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02-02-2014, 12:22 PM
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#1
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Guru
City: Solomons Island Md
Vessel Name: Fryedaze
Vessel Model: MC 42 (Overseas Co) Monk 42
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,721
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Steel fuel tank age survey
Rather that hijack an ongoing thread I thought I would attempt to get some age info on tanks. So, how old are your steel fuel tanks?
Mine are 25 years old.
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02-02-2014, 12:34 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: Everett, WA
Vessel Name: Honey Badger
Vessel Model: 42' CHB Europa
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 784
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Mine are 34 years old and when I had them open this fall for inspection and polishing, they were in good shape. No leaks or major rust.
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02-02-2014, 01:25 PM
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#3
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TF Site Team
City: Jacksonville
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,682
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27 years old. No leaks or exterior rust. We're in the process of servicing them (2-350 gallon) by adding another inspection port, cleaning and coating the interior bottoms and sides with Flamemaster CS3204. Hopefully they'll be good for another 27 years.
http://www.flamemaster.com/Technical...ev%2001-07.pdf
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02-02-2014, 03:03 PM
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#4
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Guru
City: Hotel, CA
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 8,323
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47 years. It was pulled, sandblasted, inspected and painted 2 years ago as part of a refit. Tank was determined at that time to be good as new.
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Craig
It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they've been fooled - Mark Twain
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02-02-2014, 04:48 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,333
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33 years old. Both port and starboard were rusted on the tops, due to leaking decks. Both were treated for rust, the stbd one was repaired with fiberglass at the filler tube junction.
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BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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02-02-2014, 05:03 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Sidney BC Canada
Vessel Name: RochePoint
Vessel Model: 1985 Cheer Men PT38 Sedan
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,744
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Ours are 29 years old and looking good.....but still a concern. Opened them up about 5 years ago, a little rust inside on the bottom but nothing to be concerned. No surface rust, but still wondering, so I follow all posts regarding fuel tanks and possible replacement.
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02-02-2014, 05:28 PM
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#7
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 66
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Just had their 40th Birthday! They have nice big access ports so access is no problem. Cleaned every 10 and thoroughly inspected on the 5s, with the occasional peek in between.
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02-02-2014, 06:18 PM
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#8
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TF Site Team
City: Brisbane
Vessel Name: Insequent
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 50 Mk I
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,262
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Mine were replaced 18 months ago. The old ones were 31 years old, and were 5/32" black iron. One wing tank was leaking, and the other wing tank had thin spots and was not far off leaking. One of the rear tanks was in fair condition, although the other rear one was on its way out. I replaced all 4. The insides had some reasonably hard sediment in them, but hardly any rust. The rust was from outside in, tank sides that were against the hull and on bottom.
At the same time I fixed the primary cause of degradation. Problems arose from the engine room vents being vertical louvres with no dorade box inside. I am guessing it was mostly rain that entered. Where the tanks touched the hull sides then rust was fastest. I now have horizontal louvres for the vents plus a custom dorade drainage. If not storing in a boat shed then covers for the engine room vents would be a very good idea to help keep the tanks dry.
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Brian
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02-02-2014, 09:01 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Venice Louisiana
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,097
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35 years in my trawler. midship side tanks, 400 gallons each, had rust on the tops, no rust thru. They could have been easily repaired and put back in service, had I not cut them up to remove them. Lower 250 gallon tank had a leak in the bottom, again would have been easy to fix but the tank was "dissassembled" to remove. These were all 1/4 in mild steel, installed to James Krogens specifications. The rust on the top of the side tanks was due to window leaks. The lower tank I dont know for sure, but it had rusted from the outside. Other than that it looked like new. The 250 gallon stainless steel (316l) water tank also looked new, and was modified with cleanout ports and reinstalled. Of all things, this boat had a bladder tank for black/gray waste. A later retrofit is my guess.
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02-02-2014, 11:06 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: PNW
Vessel Model: 1976 Californian Tricabin LRC
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,860
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Original 1976 black iron tanks, all four tanks are under the two double beds in the aft cabin, 500 gallons total. Tanks are kept full and I have never had a problem with exterior or internal rust.
