requirement are generally equipped with a metal bowl. Filters with plastic sight bowls must be equipped with a metal heat shield to pass the test. Boaters with diesel engines who prefer a filter with a see-thru bowl should select one of the Turbine Series by Racor, which includes the heat shield. These filters plus spin-on filters with metal bowls for gasoine and diesel installations are available within our filter selection at westmarine.com or by calling 1-800-BOATING.