Advice for a Solo Sailor?

Jul 27, 2011
5,134
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
So, anyway, I'm back in my home port, having completed the cycle. I sailed onto the mooring in Westport today! It just worked out, I hit the harbor at slack water and had 6 or 7 kt. from the South. Such a good feeling.

I anchored in Cuttyhunk. Had some serious wind Monday and Tuesday so I stayed put. Took off today and wouldn't you know it - no wind! Ha, ha. Motor sailed home, mostly motored.

Feeling good. Might take off tomorrow again, after a short trip to the grocery store. Forgot a few things....

It's a real confidence booster and mood enhancer to do something like this on one's own. It was a bit sadly sentimental, not having the ex along, but I think that will wear off after a while.

The boat's running well, sails like a dream, engine runs like a top. No complaints, except the fuel gauge is a bit of a pain. It's one of those that reads full-full until you've consumed about 10 gal. or more, then starts to move. I was so concerned I removed the sender and looked in the tank - plenty of fuel, but not full, and the float thing worked when I manipulated it manually, i.e., the gauge registered it, but I really want a more accurate gauge. Or sender, I guess.
I have a similar-type fuel tank of ca 39-40 gallons. When it reads 1/2 full it’s actually closer to 1/4 of full tank volume; i.e., about 10-12 gallons remaining. Somewhere I have this all written down. But next time you are seeing 1/2 full, fill it up & then you will know.

The tank is inclined (wedge shaped) with the greatest volume of the tank and fuel down at the forward (fat) end. That’s also where the pick-up and gauge are. You must draw down the up-tank volume b/f the gauge measures a change in fuel volume. Otherwise the fuel at the gauge is being “resupplied” from above and does not change until that volume is mostly gone. When it reads 1/2 tank, it’s reading 1/2 of “fat end” volume remaining. The gauge “doesn’t know about” the empty tank volume above it toward the tank fill so does not report 1/4 of total tank volume remaining, etc. If similar, yours is probably reading accurately as to what it “sees.”

Contrast that with my Pearson 30 which had a cylindrical tank that sat level w.r.t. horizontal. The fuel gets drawn down uniformly throughout the tank so the gauge, wherever it is, reports closer to the actual tank volume.
 
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Apr 5, 2009
3,081
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
My gauge has the opposite problem. the needle moves from the first usage but when It stops moving at empty, I will only need 10-gal in my 18-gal tank leaving me with a 8-gal reserve and a nervous wife telling me to find a fuel stop.
 
Jul 27, 2011
5,134
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
My gauge has the opposite problem. the needle moves from the first usage but when It stops moving at empty, I will only need 10-gal in my 18-gal tank leaving me with a 8-gal reserve and a nervous wife telling me to find a fuel stop.
Sounds more like my Pearson. If I recall, the tank was not “empty” when the fuel gauge so indicated. But that reserve portion was probably only 5% of tank volume.
 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
I have a similar-type fuel tank of ca 39-40 gallons. When it reads 1/2 full it’s actually closer to 1/4 of full tank volume; i.e., about 10-12 gallons remaining. Somewhere I have this all written down. But next time you are seeing 1/2 full, fill it up & then you will know.

The tank is inclined (wedge shaped) with the greatest volume of the tank and fuel down at the forward (fat) end. That’s also where the pick-up and gauge are. You must draw down the up-tank volume b/f the gauge measures a change in fuel volume. Otherwise the fuel at the gauge is being “resupplied” from above and does not change until that volume is mostly gone. When it reads 1/2 tank, it’s reading 1/2 of “fat end” volume remaining. The gauge “doesn’t know about” the empty tank volume above it toward the tank fill so does not report 1/4 of total tank volume remaining, etc. If similar, yours is probably reading accurately as to what it “sees.”

Contrast that with my Pearson 30 which had a cylindrical tank that sat level w.r.t. horizontal. The fuel gets drawn down uniformly throughout the tank so the gauge, wherever it is, reports closer to the actual tank volume.
Interesting. Mine is pretty flat, rectangular in every respect, no wedge shape, etc. I think it's that the gauge is wrong for this tank. I think the gauge is such that the float is floating at it's max range until the tank is 3/4 full, and then it starts tracking the fuel level. I might try a different sender.
 

Johann

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Jun 3, 2004
477
Leopard 39 Pensacola
Interesting. Mine is pretty flat, rectangular in every respect, no wedge shape, etc. I think it's that the gauge is wrong for this tank. I think the gauge is such that the float is floating at it's max range until the tank is 3/4 full, and then it starts tracking the fuel level. I might try a different sender.
You could try measuring the resistance as you move the sender through its range and see if it changes through the entire range or had a dead band when over 3/4 full.
 
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Apr 5, 2009
3,081
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
I installed this type of sensor, and it works very well. My problem was that the sensor is located about 9" from the low point. The bottom of the tank slopes so that means that the bottom of the sensor is not at the low point. In addition to that, I could only fine ones that varied in length in 2" increments. The one that I got is 2¼" from the bottom of the tanks sloped bottom which is about 2" from the lowest point due to the slope. The next size up would put the bottom only ¼" from the bottom and the instructions called for ½" minimum clearance. :facepalm:
This vendor sells units with height in 1/2" steps which would have been a lot better in my tank.
 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
You could try measuring the resistance as you move the sender through its range and see if it changes through the entire range or had a dead band when over 3/4 full.
I think what's going on is that the range of movement is about 90º, and when it's at the top, i.e., the lever on which the float is mounted is horizontal, it's a couple of inches below the top of the tank.
 

Johann

.
Jun 3, 2004
477
Leopard 39 Pensacola
I installed this type of sensor, and it works very well. My problem was that the sensor is located about 9" from the low point. The bottom of the tank slopes so that means that the bottom of the sensor is not at the low point. In addition to that, I could only fine ones that varied in length in 2" increments. The one that I got is 2¼" from the bottom of the tanks sloped bottom which is about 2" from the lowest point due to the slope. The next size up would put the bottom only ¼" from the bottom and the instructions called for ½" minimum clearance. :facepalm:
This vendor sells units with height in 1/2" steps which would have been a lot better in my tank.
You can also order direct from KUS.
One thing I did was shim the sender up so that the float could get higher in the tank to measure true full. This could also help you get the bottom clearance correct.
IMG_2759.jpeg
 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
You can also order direct from KUS.
One thing I did was shim the sender up so that the float could get higher in the tank to measure true full. This could also help you get the bottom clearance correct.
View attachment 219225
I thought of that but I don't have the vertical clearance, the tank's under a setee.
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
You can also order direct from KUS.
One thing I did was shim the sender up so that the float could get higher in the tank to measure true full. This could also help you get the bottom clearance correct.
View attachment 219225
Wow, that's a clean installation! I picked up the cushion and an access panel and the top of my tank is so dirty! I really should clean it.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
5,134
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
"J" valve. :)
My first tank was equipped with a “K” valve, which preceded the “J” valve, I believe. When the draw became difficult, you began ascent. The diminishing ambient pressure on the regulator diaphragm allowed continued drawing from the tank while surfacing slowly. That was your “reserve.” No chance accidentally tripping your “J” value arm (reserve) prematurely.
 
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Apr 5, 2009
3,081
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
You can also order direct from KUS.
One thing I did was shim the sender up so that the float could get higher in the tank to measure true full. This could also help you get the bottom clearance correct.
I do not have any complaints about how it measures at the top of the tank. I have my gauge mounted on the aft side of the cabin top.
Very handy there. The original gauge is on the engine panel which cannot be seen at all from the dock when filling.
 

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