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Old 01-17-2020, 03:32 AM   #41
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Thanks MV.. I had been planning to make the run to Guatemala once the tanks were full and port engine running again. Work and everything is very cheap there... I don't trust myself to do anything right at the moment...thanks for the thoughts
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Old 01-17-2020, 06:04 AM   #42
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Guatemala is twice the distance as Isla Mujeres and access is more difficult. I'm about 80% through a very comprehensive refit. To my thinking, there are four components to choosing a yard for work: skill/tools, labor costs, parts availability, and accessibility. Overemphasized one leg too much and you run risk of losing out on other three. Rio Dulce is cheap, parts are more expensive.access isn't good. If work needed is hugely labor intensive, a decent choice. Isla is on the way. Good stopover - if it works, great. Otherwise, keep steaming.

There are also more crude and basic yards elsewhere in Yucatan. SV Zingaro did a YouTube episode of hauling somewhere near Progresso for ultra cheap. Much of the work ended up being redone a year later, but something like tanks should be okay.

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Thanks MV.. I had been planning to make the run to Guatemala once the tanks were full and port engine running again. Work and everything is very cheap there... I don't trust myself to do anything right at the moment...thanks for the thoughts
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Old 01-17-2020, 08:02 AM   #43
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The tanks in my 49-ft MT PH were rotted out. The previous owner pulled them when he refitted the engine room and replaced them with 2 150-gallon tanks. (down from the original 900+ gallons the original 5 tanks supplied). At 4gph including gen, unless I am doing some extended cruising, I really do not need much more.



If you do write that tank off and do not replace, at least seal it somehow and add water to compensate for listing.
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Old 01-17-2020, 08:24 AM   #44
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Greetings,
Mr. 98. I agree with adding something to the decommissioned tank but perhaps water or any liquid may not be the best idea. IF, at some time in the future the "dead" tank develops a leak at the bottom, the liquid may carry residual diesel fuel into the bilges and be pumped out...same problem as now, sort of.


Perhaps cement blocks or gravel? I think weight added should be equal to the weight of the good tank when half full. Yup. When the good tank is full you'll lean one way and vice-versa when near empty.
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Old 01-17-2020, 09:27 AM   #45
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BigFish:
If you are still trying to deal with fuel in the bilge, I can relate my personal experience. Unlike your situation, my spill was human error (mine!). With both tanks full, I had the return valve open to the non-feeding tank which overflowed.

Apart from what went out from the bilge pumps halfway up Delaware Bay, I was left with 10+gallons in the bilge. Using a hand operated bilge pump, I transferred fuel into containers and mopped up as best I could with paper towels. Over a few hours the fuel and bilge water separated well enough to allow fuel to be decanted and filtered through paper towels (coffee filters). A couple of passes through the filter (crude Baja filter), the diesel was clean enough to put back in the fuel tank with no subsequent issues.
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Old 01-17-2020, 10:13 AM   #46
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There is good news in your situation, one gallon milk jugs from the dumpster will hold fuel for a couple of weeks before leaking , enough time to dump them somewhere legal.


The other "good" news is removing the old fuel tank is a very low skilled job.


With a couple of batteries and a hand grinder you should be able to hire an unskilled minimum wage worker .Might be slow but removing the tank should be within your budget.


Plastic tanks , or even a number of outboard tanks , would be enough to keep the boat mobile , water and pump outs come to mind.


Once the tank is gone I would size plastic tank by creating a mock up of a std sized tank out of dumpster cardboard and fitting it in place .Create a number of mock ups so you can add tankage as funding permits.



If you have labeled the connections to the removed tank, specing the new plastic tank fittings should be easy.


Should there be so little room to install plastic fuel tanks , there are rubber fuel bladders that will work , although there about 2x the per gallon cost of volume.
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Old 01-17-2020, 11:48 AM   #47
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Thanks for the thoughts!
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Old 01-24-2020, 01:09 PM   #48
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Maybe this has already been suggested I know a Seaton owner who had a huge leaky diesel tank. The yard cut a 3’ opening in the tank and a kid wearing a respirator climbed inside and coated the tank with a industrial tank sealing material. That was 7 years ago. Still holding.
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Old 01-24-2020, 02:28 PM   #49
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I love it...
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Old 01-24-2020, 02:52 PM   #50
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Sorry to hear of your problems big fish. I have replaced all four of the tanks on my Island Gypsy, I cut the old ones out with a sawsall and had new polypropolyne tanks made to order by Triple M plastics in Maine. They did a great job at a reasonable price. I had them made small enough to get through the door and between the engines, and did the whole job myself. I now carry less fuel, but it's still well enough .
If you can limp back to your mooring ball and recover for a while - at least you have a once floating home while you come up with a plan.
All the best.
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Old 01-24-2020, 04:22 PM   #51
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Hey Larry! Curious how your tank replacement project went.. Can you email me at darling.r@comcast.net?
Thanks, Bob
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Old 01-24-2020, 04:28 PM   #52
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Thanks Mark. Just getting TO these tanks is still not clear... I tried to access my waste deck plate a few months ago and couldn't get there... There was a plywood piece restricting access above and behind my AC unit that had been securely NAILED in place. Couldn't even get a prybar in there... Looking for an inexpensive do it yourself yard that will allow me to live on the boat as I disassemble it... Heard of one up by Jacksonville but can't remember the name...
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Old 01-24-2020, 10:07 PM   #53
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Just anchor the boat in Jacksonville, grind off the HIN, and walk away. Isn’t that where old boats go to die?
Bad boy!!! Do not suggest abandoning the boat not even joking. On this matter, all boaters must be on the side of protecting the waterways and the laws. The attitude must be to prevent derelict boats as all boaters end up in one way or another paying off for a portion of the consequences.


