Check Your Bilge

Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Went to the boat last night to load it and do some prep and sleep on it for a early morning start today for a two day solo trip.
About to push back, I always check the bilge prior to start up. Lifted the cover and found about 4 gallons of diesel sitting on top of the normal level of water. I couldn't believe I didnt smell it but there it was.
Trip cancelled and spent the day pulling the tank and the plywood platform. It had been leaking off and on for a while. The plywood was saturated.
I have thought something was going on because I would get a diesel smell off and on for a couple months but could never find a leak.
So habit confirmed, check your bilge.
 
Last edited:
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Good idea. Get a couple of those oil logs and sit it in the bilge. It will suck up the oil and allow you to pump the water out of your bilge.
Everett was giving away a fuel packet of oil absorbent pads and logs in a kit. Check with your marina. They may have a program associated with the “Clean Water Sound”.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
That white hose looks kinked.
Yep the tank looks suspect as a leaker.
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
That white hose looks kinked.
Yep the tank looks suspect as a leaker.
That’s the city water connection hose for my water system that is decommissioned. It’s been dc’d from the thru hull and will be removed.
Got home last night and after sitting for a while went out to my shop to build another platform so the epoxy an cure overnight. I had the old one for measurements. Wholly cow, I think there is about a gallon of diesel absorbed in it. I was going to go with starboard but I figure 40 years for the original with no treatment, the new one will do another 40 with epoxy.
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Dumped out the residual fuel in the tank into my waste oil barrel I use for my shop furnace. I ended up throwing out about 1/3 of it because of all the "floaties" in it. I can see why fuel polishing is a thing.
 
Aug 2, 2005
1,155
Pearson 33-2 & Typhoon 18 Seneca Lake
If there is connecting wood that came into contact with the platform it has likely absorbed some of the leaked fuel. A bit of critical investigation might reveal more wood that should be removed and replaced. Now is an opportune time to clean the area that has been exposed. Pure Ayre has been useful for us. It might help in disguising diesel fuel smell that might become noticeable as time goes on even though you didn't notice much odor before the removal.
 
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Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
All wood has been removed and the whole back of the boat up to the mast had been decon'ed with degreaser. All new stuff is sealed with epoxy. I'm going to re configure the 4 batteries awns clean up the electrical routing mess today and install the platform. Tank arrives today but probably in the evening.
 
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Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
In usual form I didn’t take the time to take pictures. Finished up today. With it torn apart I relocated two of my house batteries from the lazerette to under the cockpit floor with the other two batteries, upgraded/made all new battery cables using 2awg, reran/organized the mess of wires running every direction. While in there I upgraded my refer circuit to 8 wag. All this along with removing the rear bulkhead and trim, tearing out the tank, batteries and associated platform it was in, degreasing the whole mess, building and installing the platform and tank and figuring out how to plumb it while installing a remote gauge. I have some battery electrical reconfiguring to do following my previous thread on its design but it’s safe now and I need to take a breather.
Feels good to be done. It’s time to go sailing then it’s compression post platform replacement this winter.
 
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RoyS

.
Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Current best practice is to raise tank up on platform on plastic strips that are bonded to tank bottom. Provide drainage between strips.
IMG_1113.JPG
IMG_1115.JPG
 
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RoyS

.
Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
BTW after you clean up the bilge the diesel odor in your boat will shortly disappear on its own.
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
The new tank is HDPE and the bottom is not flat allowing ventilation. I epoxied the platform top and bottom. The tank mounting brackets engage the sides of the tank and you screw them to the platform. Super solid and easily removable. I thought about putting a perforated mat between the two but feel it was unnecessary.