Boat listing

Oceania · Jun 23, 2016

My boat is listing to starboard slightly. No, she's not taking on water. She has two fuel tanks; the port tank is 5/8 full and the starboard is 8/8. Is there a way to level the boat by redistributing the fuel.? My boat has two 200 gal tanks.

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koliver · Jun 23, 2016

Look near your Racor filters. There should be a valve on a line connecting both feed lines, as they close in on the Racors. If you simply open that valve, the boat will level out. Then close the valve again.

If you are using only one engine, hence the uneven consumption, you should be able to close off the tank you don't want to use, then open the crossover valve, so as to feed the working engine from the full tank, no matter which side it is on.

dhays · Jun 23, 2016

Oceania said:
My boat is listing to starboard slightly. No, she's not taking on water. She has two fuel tanks; the port tank is 5/8 full and the starboard is 8/8. Is there a way to level the boat by redistributing the fuel.? My boat has two 200 gal tanks.

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Some boats have a fuel cross over line that you can open and the tanks will equalize. Others have a fuel transfer pump in a crossover line. Finally, if you need to transfer fuel but don't have either of the above, you may be able to do it while running depending on how your boat is setup.

If you have a fuel manifold by your Racors, you can open the fuel supply from the starboard tank, close the fuel supply from the port tank, close the fuel return to the starboard tank, and open the fuel return to the port tank. In this configuration, fuel will be drawn from the starboard tank to feed the engine and returned to the port tank. This will equalize the tanks in a relatively short time.

Caution! Never close both fuel return valves while the engine is running even for a moment. Also, don't forget or you will overfill the tank that fuel is being transfer to.

menzies · Jun 23, 2016

If the previous owner added a larger house battery set up that may do it.

boatpoker · Jun 23, 2016

dhays said:
Some boats have a fuel cross over line that you can open and the tanks will equalize. Others have a fuel transfer pump in a crossover line. Finally, if you need to transfer fuel but don't have either of the above, you may be able to do it while running depending on how your boat is setup.

If you have a fuel manifold by your Racors, you can open the fuel supply from the starboard tank, close the fuel supply from the port tank, close the fuel return to the starboard tank, and open the fuel return to the port tank. In this configuration, fuel will be drawn from the starboard tank to feed the engine and returned to the port tank. This will equalize the tanks in a relatively short time.

Caution! Never close both fuel return valves while the engine is running even for a moment. Also, don't forget or you will overfill the tank that fuel is being transfer to.

A very very dangerous thing to do.

dhays · Jun 23, 2016

boatpoker said:
A very very dangerous thing to do.

Hardly. You just need be conscious of what you are doing and pay attention. If someone can't pay attention or are forgetful, I wouldn't recommend it.

boatpoker · Jun 23, 2016

dhays said:
Hardly. You just need be conscious of what you are doing and pay attention. If someone can't pay attention or are forgetful, I wouldn't recommend it.

Contrary to ABYC Standards and a few minutes of forgetfulness could result in a blown tank or a major environmental fine but to each his own.

Pgitug · Jul 15, 2016

Tell your first mate to stand on the other side. ??

️

Nomad Willy · Jul 15, 2016

I always draw from one tank at a time. Switch underway but need to reach as far as I can w one engine hatch open to reach the valve levers. Do it by feel. Got it wrong once and I think the engine shut down.

If you're wife is sitting/standing on the wrong side switch to the right tank.

Phil Fill · Jul 15, 2016

The eagles list changes every day depending on the level of the fuel, water and waste tank is,the tide and wind. About once a week I have to level things out. Friday black water tank gets pumped, water tanks are filled and fuel transfered. So if the boat lists during the week that's just the way it is. I level the boat by the way the doors hang open. :flowers:

stanfromhell · Jul 15, 2016

A neighbor in the marina came to me last week and told me my 38' boat was listing. I checked the tanks, bilge, docklines and found nothing wrong. But he was correct, the starboard side was down nearly 2 inches. Came back two days later and it was no longer listing so it must have been the current, breeze or a combination of both.

Dune · Jul 15, 2016

My boat seemed to have zero list when I visited it many times before purchase. But after buying it and bringing it here, there was a noticeable list. A rather annoying WTF ? moment. After studying the original plans I noticed that while the main 1,000 gallons fuel tank was centered, the 300 gallon aux fuel tank was a bit off center....and sure enough, the captain that assisted bringing it here at some point hit the "fuel transfer" switch and moved the entire 300 gallons to her main tank....result = list....

Boat listing

Oceania

Veteran Member

koliver

Guru

dhays

Guru

menzies

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boatpoker

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dhays

Guru

boatpoker

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Pgitug

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Nomad Willy

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Phil Fill

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stanfromhell

Senior Member

Dune

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