Pickle A Tank

[Cellnav]

I've stopped using the 15 gallon steel fuel tank in my C-27 and elected to install an outboard tank in the lazarette. It's easier to clean and safer in the event of a leak. We've never gone farther than the five gallon tank can take us anyway. The steel tank is dry and I'd like to partially fill it with something to prevent condensation and corrosion. Would anti-freeze be a suitable preservative? All the way or just enough to slosh?

Aloha,

Mike

[SEMIJim]

If it's truly empty, and seals up well, maybe find some way to suspend some desiccant in there, and change it out occasionally? I certainly wouldn't want to be hauling-around the weight of 15 gallons of unneeded fluid.

As to your reasoning for doing this: If you use good-quality gasoline from reputable vendors you should never need to clean your gasoline tank. Have you ever heard of anybody cleaning the gasoline tanks in their automobiles, motorcycles, lawnmowers, etc.? I haven't. True, gasoline probably sits longer in a sailboat's tank than that of the average motor-driven vehicle, but still... Our "gas gauge" is a stick with (approximate, I guess) fill lines marked on it. It firmly hits the bottom of our boat's 32-year-old tank every time it's used. There's never any "muck" or anything on the bottom of the stick. Secondly: How would leaking gasoline be safer in a lazarette than anywhere else? In fact: Given that the lazarette probably doesn't have a blower, to me it would seem less safe.

Jim

[Sid Smith, SR.]

They will probably give you a warning for a portable tank in the locker.

[msauntry]

Why bother with the tank at all? If its unusable, just let it rust in peace.
I'd remove it if possible.

Throw in a poly tank if you need more capacity in the future.

[Cellnav]

The reason I switched tanks was bass pick-up tube in the old one completely disintergrated and the fuel was full of crud when I sampled it. The tank can't be removed without removing the engine and it's impossible to find anyone who cleans petrol tanks. Also, it's baffled so you can't reach into the corners with a brush. One of these days I'll clean it out with a power washer. As for the Cost Guard, I had a courtesy inspection last month and they didn't seem concerned.

[blackdove]

Hi,
In Annapolis we have a company that will clean gasoline (petrol) tanks. If you are interested, send me a private email. I'm reading about more and more tanks that cannot be removed. I've personally removed several tanks from boats and done so without removing the engines. It takes time, patience and planning. At times, it also helps to be able to invent a new vocabulary when things get dicey but it can be done.