I am the proud new owner of CD36 #122, with a number of projects ahead of us before she can be sailed. The first one is fuel related. The PO had a fuel problem, most likely algae growth, resulting in clogged filters and a tow back to his slip. I have been reading the various posts from 2009/2010 about cleaning the inside of the tank, so that is not my question. Rather, the PO also spilled fuel all over the holding and fuel tanks, which are in the bilge, so the boat has a very strong diesel odor. The marina we are presently in has oily water pumpout capability so I can scrub and pump the bilge until its clean, so that shouldn't be a problem.
So to my question: the aluminum fuel tank appears to be surrounded by a fiberglass "tub" inside of the hull. Can anyone tell me if this truly is a tub, such that if I wash down the top and sides of the tank (such that I can reach) that the waste water will be trapped, or is this enclosure bottomless, draining into the bilge?
Regards,
John
Fuel Tank Cleaning
Moderator: Jim Walsh
Re: Fuel Tank Cleaning
While this isn't an answer to your question it will help later. After you have finished scrubbing and everything is dry pour fresh coffee grounds every place that the diesel could have gotten to. No fancy grind but the cheapest you can find. Let it sit for at least a week before vacuuming it up.
Note I would not save the coffee for brewing.
Note I would not save the coffee for brewing.
Jim Davis
S/V Isa Lei
S/V Isa Lei
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Neil Gordon
- Posts: 4367
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- Location: s/v LIQUIDITY, CD28. We sail from Marina Bay on Boston Harbor. Try us on channel 9.
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Re: Fuel Tank Cleaning
Coffee grounds absorb head odors, too.Jim Davis wrote:While this isn't an answer to your question it will help later. After you have finished scrubbing and everything is dry pour fresh coffee grounds every place that the diesel could have gotten to. No fancy grind but the cheapest you can find. Let it sit for at least a week before vacuuming it up.
Note I would not save the coffee for brewing.
Fair winds, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
Boston, MA
CDSOA member #698
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
Boston, MA
CDSOA member #698
Re: Fuel Tank Cleaning
The fuel tank tub is not bottomless. It will have weep holes in the bottow which will allow water to pass thru to the bilge as well as ridges to raise the tank off the bottom a fraction of an inch. Those weep holes can be clogged but they are there.
You might consider presurizing the fuel tank to confirm you don't have any pin size corrosion holes. I suspect that most aluminum tanks of this age have gotten beyond their useful life. You might want to do this before attempting to clean the tank. The factory tanks have limited access for cleaning.
You might consider presurizing the fuel tank to confirm you don't have any pin size corrosion holes. I suspect that most aluminum tanks of this age have gotten beyond their useful life. You might want to do this before attempting to clean the tank. The factory tanks have limited access for cleaning.
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Steve Laume
- Posts: 4127
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- Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
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Re: Fuel Tank Cleaning
Excellent advice from Jim. I pulled Raven's tank a few years back with the idea of cleaning it. When I pulled it out, the plywood shelf had some diesel fuel on it. This is not something that would normally happen. Upon close inspection of the bottom of the tank there was some corrosion and some seepage. I would not have even called it a leak but it was going to get worse and you know it would not be at the best of times. I was so glad to have discovered it before it became a big problem.
From your description, I don't think you are going to have to bother with cleaning, Steve.
From your description, I don't think you are going to have to bother with cleaning, Steve.
Re: Fuel Tank Cleaning
How did the pull it, if you don't mind me asking?Steve Laume wrote:Excellent advice from Jim. I pulled Raven's tank a few years back with the idea of cleaning it. When I pulled it out, the plywood shelf had some diesel fuel on it. This is not something that would normally happen. Upon close inspection of the bottom of the tank there was some corrosion and some seepage. I would not have even called it a leak but it was going to get worse and you know it would not be at the best of times. I was so glad to have discovered it before it became a big problem.
From your description, I don't think you are going to have to bother with cleaning, Steve.
Ours has been sitting there for who knows how long and one of my tasks coming up is to get it out and dispose of it. I haven't been able to get it to budge, though.
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Steve Laume
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Feb 13th, '05, 20:40
- Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
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Re: Fuel Tank Cleaning
How did the pull it, if you don't mind me asking?
