Question for the sportfish crowd

[madhatter1]

I have 150 gallons of diesel in my keel tank. Never use it. Went to use it for burning up during sea trial after mechanical work. Didn’t even make it off the dock before engines started starving and rolling back and forth. Quick shift back to main tank I always use that is always clear resin the bowls and engines calmed down.

Question is am I better off getting rid of the fuel I will never trust or use or leave it in there as ballets being low in the belly. Only 1000 lbs or so but am I better running with it or without it. Common sense says without but seakeeping might be better with it.

Thoughts?

 

[Boatsb]

Get it polished and or checked. It may not be bad. Just could have been the plumbing.

 

[Captain Ralph]

Did it clog the filters? Hard to draw (high vacuum)?
I would prefer to consume it if we could figure why you had problems.

Ballast question would need to be asked; Do you plane or idle around?

I would prefer usable reserve fuel if used for ballast.

 

[madhatter1]

I run on plane. Run off main tank so auxiliary gets ignored, then with algae or whatever use is no longer an option. Even if we make the eventual run to Bahamas my 520 gallon main tank gets us to where we can fuel up. Question is do boats handle better with the fuel weight in the belly or without. I prefer to get it pumped out and leave empty unless there is a good sea keeping reason to leave it there.

 

[Captain Ralph]

"sea keeping reason to leave it there"

This may be all up to you and how you drive your boat If it helps or knot.


Still wish to know what the issue was.
That still could be a good emergency reserve.

Bertie holds 1350 and I wish we could take on more.

 

[Bob Bradley]

I agree with Ralph. Hell, maybe you were sucking air from a loose connection. Unless you're on fire, there's no such thing as too much fuel.

 

[rsmith]

Why slow the boat down with extra weight. Fuel doesn’t go bad. But the tank is probably loaded with algae pump it out and sell it. Nearly $6 you probably could get at least 3

 

[Play'N Hooky Too]

I would check the plumbing from the tank to the fuel selector valve. Just a few months ago I switched the fuel selector valves on mine over to the keel tank for the first time since owning the boat. Almost immediately it caused both the engines to sputter and die. I thought it was from the old(er) fuel in the tank. Upon further inspection it turned out that the previous owner had completely isolated the keel tank by removing the fuel hoses and capping the line fittings at the valves. The only way to get fuel out of the keel tank was to use a dedicated transfer pump that he had installed. It wasn't obvious that this had been done until I traced out all the fuel lines.

 

[madhatter1]

Since there is no hurry think I will try switching them over one at a time. Only starboard was jumping around. Port was steady but we switched everything back to the main tank right away for the sea trial. Could just be a bugger in the line for starboard. If so I could run port off keel with return to main (when I'm half full on main) to burn some off and transfer to main. Then change filters. Thinking I don't need to haul an extra 1000 pounds around everywhere I run. With my 520 main tank I have minimum range of 200 statute miles, 180 nautical miles with 1/3rd tank in reserve. Will I need more range to venture to the Bahamas?

 

[Captain Ralph]

With the price of fuel in the islands, bring as much off-road fuel as you can.

BTW, where you heading in the Bahamas?
Grand Bahama & Abacos just git kicked in the grass again.
From what I read, They have not re-built much since the storm 3 years ago that just sat on them.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I don't think that weight would make much difference in seakeeping, but I agree with getting it polished and actually using it.

 

[rsmith]

If I remember right the generator runs off the forward center tank. It run ok?

 

[Pascal]

Since there is no hurry think I will try switching them over one at a time. Only starboard was jumping around. Port was steady but we switched everything back to the main tank right away for the sea trial. Could just be a bugger in the line for starboard. If so I could run port off keel with return to main (when I'm half full on main) to burn some off and transfer to main. Then change filters. Thinking I don't need to haul an extra 1000 pounds around everywhere I run. With my 520 main tank I have minimum range of 200 statute miles, 180 nautical miles with 1/3rd tank in reserve. Will I need more range to venture to the Bahamas?

Get a small electric pump and a cheap filter. Use that to transfer fuel to your main tank so you don’t risk contaminating anything. Suck from the bottom of the tank with a piece of copper pipe to get the junk out of the tank.


The problem you had sounds like a pick up or valve problem. If the fuel was bad you d have clogged the filters and it would not have run good after switching back

Fuel is $1 to $2 more in the Bahamas so it’s worth filling up before leaving. 180 nm range is barely enough in the Bahamas especially with generator use.

 

[madhatter1]

If I remember right the generator runs off the forward center tank. It run ok?

Generator on mine runs off main tank. Keel tank is under the main and extends into engine room some. That's where the fill gauge is and it hasn't moved off full in years.

 

[Briankinley2004]

I made the trade and now own an 83 46 HP. It has 871's. The keel tank only has 1/8 in it right now. Next time I take her out I can let you know how she rides. Haven't had her out in anything rough so don't have much for comparison.

 

[rsmith]

I made the trade and now own an 83 46 HP. It has 871's. The keel tank only has 1/8 in it right now. Next time I take her out I can let you know how she rides. Haven't had her out in anything rough so don't have much for comparison.

HP should have 8/92’s

 

[Timeless72]

Had the same problem with our center 180 gallon tank. Sat full for years. Engines starved when I tried using. We emptied and found a mass of junk plugging the pick up. I had a loaner diesel for work and ran that old fuel without issue, pumping from the barrels every boat visit.

 

[madhatter1]

HP should have 8/92’s

This is correct. You either have the standard 46 with 8-71’s or the HP option with the 8-92’s. I don’t know how to tell the difference in engine size (I’m sure someone here does) but if you post your cruise speed/RPMS I could tell you. Did you get the queen layout?

 

[Briankinley2004]

Mine definitely has 8-71's but has the 2.5" shafts. My understanding, from the link below, is they were all built with the heavy duty running gear but the 8-92's is what made it an official HP model(maybe a cut keel too?). I thought I read somewhere that all of them had the extra fiberglass reinforcing etc. Basically same hull just different engines. If this is not correct I would like to know. Not that I am planning on repowering but my understanding is that I could drop 8-92's in without worrying about reinforcing the hull. As for the layout I got the standard bed layout. I think it works better for the overnight trips I do and I don't like "sleeping" in the bow anyways. I prefer to be midships or in the bridge

 

[madhatter1]

Mine definitely has 8-71's but has the 2.5" shafts. My understanding, from the link below, is they were all built with the heavy duty running gear but the 8-92's is what made it an official HP model(maybe a cut keel too?). I thought I read somewhere that all of them had the extra fiberglass reinforcing etc. Basically same hull just different engines. If this is not correct I would like to know. Not that I am planning on repowering but my understanding is that I could drop 8-92's in without worrying about reinforcing the hull. As for the layout I got the standard bed layout. I think it works better for the overnight trips I do and I don't like "sleeping" in the bow anyways. I prefer to be midships or in the bridge

From what I remember reading 4 years ago when I got my boat you are correct. Only engines and something was modified on the keel are the differences. Other than that same exact boat. Does yours have the head built into the V? Ours does and it makes great use of otherwise dead space so boat is roomier.
What's your cruise speed and RPM's? MPG? Just curious.