Fuel Tank Servicing
23 April 2009 | Gig HARBOR, WASHINGTON
Rick 13000
Hi from Sunny.... I mean Rainy Gig Harbor!
The first couple days back were just spectacular! Sunny, warm and Spring was in the air!!! Now that Spring is over (lasted a couple days!) it's been raining off and on. Oh well, that's Seattle for ya!
I've been jamming on the boat (between naps)!!! Yesterday was dedicated to servicing the fuel and water systems. I had a local guys drive out with his special fuel tank cleaner! It's pretty cool!!! He uses two hoses that go into the fuel tank...one is the high pressure and the other is the suction. It sucks fuel from the tank, passes it thru a filter system then shoots it back into the tank to clean all the crud. You can see the nasty crap on the first filter and just a little bit on the second filter. I consider this INSURANCE for when I get out in the rocking and rolling action and that nasty stuff gets stirred up and clogs my fuel filters, killing the motor... So that was a cheap $350 insurance policy!
I also filled both water tanks (total of 70 gallons) and added the water conditioner to each. I installed a new water filter cartrige and fired up the system... I think I still have air in the lines, so a little more use should clear it out.
Today will be the porta-john servicing. Yuck! If you read my blog from last Fall, you may remember that I didn't read the instructions when adding the chemicals.. and got a face full of MOTHER NATURE! So, I will READ and HEED all instructions!
I had to remove the starter a couple days ago! It would click about five times before finally turning over the motor. It's in the shop getting rebuilt.
I also ran every piece of electrical equipment on the boat for almost 20 hours on the one battery bank and still had tons of reserve power to start the motor if i needed to. (the Link 20 monitor locked up this morning, so my faith in it has gone out the window!!!)
I'll have to replace a couple of the mast lights AGAIN! This time I'll install LED lights! The old type lights just don't hold up!
I unloaded one cart worth of STUFF from the boat and probably have two more before I have all the CLUTTER removed... I don't want stuff flying around the cabin when the rocking and rolling begins! OUCH!
I had my first close call two nights ago... I had opened up the engine room to work on the starter, I didn't put the stairs back in before going to the store.... I ended up coming back at night, pitch black and raining... I got in a rush and headed down into the cabin... except there was nothing there and I think I split every inch of ME FALLING INTO THE CABIN! Oh man did that hurt! I had to double check the family jewels and my head!!! ANOTHER NOTE TO SELF: SLOW DOWN! CHECK THE STAIRS BEFORE PROCEEDING DOWN!
I'm in the starting blocks now! Just waiting for the starting gun to go off! I'm so ready to get moving!
Here's to Dry cabins and firm footing!