Fuel Tank Shifting???

[SilverLining]

Went down to boat today to use primer bulb & hose to take out some water/separation in my aux fuel tank. 2000 Sailfish 272 with a 150 gal main and a 52 gal aux. Surprise....when I opened that aux deck access plate found that the fuel sender is now forward and to the port of the access port just enough to prevent sender removal by about 1/2 the diameter of the sender.

Main tank seems to be in place. Will take up deck plate tomorrow to check it out. Anyone heard of this happening?? :?:

 

[seasick]

I hope it is a strap and not a rotted support.

 

[richie rich]

Many of the Grady's used wooden wedge blocks that are screwed diagonally into the lower deck to hold the tanks in position and then they used a 2X4 piece of lumber over the top to hold it down.....other than that, they simply sit on top of a wooden sleeper and belly pan....sounds like a wedge block fell out....maybe a self tapping screw broke and it fell down between the tank and bulkhead.....The newer ones may use a different technique, but the mid 90's and back used the technique I just described....should be no big deal to repair.....unless you hit or jolted something recently???

 

[BobP]

I'm surprised it went forward, there's a 1/2 ply with both sides of 1/8 inch neoprene between main and aux, it has no where to go, and main tank is up against forward bulkhead except for 1/2 inch thick neoprene strips.

There are several wedges on both sides, so how they all came undone to allow movement laterally is another mystery.

That's the arrangement in my 92.

 

[SilverLining]

Removed the fuel tank cover and bilge cover today expecting to see a shifted aux tank. Richie Rich and BobP are correct, there is really no way this tank can move forward or sideways unless there is a major event.

I had assumed the tank must have shifted since the fuel sender was not in the centerline of the boat and 1/2 under the deck access port. Seems I have never had to work on this part of the fuel system and thought the sender must be under the access port exactly like the main tank sender which I have removed several times.

The aux fuel sender is approx 3.25" to the port of center of the aux tank and not in line with the main tank sender or the deck access plate. The boat was built this way. A sigh of relief then puzzlement as to why I have never noticed it.

Also gained a new insight into color coding of fuel lines. The two lines coming from the aux tank have (port) red tape and the two lines from the main tank have (S/B)green tape at the tanks. 17 strips of 1/8" neoprene about 6" long lying on top of the tanks. Assume they go on top of the plywood edges.

The really good news is that I was able to withdraw approx 1.25 gal of water/separated liquid from the bottom of the aux tank. No separation in the main tank.

 

[BobP]

Glad to hear it.

Be sure to caulk the cover screws properly, and the seam.

If you noticed any water on the tank under the deck plates, recaulk the deck plate and replace the O ring.