Cigatoo
Guru
Speaking of fuel tanks.
A common problem is the fuel fill flange leaking rain water onto the tops of the tanks causing rust and rot. On the Grand Banks the fuel fills are in a 3-inch hole through the teak deck and underlying fiberglass. Sealing between the flange and teak deck is difficult. Also, like it or not, water finds its way between the teak deck and underlying fiberglass. Inevitably it drips on to the top of the tank.
I read the following fix years ago on the Grand Banks forum.
Remove the fuel fill port. Getting to the hose clamps is difficult but doable. Mine were accessible from behind a plywood panel under the settee. Loosen the clamps. Unscrew the three screws and pry up the filler flange from the deck.
Once the fuel fill flange is removed cover the remaining fuel filler hose so you don’t drop stuff in the tank. I stuffed paper towel into the hose and then covered the opening with tin foil.
You will need a 3 inch and also a 4 and ½ inch hole saw on the hole saw arbor together. (pictured)
Using the 3-inch hole saw (as a centering guide) drill a 4 and ½-inch hole in the teak decking down to the fiberglass. Then remove the teak deck cut outs and discard. Clean up
Use the same 3 inch and 4-inch hole saw combination to make wooden donuts. I used a piece of 3/8 inch mahogany that I had laying around and made a couple of donuts. (pictured)
Clean the deck hole with acetone, sand everything to give it some tooth, vacuum, and clean with acetone again.
Mix up some epoxy and coat everything in and around the hole with un thickened epoxy
Thicken the epoxy and epoxy the donuts into the hole being sure to coat everything well with epoxy.
I used two 3/8-inch-thick donuts. This left them a little proud of the deck. Once everything was cured, I used a belt sander to level everything off with the deck.
I now have a nice flat round wooden flange to re bed the fuel filler flange to.
A common problem is the fuel fill flange leaking rain water onto the tops of the tanks causing rust and rot. On the Grand Banks the fuel fills are in a 3-inch hole through the teak deck and underlying fiberglass. Sealing between the flange and teak deck is difficult. Also, like it or not, water finds its way between the teak deck and underlying fiberglass. Inevitably it drips on to the top of the tank.
I read the following fix years ago on the Grand Banks forum.
Remove the fuel fill port. Getting to the hose clamps is difficult but doable. Mine were accessible from behind a plywood panel under the settee. Loosen the clamps. Unscrew the three screws and pry up the filler flange from the deck.
Once the fuel fill flange is removed cover the remaining fuel filler hose so you don’t drop stuff in the tank. I stuffed paper towel into the hose and then covered the opening with tin foil.
You will need a 3 inch and also a 4 and ½ inch hole saw on the hole saw arbor together. (pictured)
Using the 3-inch hole saw (as a centering guide) drill a 4 and ½-inch hole in the teak decking down to the fiberglass. Then remove the teak deck cut outs and discard. Clean up
Use the same 3 inch and 4-inch hole saw combination to make wooden donuts. I used a piece of 3/8 inch mahogany that I had laying around and made a couple of donuts. (pictured)
Clean the deck hole with acetone, sand everything to give it some tooth, vacuum, and clean with acetone again.
Mix up some epoxy and coat everything in and around the hole with un thickened epoxy
Thicken the epoxy and epoxy the donuts into the hole being sure to coat everything well with epoxy.
I used two 3/8-inch-thick donuts. This left them a little proud of the deck. Once everything was cured, I used a belt sander to level everything off with the deck.
I now have a nice flat round wooden flange to re bed the fuel filler flange to.
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