__________________
Larry B
Careful . . .I Have a Generator and I'm not afraid to use it !
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02-03-2014, 07:37 AM
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#11
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Guru
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,037
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Original tanks are 31.
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Jay Leonard
Ex boats: 1983 40 Albin trunk cabin, 1978 Mainship 34 Model 1
New Port Richey, Fl
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02-03-2014, 08:53 AM
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Chicago, IL
Vessel Name: Bay Pelican
Vessel Model: Krogen 42
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,993
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Tanks replaced at 28 years. Serious rust forward bottom of both tanks where water accumulated in front of the tanks from pilot house leaks.
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Marty
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02-03-2014, 08:53 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
City: Great Lakes
Vessel Name: NONE
Vessel Model: NONE
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 448
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20+, Six tanks total, 4 - 200gal main tanks, 2 - 100 gal keel tanks. Mine are steel completely encased in fibreglass. No problems I am aware of but then again I can't see the condition of the metal. Don't know what to think of this fibreglass over steel, could be good or bad.
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02-03-2014, 09:02 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
City: La Conner, WA
Vessel Name: Adelaide
Vessel Model: 1983 Tung Hwa Clipper
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 385
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30 years, no end in sight to mine. Virtually no rust on the outside. Not worth it to inspect the inside for rust when 99% of failures are due to lack of exterior boat maintenance.
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02-03-2014, 09:25 AM
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#15
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Guru
City: Solomons Island Md
Vessel Name: Fryedaze
Vessel Model: MC 42 (Overseas Co) Monk 42
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,721
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adelaide
30 years, no end in sight to mine. Virtually no rust on the outside. Not worth it to inspect the inside for rust when 99% of failures are due to lack of exterior boat maintenance.
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Adelaide, where did you come up with the 99% exterior failure number? I started this thread because my biggest worry with my boat is the unknown of if or when I will have a fuel tank leak. I am trying to get a feel for failures. I am considering installing inspection ports this spring so we at least know the condition of the tanks.
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02-03-2014, 10:35 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
City: La Conner, WA
Vessel Name: Adelaide
Vessel Model: 1983 Tung Hwa Clipper
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 385
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fryedaze
Adelaide, where did you come up with the 99% exterior failure number? I started this thread because my biggest worry with my boat is the unknown of if or when I will have a fuel tank leak. I am trying to get a feel for failures. I am considering installing inspection ports this spring so we at least know the condition of the tanks.
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It's common knowledge that iron tanks fail from the outside in. If your boat was properly maintained (deck fittings,windows, teak decks etc...), then your tanks probably have very little to no rust on the outer surfaces.....they don't have an expiration date. By all means inspect them and clean them for piece of mind. In my situation, the tanks are in great shape and I choose to continue to watch my Racor, changing filters when necessary and visually inspect the fittings, tops, sides, and bottoms of my tanks. I'll be looking for obvious signs of water intrusion, or rust formation.
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02-04-2014, 05:43 AM
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#17
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Guru
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
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I started this thread because my biggest worry with my boat is the unknown of if or when I will have a fuel tank leak.
Ease your mind and simply eyeball the tanks , as suggested.
Dont see Rust? No problem.
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02-04-2014, 10:15 AM
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#18
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TF Site Team
City: Saltspring Island
Vessel Name: Retreat
Vessel Model: C&L 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,663
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34 years.
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02-04-2014, 11:06 AM
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#19
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TF Site Team
City: Jacksonville
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,682
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Quote:
...Ease your mind and simply eyeball the tanks , as suggested.
Dont see Rust? No problem.
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How about tanks leaking from the inside because of water and sludge? Most of our tanks are not designed with a sump. I know of 3 tanks that leaked from the inside. Two were repaired successfully in place. The owner of the third replaced his. Just saying.
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02-04-2014, 11:07 AM
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#20
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Guru
City: Concrete Washington State
Vessel Name: Willy
Vessel Model: Willard Nomad 30'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 18,743
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One of my black iron tanks lasted 30 years and the other had been a leaker years before we bought the boat.
__________________
Eric
North Western Washington State USA
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