The pump-fill nozzle is then removed.
The clear plastic hose is held vertically to
drain back down into the tank and then is
disconnected and stowed. Both the fill and
Seacurefill vent caps are closed.Taking Off
Of course, the takeoff pipe must reach well
down into the tank if it’s going to get all the
fuel out. Again, 1 inch (25 mm) from the bot-
tom is ideal. At this height the boat can draw
off almost all the fuel, but it won’t suck up the
sludge and gunk swirling around the bottom of
every tank. (The takeoff pipe must be struc-
turally supported at the lower end to prevent
stress cracks from vibration.) Shutoff valves
(also termed “fuel-stop valves”) must be fitted
at each takeoff pipe right at the tank.
Additionally, if the fuel piping runs more
than 12 feet (3.65 m) from tank to engine, an-
other shutoff valve should be fitted near the
connection to the engine or gen set.
NOTE: Some manufacturers install a fil-
ter at the bottom end of the takeoff pipe inside
the tank. This is not good practice; if this fil-
ter clogs or corrodes, you can’t get at it with-
out draining the tank and withdrawing the
takeoff pipe. The filters should be installed
outside the tanks as described earlier. If you
have such an installation, you should have the
filter on the takeoff inside the tank removed.Keeping Your Tanks Dry
Metal nonintegral tanks should have a 1- to
2-inch (25 to 50 mm) gap between the boat’s
hull and the tanks. This permits water to drain
off and encourages the ventilation needed to
prevent corrosion. Similarly, the tops of the
tanks should be sloped or slightly rounded so
water won’t collect and sit on the top.PART TWO: FUEL SYSTEMS
Figure 5-10.
Splash-Stop instal-
lation (Courtesy
Vetus)
Figure 5-11.
Splash-Stop
(Courtesy Vetus)
Figure 5-12. Seacurefill (Courtesy Seacurefill)