It will not make any difference what you do on the outside. You have a
problem that MUST be solved from the inside of the tank. When diesel
gets past the surface barrier it can migrate along the glass fiber for
several feet before it shows up outside the tank. Once the diesel gets
into the layup it will find a way out. That is the main reason why
integral fuel tanks are discouraged.

Drew has the right idea for a sloshing or brushable sealing compound for
the inside. It is NOT easy to use but that is going to be your only
solution.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

Glenn Ashmore might have said:

It will not make any difference what you do on the outside. You have a
problem that MUST be solved from the inside of the tank. When diesel
gets past the surface barrier it can migrate along the glass fiber for
several feet before it shows up outside the tank. Once the diesel gets
into the layup it will find a way out. That is the main reason why
integral fuel tanks are discouraged.

Drew has the right idea for a sloshing or brushable sealing compound for
the inside. It is NOT easy to use but that is going to be your only
solution.

Hi Glenn,

I recognize your name from, I think, the old cruising group from mid
nineties...?

Well, the tank is not integral; it was built and set into the eggcrate, so I
can't fix from outside without removing it. So, you're right, it must be fixed
from inside.

As posted as reply to Drew, resin is polyester, not epoxy; hopefully this
sloshing ariplane stuff will work.

Nice website - hell of a boat. I have a lot of respect for you builders - you
build em - I'll sail 'em years later! I'm an engineer by trade; hate sticky
itchy stuff, but don't mind heat and grease! Always liked the saildrive - had
one on an O'Day 28 years ago.

Hope to see you cruising in the Eastern Caribbean someday...

Good sailing,

John

Truelove39 wrote:

Hi Glenn,

I recognize your name from, I think, the old cruising group from mid
nineties...?

Yep, back in the old C-serve OLYC days.

Well, the tank is not integral; it was built and set into the eggcrate, so I
can't fix from outside without removing it. So, you're right, it must be fixed
from inside.

I wasn't assuming your tank was integral, just that the principle is the
same. Before I decided to build I looked at a lot of boats. Found one
with integral diesel tanks that had started weeping diesel from an area
a good 6' from the tank.

As posted as reply to Drew, resin is polyester, not epoxy; hopefully this
sloshing ariplane stuff will work.

That will probably be your only choice. It doesn't take but a single
pinhole in the gel coat for the fuel to get through. Then it will
search out the path of least resistance and follow it where ever it goes.

Nice website - hell of a boat. I have a lot of respect for you builders - you
build em - I'll sail 'em years later! I'm an engineer by trade; hate sticky
itchy stuff, but don't mind heat and grease! Always liked the saildrive - had
one on an O'Day 28 years ago.

Hope to see you cruising in the Eastern Caribbean someday...

Good sailing,

John




--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com