Ours has been sitting there for who knows how long and one of my tasks coming up is to get it out and dispose of it. I haven't been able to get it to budge, though.[/quote]
Not as easily as you might imagine. The only thing securing it in the shelf area was a wooden cleat with a few screws. Removing that was easy, disconnecting the hoses was not too bad and then there was the annoying fact that there was absolutely no way to get it out of the cockpit locker. Well I suppose if you removed the engine or the sink and then cut a hole in the bulkhead by the stove... Others had cut away the lip on the cockpit locker cover. At this point I knew I was going to replace the tank so it was a pretty easy choice. None of the other options seemed too appealing so I cut the tank in half. That turned out to be really easy with a saber saw.
Florida Tank made the original so I contacted them to build a replacement. I believe I had them make the new one 1 1/4" shorter to be able to fit back through the cockpit locker. The original tank was 20 gal and the new one is 18. I figured the 2 gal of lost fuel capacity was worth being able to get the tank in and out without tearing the boat apart. This also gave me room to cut a heavy rubber door mat to fit under the tank on the shelf. This allows for excellent drainage and air circulation at the bottom of the tank.
I don't know what the issues are with the CD-27 or other boats but Cape Dory definitely put the tank in the CD-30 before they added the deck, Steve.
Ours has been sitting there for who knows how long and one of my tasks coming up is to get it out and dispose of it. I haven't been able to get it to budge, though.[/quote]
Not as easily as you might imagine. The only thing securing it in the shelf area was a wooden cleat with a few screws. Removing that was easy, disconnecting the hoses was not too bad and then there was the annoying fact that there was absolutely no way to get it out of the cockpit locker. Well I suppose if you removed the engine or the sink and then cut a hole in the bulkhead by the stove... Others had cut away the lip on the cockpit locker cover. At this point I knew I was going to replace the tank so it was a pretty easy choice. None of the other options seemed too appealing so I cut the tank in half. That turned out to be really easy with a saber saw.
Florida Tank made the original so I contacted them to build a replacement. I believe I had them make the new one 1 1/4" shorter to be able to fit back through the cockpit locker. The original tank was 20 gal and the new one is 18. I figured the 2 gal of lost fuel capacity was worth being able to get the tank in and out without tearing the boat apart. This also gave me room to cut a heavy rubber door mat to fit under the tank on the shelf. This allows for excellent drainage and air circulation at the bottom of the tank.
I don't know what the issues are with the CD-27 or other boats but Cape Dory definitely put the tank in the CD-30 before they added the deck, Steve.
Re: Fuel Tank Cleaning
To get rid of diesel odors, try using white vinegar. I carry a quart with me, and have used it with amazing results
on other boats that have been overfilled, etc. In one instance, a friend of mine had a 30 ft. Catalina which he
filled up, only to find that he too had growth in hit tank, and had to have it pumped out and scrubbed. Unfortunately, when the yard disconnected the hoses, he had over a gallon in the bilge and elsewhere in the boat.
After hours of cleaning, he then wiped the area down with white vinegar, and the smell was gone!!
Worked for me as well
Ken Cave
CD 28 Dragon Tale
LaConner, WA
on other boats that have been overfilled, etc. In one instance, a friend of mine had a 30 ft. Catalina which he
filled up, only to find that he too had growth in hit tank, and had to have it pumped out and scrubbed. Unfortunately, when the yard disconnected the hoses, he had over a gallon in the bilge and elsewhere in the boat.
After hours of cleaning, he then wiped the area down with white vinegar, and the smell was gone!!
Worked for me as well
Ken Cave
CD 28 Dragon Tale
LaConner, WA
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John Foster
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Jul 8th, '12, 19:00
Re: Fuel Tank Cleaning
Thanks guys for the coffee and vinegar suggestions.
Jim_B, thanks for the comments on the tub. After pumping the bilge out, I observed that water poured over the edge of the tank did indeed run out into the bilge. I will pressurize the tank to check for leaks, hope I don’t find any because I hadn’t planned on removing the cabin sole yet.
Turns out that cleaning the diesel contamination throughout the bilge will be more difficult than cleaning the inside of the tank. It appears contaminated bilge water was allowed to rise to within about an inch of the sole, leaving a mess when later pumped out.
Jim_B, thanks for the comments on the tub. After pumping the bilge out, I observed that water poured over the edge of the tank did indeed run out into the bilge. I will pressurize the tank to check for leaks, hope I don’t find any because I hadn’t planned on removing the cabin sole yet.
Turns out that cleaning the diesel contamination throughout the bilge will be more difficult than cleaning the inside of the tank. It appears contaminated bilge water was allowed to rise to within about an inch of the sole, leaving a mess when later pumped out.