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08-22-2017, 12:12 PM
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#1
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Guru
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,274
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Well, I just did something really stupid...
Something I felt was next to impossible because "I always pay attention..."!
We are in Portland ME for a few days and I wanted to top up the water tanks. Normally I fill our tanks with our watermaker but not in a harbor like this one so...
While thinking about where the best place to purchase coffee I began filling not the water tank but rather the fuel tank!!!!! Yes with water!!!
I didn't get very much in before I realized my stupidity but, I am now awaiting the nice man with the fuel polishing machine...
Bruce
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08-22-2017, 12:33 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: st pete
Vessel Model: 430 Mainship
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 3,483
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Can happen to anyone. Do you think color coded caps would help?
Also, if you had a drain at the bottom of the tank, you could just drain out the water.
__________________
Seevee
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08-22-2017, 12:38 PM
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#3
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Guru
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,274
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seevee
Can happen to anyone. Do you think color coded caps would help?
Also, if you had a drain at the bottom of the tank, you could just drain out the water.
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The caps do have different colored lettering... I'm thinking of turning the fuel caps red now!
Tomco builds these tanks without dip tubes. Rather they have fuel taps on the bottom of each tank. I believe it shouldn't be that difficult to clear the water.
I just can't believe I did this!
Bruce
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08-22-2017, 12:47 PM
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#4
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TF Site Team
City: Westerly, RI
Vessel Name: N/A
Vessel Model: 1999 Mainship 350 Trawler
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,154
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Honestly, I'd rather accidentally put a little water in my fuel, than a little fuel in my water. This happens all the time. I had a friend get 30 gallons of diesel in his gasoline tank. I had a friend put 20+ gallons of gasoline in his water tank. The one we hear about every year and still surprises me is the fuel in the rod holder. A rod holder looks nothing like a deckplate. Talk about not paying attention!
I'm so glad my water is in a completely different spot than my fuel. My biggest fear is that the pumpout will hook up to the stbd fuel tank accidentally because they are right next to each other.
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08-22-2017, 12:58 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Tacoma, WA & Ashland, OR
Vessel Name: boatless, ex: Seeadler
Vessel Model: RAWSON 41
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,217
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seevee
Can happen to anyone. Do you think color coded caps would help?.
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I have three different wrenches: fuel, water, waste. Only.
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08-22-2017, 01:05 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
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Lets see how all the "strive for perfection" TFers respond.
Some are not forgiving of errors on any level.
If you wait a day, you can siphon off the water on the bottom of the tank without expensive polishing...if you can get a tube to the bottom.
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08-22-2017, 01:18 PM
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#7
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Guru
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,274
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
Lets see how all the "strive for perfection" TFers respond.
Some are not forgiving of errors on any level.
If you wait a day, you can siphon off the water on the bottom of the tank without expensive polishing...if you can get a tube to the bottom.
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Fuel taps are right at the bottom of the tank, no dip tubes.
Fuel polish guy concurs. No need to polish.
We will simply drain at bottom until clear.
Thanks,
Bruce
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08-22-2017, 01:27 PM
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#8
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Guru
City: Cleveland
Vessel Name: Irishland
Vessel Model: Chris Craft Corinthian 380
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 587
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Don't feel bad Bruce. We all do stupid things from time to time.
Red cap on the fuel may help you to remember.
Good luck Mate.
Cheers.
H.
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08-22-2017, 01:37 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
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Wonder if the we all do stupid things from time to time will carry over to the destroyer collision threads....
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08-22-2017, 01:37 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Vessel Name: Xanadu
Vessel Model: Mainship 37 Motor Yacht
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,471
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I'm pretty confident that I'd never make that mistake, not because I'm cautious and perfect, but just the opposite -- even though we've had the boat for a couple years now I can never quite remember which side which deck fills are on, so I always have to look at the caps. And it's a good thing the caps are all chained down or I'm sure I'd accidentally swap them.
