Monsun fuel tank

[Baxter16034]

I have an early model Monsun--there's some dispute about the number--and I have a constant problem of water in the diesel fuel. I installed two water separator filters and these make it possible to operate the engine, however, I have to drain water from the primary after every operation, and sometimes the secondary, as well.I have had the tank pumped twice, an expensive proposition, and one that only lasts for a couple of seasons.I have changed o-ring on the deck filler, epoxied around the fuel filler line to the buried tank, and still get water in the fuel, along with some chalky muck that I can't identify.I have a feeling that the only solution is to replace the tank--an auxiliary doesn't seem practical because of the space limitations and the fact that a tank of any size would unbalance the boat.It would be nice if the present tank were accessible, however, the designer chose to make that impossible.Has anyone else had a similar problem and, if so, how did you handle it?

 

[Hans van Huut]

Baxter,Y was a bit bewilderd when Y read about your problem.Thinking wat Y should do in sutch an case.Maybe Y can help you by thinking with you.The leak must be found!!Y can not believe the tank has an puncture, the polyesther is very heavy.You must start looking at the aeration of your tank.An hose runs to your stern and goos into the pulpit. Maybe something wrong over there!Hans

 

[Tom Moran]

water in Monsun fuel tank

I had a little water in Monsun #82 fuel tank - from condensation?? but pumped it out with no problems. HOWEVER, I found a much more serious fuel tank problem when the gelcoat and a thin layer of fiberglass was removed below the waterline to fix some small blisters and apply new glass and vinylester resin to prevent more blistering. Removal of the gelcoat revealed two areas of fiberglass on the side of fuel tank that were saturated with diesel fuel and fuel leaking through the side of the keel. The glass was so rotten I was able to push a wooden pencil straight through it into the fuel tank. To repair this required cutting the fiberglass completely out of the side of the keel and rebuilding the side of keel with new glass. This repair work took several days to do and cost thousands of dollars. I was advised not to use the internal tank any more and had to have a metal tank custom made to fit in the cockpit locker. It holds only about 18 gallons vs 40 gallons in the keel tank. I appealed for help directly to HR-and sent photos to show leaking fuel and damage to side of keel. I received a letter from Christoph Rassy, basically telling me go to hell and refusing to help in any way. The HR dealer in Annapolis refused to visit my boat to see damage or even return my phone calls. I have photos of this to support what I am reporting - and copies of correspondence with HR.Later I saw a Rasmus in my boatyard with a fuel saturated hull in the fuel tank area - and fuel dripping through bottom of keel onto the ground. So, maybe you have water getting into your fuel tank through the underwater sides of the tank. In early Monsuns (and maybe other HR boats) there is NO separate metal or plastic fuel tank - the boat is the fuel tank. Aside from this painful and expensive problem, it's a great boat.I hope someone at HR in Sweden reads this note.

 

[René Brun]

flexible tank

Hi Tomthis sounds really serious and bad. Up to now I always got friendly and helpfull support from HR. However I am also a bit concerned about this keeltank althuogh erverything looks sound and healthy about my tank for the time beeing. I think I would cut the tank away, clean and paint the keel and the slip a flexible tank into the keel. You simply loose too much stowage space by placing a tank anywhere else. Has anyone out there done this before?fair windsRené

 

[Juniata]

Water in Fuel Tank

Baxter,Following on from Hans's note 12/17; when studying the tank vent on the transom of my Rasmus I had thought that the tank would continually 'breathe' moist air kicked up at the stern. To get over this, I had envisaged using two 1-way valves high up inside the transom and arranged so that tank venting during filling/sloshing, etc would go out through the transom but air taken into the tank would be drawn from inside the hull.I thought some simple flap or 'birds beak' type 1-way valves ~ 3/4" size would do the job; can be had from Westmarine, of course. This is on my 'to do'list!Good luck and HNY, Mike Mills