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From: Baumgart, James (no email)
Date: Thu Apr 20 2006 - 14:30:10 EDT
Dead algae looks like coffee grounds. Sounds like you killed it when you added the Biobor (or whatever). You need to get the "fuel polished". There are companies that can do it, or you can do it yourself. Follow the directions on the Biobor to "shock" the system. Then hook up an electric fuel pump and pump through a filter for 100 hours or so, changing filters as needed. Use Biobor as directed there after.
Jim Baumgart
SDlaw/eSUN Program Manager
858-571-4221
-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:] On Behalf Of Kevin
Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 11:17 AM
To: ; ; captains_admirals at yahoogroups dot com;
Subject: [world-cruising] mucking the fuel tank...
Got back recently from a 2 week shakedown cruise on my Islander 28. It went
like this:
Everett to Port Townsend. PT to Friday Harbor. FH to Deer Harbor. DH to
Johns Island. JI to Sucia Island. SI to Bedwell Harbor (Poets Cove). BH
to Ganges. Ganges to Friday Harbor. FH to Anacortes. Anacortes to La
Conner. LC to Coupeville. Coupeville home to Everett.
Good trip! Photos here:
http://spunt.aigc.net/gallery/The-Voyages-of-Halcyon?page=1 (Thanks to Adam
Yuret of Cascadia for making Spunt available).
The main issue I have to deal with is muck in the fuel tank (Volvo Penta
MD-7A 13 HP Diesel). Whenever we got into chop, the primary filter would
rapidly clog indicated by increasing vacuum on the fuel line and decreasing
engine performance.
The boat sat for a long time before I acquired it. When I acquired it, the
tank was nearly full. On the trip, we added clean fuel when down to ½ tank.
It made the fuel look much better but did not help with the clogging. The
primary filter is a Racor fuel/water separator with 2 micron element. I
tried a 10 micron element but it clogs just as bad as the 2micron.
I suspect critters have grown in the fuel. Added biocide yesterday, but not
sure if that will help at all (too late?). The tank is 20 gallons,
stainless steel, rectangular. The muck is not metallic; it is black powdery
stuff that sort of disappears when rubbed between one's fingers. Is this
critter poop or critter carcasses or just bad fuel?
I believe my only option is to suck out the fuel and muck out the tank.
There is a very small access plate on the top of the tank (tank is under the
cockpit). It may not even be big enough to get my hand into. I can pump
the fuel out through that or through the fill entry.
So far, my plan is to use a halyard to heel the boat so I can get the last
bit of fuel into the edge of the tank for better removal. At present, the
tank is just over ¾ full.
Questions:
Should I get an electric pump for this operation or use some sort of hand
pump? Recommendations?
Once the majority of the fuel is out, what would be the best way to get the
muck out through such a small hole? (The tank is partially glassed in and
I'd rather not remove the tank).
Any other thoughts, advise, wisdom, ideas? All input is highly appreciated!
Regards,
Kevin
Halcyon, I28
Everett, Puget Sound
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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