Water in the Port tank?

[CaptMike02]

Good Day fellow boaters,
Even if your not on the water at least we're all thinking about it..

I have water in the port fuel tank, I don't know if it's been there since I purchased the yacht in October or getting in from the fill... I have several hours on it, 5 days across Florida to get her home. Didn't have a problem then, so I'm thinking it's getting in from the fill cap??? please correct me if I'm wrong or on the wrong path.

Could I have hit a pocket or bubble of water? Or maybe need to replace the O ring? I put Vaseline on it as a test but it's hard to tell if it's working until I put several hours on it.

thanks for your help.
Capt Mike

[rslifkin]

Fill cap is by far the most likely source of water in a tank. Definitely replace the o-ring, clean the area where it seats on the filler, and lightly smear it with a rubber safe grease. Throw some drygas (I personally use Iso-Heet) in the tank to absorb the water and get it out of the system, then monitor for a re-occurrence. Change the fuel filters as well.

I add drygas (at less than the recommended dose) periodically if using non ethanol gas to make sure that any tiny amounts of water that get in don't just build up in the bottom of the tank and later slosh into the pickup, causing an issue.

[tkeithlu]

Yeah. If it's the usual imbedded cap, the O-rings go bad. An auto parts store or McMaster-Carr should have it. The treatments for dealing with water in fuel are alcohol. It dissolves in both oil and water, so the water goes on through your engine as separated molecules. If you've got a bunch of it in the tank consider draining it and starting over.

https://www.mcmaster.com/o-rings

[CaptMike02]

Thanks Guys,

I sort of didn't mention it's diesel fuel, so IDK if the DryGas will work but there are equivalent for diesel fuel as well.. Yes I did add some, should probably add more by now.
The Raycore fuel/water separator is doing it's job and I check it before I go out and when I get back every time!

I will definitely look into getting new O rings for both tanks...

Smooth sailing
thank you
Capt Mike

[rslifkin]

Diesel would be a different situation and in that case, scratch most of what my earlier post said. I looked at the boat listed in your profile and figured a 28' Bayliner is most likely gas powered.

[CaptMike02]

the Bayliner was gas... and I just noticed that was still in there so I just updated it... hahahaha

major upgrade!!! to the Aquila 38 Power Catamaran... Loving it.

[CaptMike02]

OK even uploaded some pictures!!! Introducing Tropical Breeze... hahaha

[Bill O]

Before the trip would try to pump the bottom of the tank to get water out (possibly crud also). You don't know what kind of conditions you may encounter during your trip and shaking it up too much could be problematic.

The easiest way to do this would be w/a cheap 12v automotive fuel pump with a metal/stiff tube to go to the bottom of the tank through whatever top opening you have (fuel fill, sender, clean out). Pump out until you get clean fuel.
Have also used the electric fuel pump in conjunction w/a Racor filter to recycle any good fuel that may get picked up.
If the fuel tanks are shallow could possibly use a manual kerosene fuel siphon pump to get the majority of the water out. (may not be to popular in FL though)


Boat looks nice!

[CaptMike02]

Originally Posted by Bill O

The easiest way to do this would be w/a cheap 12v automotive fuel pump with a metal/stiff tube to go to the bottom of the tank through whatever top opening you have (fuel fill, sender, clean out). Pump out until you get clean fuel.
Have also used the electric fuel pump in conjunction w/a Racor filter to recycle any good fuel that may get picked up.

Bill, they are 106 gallons each. Bit of a pain to get to but I have thought about that idea... didn't think about an automotive fuel pump, that's a great idea! if/when I have to do it that's what I will use.
the thing is I want to stop the water from getting in the tank before I do that. So I'm going to get new O rings ASAP!!! run it for awhile and if still has water in the Racor I'll do that..
thanks for the comp on the boat.... we love her.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by CaptMike02

Bill, they are 106 gallons each. Bit of a pain to get to but I have thought about that idea... didn't think about an automotive fuel pump, that's a great idea! if/when I have to do it that's what I will use.
the thing is I want to stop the water from getting in the tank before I do that. So I'm going to get new O rings ASAP!!! run it for awhile and if still has water in the Racor I'll do that..
thanks for the comp on the boat.... we love her.

Mike,
Our tanks are similar size (~114 gal ea.) and didn't know the state of the fuel when we purchased the boat. Ended up pumping each side out into 2- 55gal drums w/the automotive fuel pump & Racor set up as described and back again into the tanks. Will say the process wasn't fast (~1 gal/min), but were prepping other things before the 1,100nm trip. (didn't do any fuel filter changes during that trip).
Not thinking you would need to do as much volume for a quick trip. As long as you get the majority of water out and it isn't totally cruddy, then you should be good w/a much smaller volume. The primary Racor should do the rest of the job.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by CaptMike02

I put Vaseline on it as a test but it's hard to tell if it's working until I put several hours on it.

thanks for your help.
Capt Mike

Vaseline is not my favorite O ring lubricant. It may attack the rubber. I prefer Teflon grease. Renew it annually. My O rings are decades old and still good.

[Scorpius]

Water in the Port tank? That's terrible! If I had water in the Sherry tank I'd be devastated!

[John De Bree]

I had a similar problem but had enough water in the system to get through that it locked up the motor, I ended up with putting a diesel fuel filter and alarm from a old Toyota 4x4 and haven't looked back

[Searles]

While the filler cap may well be the culprit ,check the tank breathers have had this before ,mayor may not be an easy check ⛵️⚓️

[CaptMike02]

As a last resort I will have to drain the tank, filter and put back the fuel. I have the Racor and a filter on the Yanmar engine that has an alarm on it. I know it works too..
Vaseline was the only thing I had at the time, I'm going to put new O rings on both tanks as soon as possible.... hopefully the vaseline will work for the time being since it's pouring here now... LOL

Water in the Port would be a bad thing for my girlfriend... but I'm a Loaded Corona guy.... Corona Extra or Premiere with Berardi Lemon filled to the top.. If you haven't tried that you should... LOL gently flip the bottle while holding your thumb over the hole... then enjoy...