I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

To really clean it out, you are going to have to be able to get in with
solvents and rags. If the access port is not large enough to do that you
either have to cut a new one or replace the tank.


--
Dennis Gibbons
dkgibbons at optonline dot net
"Vince LoRusso" wrote in message
om...
I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

Hi Vince, we also own a Whitby 42, and have had the same problem with the
main fuel tank. It is a bear to clean up.

Once you get "down" to main filler hose, there is a 12x12 inch inspection
hatch, attached with about 14 slotted screws.
-remove the fill sender gauge assembly ( about 6 screws in the middle of
the inspection hatch).
-remove the inspection hatch.
-(optional step) with the fuel tank around 1/3 to 1/2 full. Jury rigged 2'
long copper tube attached to the end of a air compressor. Use the air to
blow out grunge around the sides of the tank and as much of the anti slosh
plates as possible. Some fancy bends will help get around the corners. Its
not a great solution, but it works.
-pump out the tank into a drum or jerry cans. Complete the pumping by
using a small copper tube attached to a small hand pump to get all of the
crud on the bottom.
-make new gaskets for the inspection hatch and fill sender unit. Get good
quality, thick gasket material from an auto supply store. Use the hatch as
a template. I have used a socket and an hammer to make the screw holes.
-use lock tight on the screws when replacing them. I am not sure why they
can get loose, but they can.
-replace the rubber o-ring on your filler cap.
-you may be able to reuse the old fuel by filtering it before putting
back in.


-We only use the main tank on very long trips. Our fuel system is rigged
with a transfer pump, when we need fuel from the main tank, we transfer it
through a filter to the port or starboard tank.

Good luck.







Vince LoRusso wrote:

I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons



Vince LoRusso wrote:

I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

For 5 years I owned an Islander 44 with a tank in the keel that had no
provision for proper cleanout, nor the room to cut an access port in
unless you had arms 6 feet long.

Although I paid for "tank cleaning" prior to departure on my delivery
trip, from Havre de Grace Maryland to Newport, RI, it was done on land
and in retrospect, could not be thorough enough.

The first day and a half underway knocked enough stuff loose to clog the
first inline Fram filter in about 3 hours, subsequently it took 2 hours,
and the last of 4 filter changes lasted 15 minutes.

We pulled into Cape May and Sea Tow, who was running the only fuel
polishing service in the area, pulled 15 gallons of additional sludge
and contaminate from the fuel.

That pretty well did it, though we removed the Fram filter which was a
bear under way to change and switched to two Raycors, where you could
see the grundge build up. Interestingly enough, the trip down Delaware
Bay, with an almost full tank, appears to have caused most of the stuff
to come off the tank walls, although I wound up changing the primary
Raycor filter about every 10 hours of running time for the next season.

I had planned to build a polishing system, with a separate fuel pump, to
get ahead of the curve, but the problem never quite crossed the level of
aggravation needed to make me actually do it. I just kept a lot of
filters onboard, and in the lazarette I had an additional 20 gallons
tank with what I knew was "pure and clean" diesel, in case something
large and unexpected fouled up my delicate balance.

Jonathan

Vince LoRusso wrote:
I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

To really clean it out, you are going to have to be able to get in with
solvents and rags. If the access port is not large enough to do that you
either have to cut a new one or replace the tank.


--
Dennis Gibbons
dkgibbons at optonline dot net
"Vince LoRusso" wrote in message
om...
I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

Hi Vince, we also own a Whitby 42, and have had the same problem with the
main fuel tank. It is a bear to clean up.

Once you get "down" to main filler hose, there is a 12x12 inch inspection
hatch, attached with about 14 slotted screws.
-remove the fill sender gauge assembly ( about 6 screws in the middle of
the inspection hatch).
-remove the inspection hatch.
-(optional step) with the fuel tank around 1/3 to 1/2 full. Jury rigged 2'
long copper tube attached to the end of a air compressor. Use the air to
blow out grunge around the sides of the tank and as much of the anti slosh
plates as possible. Some fancy bends will help get around the corners. Its
not a great solution, but it works.
-pump out the tank into a drum or jerry cans. Complete the pumping by
using a small copper tube attached to a small hand pump to get all of the
crud on the bottom.
-make new gaskets for the inspection hatch and fill sender unit. Get good
quality, thick gasket material from an auto supply store. Use the hatch as
a template. I have used a socket and an hammer to make the screw holes.
-use lock tight on the screws when replacing them. I am not sure why they
can get loose, but they can.
-replace the rubber o-ring on your filler cap.
-you may be able to reuse the old fuel by filtering it before putting
back in.


