Trojan Boat Forum

OK, So I'm at the point with "Basket Case" that I want to try to fire the engines after a 3 year slumber (the engines - not me). I've already posted here (in anguishing detail) that my 4 permanent gas tanks are loaded with water-laden bad fuel. Pumping out and disposing of the bad fuel and cleaning, inspecting and/or replacing all the tanks is going to take some time. Meanwhile, I want to be able to run the engines and possibly have enough fuel in some "temporary" tank to be able to steam up the Hudson River approx 3 miles to another marina where it can be hauled out and the bottom done.

Since I have the older 36' tri-cabin design, I wan thinking I could bolt in a smaller tank between the engines in the aft cabin. Does anyone have some pearls of wisdom as to what kind of tank. etc to place there. Any temp tank would be removed after the "mains" are refurbished or replaced. I'm assuming that I can't just get away with a couple of 6 gal outboard tanks for interim use unless they were mounted outside in the cockpit for venting purposes.

No No the portable tanks unless you put them out side .

can you get on tank dry ( pump the fuel in to the others ? ) if you can do that you can run off that 1 tank .

Not to be funny but I would join sea tow or boat tow us , just in case as the boat has been sitting and you never know what can happen on the first trip . pay 150 now or 600+ if you break down , to me its a easy choice . I have a towing plan my self

+1 or go with the small ones topside and bring 10 gallon or so in cans for a 3 mile trip but don't bring inside.

I don't know that I'd be motoring around with a temp fuel supply. Gotta believe there is a million things that can go wrong. I read a post where somebody found a farmer and gave him the old fuel to run out in equipment or something. If you get creative you can get rid of it.

Not opposed to test running on temp fuel supply but you really don't want to be "that guy" when you have a problem on the water with your temp fuel supply and an untested craft.

Good points, Guys. Yep. Definitely joining SeaTow as well as the SeaBees Demo Squad (if all else fails). I could pump the bad gas into one of the other tanks but I'm sure those 40 year old tanks have a lot of junk sitting at the bottom just waiting to be sucked into my engines. My plan is to temp install a smaller newer capacity gas tank aft between the engines and have both feed off that one tank. the "Temp" Tank would be properly chocked and braced, etc. After the main tanks are emptied, inspected. cleaned or replaced, the temp tank would go away. I want to be able to haul and re-do the bottom before I will have time o do all that. Anyone have a small (24 -36 gal) tank sitting in their living room that the Admiral wants out of there?

Captain Blast Off wrote:Gotta believe there is a million things that can go wrong.

I agree, It's not just the fuel. It's the engines, trannys, batteries, rudders, through hulls, shaft packing, throttle cables, steering, and so on. Your boat has been sitting for a long time and the Hudson is not a friendly place in the winter. I don't know how far you need to go but I would consider a tow.

If you do go on your own I would bring a friend with another boat as a escort.

Rent a runabout and tow it yourself ?

your temp tank would need to be vented to the outside and the filler out side also

Agreed!!! You need to put your tank outside. I've ran more than a few boats on temp tanks, but the engines were running ok. You NEED to see if the engines/trannys will run ok before you even move outta your slip. If your lucky enough, and you only have to run a few miles @6-7 kts, then 2- 10 gal john boat tanks would get you there, one for each engine.

Ron

Join seatow and then push yourself out of your slip and give them a call.

If they pick you up from your slip to move you it is not an emergency tow in their eyes, it is a job to move you and your seatow membership will not cover the job.

Just a small note on the bad fuel I had...we gave some away and then looked harder at the price of fuel and changed our plan a bit.

We pumped the top of the tanks and have mixed it 50/50 with new gas and have been burning it now in my flex fuel 09 silverado with no issues. My buddy who is helping me with the boat is also running it in his 90 S-10 without issues.

The balance of the bad fuel will be given away...I still get calls off of the single craigslist add I posted over three weeks ago.

Buckle up buttercup...when you get those tanks out you will be in for a shock...just like me.
I am replacing the saddle tanks. Previous owners must have replaced tanks under cockpit as they are aluminum and saddles were galvinized steel.

SRD
F36

Good point with the price of fuel I'm sure you can give it away Rig a filter on whatever pump you use.

Struts and rudders, How are you taking your saddle tanks out. Are you pulling the motors or something else?

wowzer52 wrote:Struts and rudders, How are you taking your saddle tanks out. Are you pulling the motors or something else?

His motors are out

Oh... I would like to replace saddle tanks but don't want to pull the motors to do it. I run on the main tanks anyway because the boat handles so much better but someday they'll get changed if I can find a place to get new ones the same size.

I realy think you can replace them on a F36 with out pulling the motors , not sure about the F32 but from the photos I have looked at I belive you could , not saying it would be easy but could be done .