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08-22-2017, 01:38 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: St. Petersburg, Florida
Vessel Name: M/V Sherpa
Vessel Model: 24' Vashon Diesel Cruiser
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 598
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
Lets see how all the "strive for perfection" TFers respond.
Some are not forgiving of errors on any level.
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We have ALL made silly and sometimes costly mistakes. Top on my list is leaving the sea strainer top open after leaving port--I overheated within 10-15 minutes. As a result, I now have a checklist and review before departing.
We learn from our mistakes. I believe color coding is a fantastic idea!
__________________
“Go small, go simple, go now”
― Larry Pardey, Cruising in Seraffyn
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08-22-2017, 01:51 PM
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#12
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Guru
City: Quebec
Vessel Name: Bleuvet
Vessel Model: Custom Built
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 4,374
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In my case the key used to open the cap is not the same for water and fuel this avoid confusion or at least reduce it
L
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08-22-2017, 02:18 PM
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#13
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Guru
City: Boston
Vessel Name: Adelante
Vessel Model: IG 30
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,608
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Fuel gauge broke so I used a stick to estimate what I needed. Then decided to add a little little bit more. Inspection gasket was on it's last legs so the little little bit more went right into the bilges. Many rolls of paper towels later...
cabin smelled like a diesel tank farm for weeks.
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08-22-2017, 02:36 PM
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#14
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Guru
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
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Also, if you had a drain at the bottom of the tank, you could just drain out the water.
Or with a built in sump , it would be a nothing.
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08-22-2017, 02:45 PM
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#15
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Guru
City: Gig Harbor
Vessel Name: Kinship
Vessel Model: North Pacific 43
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 9,046
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Sorry about the issue Bruce. Sounds like it will work out just fine.
The good news is that Tomco put fuel drains at the bottom of the tanks.
The bad news is that the water and fuel fills are anywhere near each other.
Mine are in completely different parts of the boat. My biggest danger will be when I put petrol in my tanks instead of diesel. That will be a harder mistake to fix.
I suppose the biggest hassle will be how to dispose of the 30 gallons of water you drain off.
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08-22-2017, 02:59 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
City: Marathon
Vessel Name: silver gift
Vessel Model: 45 jefferson
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 291
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Friend did the same thing,water in his fuel. He went to a sign shop and had them make rings to go around the fills. Red ,fuel, blue ,water and black for waste. Vinyl with a glue backing. Been on for several years.
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08-22-2017, 03:02 PM
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#17
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,131
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I had concerns that it might happen to me also. I had labels made out for each deck fitting. Blue label for water, black for waste and yellow for diesel. I mounted them on the toe rail right next to the particular deck fitting. I can still make a mistake, but more difficult now.
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08-22-2017, 03:20 PM
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#18
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Guru
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,818
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That's one of the things I really like about my boat. Fuel fills are in the stern; water fills are in the bow; no side decks to facilitate drag a hose to the wrong fill. Guess I could still put some fuel in the waste tank though.
Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
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08-22-2017, 03:21 PM
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#19
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Guru
City: Tacoma, WA & Ashland, OR
Vessel Name: boatless, ex: Seeadler
Vessel Model: RAWSON 41
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,217
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deckape
Friend did the same thing,water in his fuel. He went to a sign shop and had them make rings to go around the fills. Red ,fuel, blue ,water and black for waste. Vinyl with a glue backing. Been on for several years.
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Long required for aircraft fuel fillers.
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08-22-2017, 03:23 PM
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#20
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Guru
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,274
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FF
Also, if you had a drain at the bottom of the tank, you could just drain out the water.
Or with a built in sump , it would be a nothing.
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When I said the fuel taps are off of the bottom of the tank, I meant it!
No tubes at all, fuel (and in this case some water) come right out the bottom.
Should be relatively painless...except for the barbs coming from my wife...
Bruce
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