IMHO the thing for boaters to do is to insist on boat builders that major components of the boat must be serviceable. In the case of fuel tanks, by design they must be replaceable.
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Old 01-24-2020, 11:35 PM   #54
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I hired a strong younger man with a saws all, to remove one tank. He was very reasonable price. Wise. He is now on morning in/around Marathon might be available to assist you.
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Old 01-25-2020, 02:28 AM   #55
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You have some common threads of great advice on here.
Hopefully no need to remove engine at high shop rates

Transfer 1/2 tank of fuel to 30/55 gal barrels on opposite side for ballast, or sell

1) Gaining access does sound like cutting a plywood bulkhead. Hire a handyman
2) Cut out leaking tank into manageable pieces. Hire handyman & supervise.
3) Replace tank w/ several plastic tanks as space and ballast allow/require.

Wish you all the best luck.
Keep us posted as it looks we are all feeling your pain on this.
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Old 01-25-2020, 06:55 AM   #56
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Originally Posted by rolomart3 View Post
IMHO the thing for boaters to do is to insist on boat builders that major components of the boat must be serviceable. In the case of fuel tanks, by design they must be replaceable.
Boats are built for the initial buyer of the boat. If it is a component that is going to fail after 10 years of ownership, many builders don't really care. Nor does the original buyer of the boat, as he/she has probably already sold this boat and moved on to another boat.

In the sailing world, Island Packet, is a great example. They build some beautiful boats with great livability. They can be s.o.b.s, however. when it comes to repairs.
  • Tanks (fuel, waste, and water) can be difficult to get to.
  • Even worse is access to the chainplates (the s.s. plates to which the shrouds, the rigging that holds up the mast, is secured) is almost impossible to get to. Chainplates are glassed to the hull are located behind the built in furniture. That makes them impossible to inspect and ridiculously expensive to replace, 12K-15K.
Jim
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Old 01-25-2020, 07:57 AM   #57
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Boats are built for the initial buyer of the boat. If it is a component that is going to fail after 10 years of ownership, many builders don't really care. Nor does the original buyer of the boat, as he/she has probably already sold this boat and moved on to another boat.

In the sailing world, Island Packet, is a great example. They build some beautiful boats with great livability. They can be s.o.b.s, however. when it comes to repairs.
  • Tanks (fuel, waste, and water) can be difficult to get to.
  • Even worse is access to the chainplates (the s.s. plates to which the shrouds, the rigging that holds up the mast, is secured) is almost impossible to get to. Chainplates are glassed to the hull are located behind the built in furniture. That makes them impossible to inspect and ridiculously expensive to replace, 12K-15K.
Jim
I agree. A boat with serviceable systems including tanks with manhole inspection ports and surface mount wiring and plumbing runs would be unsellable in today's market. Look at what is extolled as an offshore passagemaker in places like this forum and you'd be hard pressed to even locate the tanks let alone service them. Few buyers associate quality with serviceability. They are swayed by nice interiors and hidden systems with lots of bells and whistles.
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Old 01-25-2020, 08:22 AM   #58
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One of these can help with access behind plywood. The blade in the middle can plunge cut through quickly.
https://shop.harborfreight.com/media...3/63113_W3.jpg
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Old 01-25-2020, 08:26 AM   #59
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Sorry for your plight. I'm thinking you can still move forward.

Patch that hole in the top of your tank. Even if you literally have to chop a hole in your companionway. It needs work anyway. Once you find the hole you can get a welder to just weld a patch on it or maybe something even cheaper depending on the size of the hole and condition of the surrounding material. For example, go to the hardware store and look at the patch screws for hot water tanks.( if the hole is small)

Don't you have any friends ? relatives?

You must be on Salt Water, tough environment, Even the rain will wash salt onto the top of your tank.

Again, don't despair. Keep your posts current and let us know what is happening.

We Care,

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Old 01-25-2020, 08:27 AM   #60
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Originally Posted by mvweebles View Post
I agree. A boat with (WITHOUT?) serviceable systems including tanks with manhole inspection ports and surface mount wiring and plumbing runs would be unsellable in today's market. Look at what is extolled as an offshore passagemaker in places like this forum and you'd be hard pressed to even locate the tanks let alone service them. Few buyers associate quality with serviceability. They are swayed by nice interiors and hidden systems with lots of bells and whistles.
Typo?
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