Off on a sailboat delivery .......

from Sarasota, Fl. to Miami, Fl. just in time to bump into TS Ida. You have to love boating!!!!!!!!

Good companies and knowledge gained....

Went to WEMA USA in Fort Lauderdale yesterday to pick up two of their excellent senders. (Don't forget to use code 551 when you checkout to get 30% off).



While I was there I had a chat with Alan the Operations Manager and the subject of Biodiesel came up. He pointed out that the only gasket material to deal with this was 'Viton". These gaskets cost $6 more that the standard cork/nitrile (Buna-N) gasket.

A quick internet search for "Viton" and gaskets pulled up "Quick Cut Gasket & Rubber Corporation, NY". After a conversation with Pete, a 12" x 12" sheet of 1/8" "Viton" is on its way to me.

BioDiesel info here

Another call to NMA provided a source of "Haysite" which is recommended as a support for the tanks (5200 onto the aluminum - read the David Pascoe article here). They can machine any shape you want. Contact Vick.

Sometime it almost looks like I know what I'm doing.

More Bilge Pump stuff.....

Main bilge pump, Rule 3700, with Rule Superswitch. The pipe on the bottom right is the "snorkel" from the lower sump pump which only has to pump the 6" from the bottom of the sump to the upper chamber. Tests will be carried out to see if the Rule 3700 is powerfull enough to totally evaluate the hose, or if the back flow of water will cause the switch to continuously cycle. I will not, under any circumstances be installing a one way valve in the bilge line (Later Note: so much for this plan, ouch, that will teach me not to be so absolute in the future).




The Whale Supersub Smart 650 is the sump pump which is activated by its own electric field sensor. The black box on the left is the high water alarm (Johnson ultima electronic bilge switch) which will be connected to the mother of all bilge alarm bells.




When that thing goes off at 3am, if you haven't died of a heart attack, you are wide awake and ready to deal with any problem.

Bilge pump system....

Lower sump pump feeds into the upper tank, which activates the float switch on a 3700 Rule pump.

Dummy center fuel tank in.....

At least it fits through the hatch...



and into the keel....



The white tank in the middle will be the bilge pump system.



As a result of the test fit the forward tank will be extended 2" and both tanks reduced in height to 23". Tanks are now gone for construction in 5052-H32 .250 aluminum.

Based on some excellent advice on this blog and elsewhere I will rethink the fuel piping system with an emphasis on KISS.

Fuel system piping.....

Fill system: The only deck fill will go to the "day tank" (stbd tank approx 50 gals). A pipe half way down the tank will decant fuel into either of the keel tanks (I am a little nervous of a connection half ways down in the tank but one at the top would require a pump - suggestions???). Having it half way down will prevent draining the day tank fully.

Supply system: The engine will be fed from the day tank (with an emergency valve to allow it to be fed from the keel tanks). Polishing of the day tank will be via the dbl Racor with their own pump.

Full system.

The deck fill and vent will use this Vetus system;

Now I'm off to watch U2 on YouTube!!!!!

Trying to avoid an "Oh Sh1t!!!" moment......

Anyone who has ever worked on a boat has had at least one of these. The work of art that won't fit through the hatchway etc. etc. As I am about to invest a bunch of boat bucks in aluminum tanks that cannot be returned I decide to mock them up, in cardboard and hot glue, first. I will see if they fit tomorrow. I did learn, however, that you should resist the urge to spread hot glue with your finger.



Question for the experts? I need to rest the finished tanks (after epoxying them etc.) on 2" wide by 1" high stringers. What should these be made of? I would like to bolt the stringers to the keel bed and then 5200 the tanks to them, so that rules starboard/kingboard.

Click here for a good article on installing fuel tanks.