-We only use the main tank on very long trips. Our fuel system is rigged
with a transfer pump, when we need fuel from the main tank, we transfer it
through a filter to the port or starboard tank.

Good luck.







Vince LoRusso wrote:

I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons



Vince LoRusso wrote:

I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

For 5 years I owned an Islander 44 with a tank in the keel that had no
provision for proper cleanout, nor the room to cut an access port in
unless you had arms 6 feet long.

Although I paid for "tank cleaning" prior to departure on my delivery
trip, from Havre de Grace Maryland to Newport, RI, it was done on land
and in retrospect, could not be thorough enough.

The first day and a half underway knocked enough stuff loose to clog the
first inline Fram filter in about 3 hours, subsequently it took 2 hours,
and the last of 4 filter changes lasted 15 minutes.

We pulled into Cape May and Sea Tow, who was running the only fuel
polishing service in the area, pulled 15 gallons of additional sludge
and contaminate from the fuel.

That pretty well did it, though we removed the Fram filter which was a
bear under way to change and switched to two Raycors, where you could
see the grundge build up. Interestingly enough, the trip down Delaware
Bay, with an almost full tank, appears to have caused most of the stuff
to come off the tank walls, although I wound up changing the primary
Raycor filter about every 10 hours of running time for the next season.

I had planned to build a polishing system, with a separate fuel pump, to
get ahead of the curve, but the problem never quite crossed the level of
aggravation needed to make me actually do it. I just kept a lot of
filters onboard, and in the lazarette I had an additional 20 gallons
tank with what I knew was "pure and clean" diesel, in case something
large and unexpected fouled up my delicate balance.

Jonathan

Vince LoRusso wrote:
I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

A peek at the several threads that have run on the topic of
"Fuel-polishing" might be useful to you.

A pump, water-seperator, filter and return to the same tank
would fix it up given patience.

Not sure that the tank is leaking water, it just naturally
gets in even from condensation, and stays in, capped by fuel,
for ever.....

Brian W

On 25 Jan 2004 07:45:45 -0800, (Vince
LoRusso) wrote:

I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

I have draincocks at the lowest point in each tank. I periodically
drain off any accumulated water and sediment. Some tanks don't
lend themselves to this setup. I'm almost finished building
a permanent polishing system. I went through the misery of
frequent filter changes and having to be towed. Hated it!
The stress of having filters clog up frequently eventually led
to the failure of the lift pump.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
A peek at the several threads that have run on the topic of
"Fuel-polishing" might be useful to you.

A pump, water-seperator, filter and return to the same tank
would fix it up given patience.

Not sure that the tank is leaking water, it just naturally
gets in even from condensation, and stays in, capped by fuel,
for ever.....

Brian W

On 25 Jan 2004 07:45:45 -0800, (Vince
LoRusso) wrote:

I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons

I have draincocks at the lowest point in each tank. I periodically
drain off any accumulated water and sediment. Some tanks don't
lend themselves to this setup. I'm almost finished building
a permanent polishing system. I went through the misery of
frequent filter changes and having to be towed. Hated it!
The stress of having filters clog up frequently eventually led
to the failure of the lift pump.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
A peek at the several threads that have run on the topic of
"Fuel-polishing" might be useful to you.

A pump, water-seperator, filter and return to the same tank
would fix it up given patience.

Not sure that the tank is leaking water, it just naturally
gets in even from condensation, and stays in, capped by fuel,
for ever.....

Brian W

On 25 Jan 2004 07:45:45 -0800, (Vince
LoRusso) wrote:

I bought a Whitby 42 last June and she has water, fuel and dirt in the
center fuel tank. This tank is located in the keel with an access
plate almost under the motor. I sucked out everything that I could
but the tank is fare from usable.

Anyone have any suggestions how to clean up and seal off this tank so
I can use it?

Thanks,

Vince LoRusso of S/V Horizons