New Fuel Tanks

Lowe Key developed a fuel leak which was originally thought to be a fitting problem. When the tank would hold pressure and still would leak when full, the tanks were taken out and new ones installed.

The problem was a plugged vent line which was from the factory tank test days. The vent line ran from the outboard aft corner of the tank up above the scuppers to the fuel vent on the hull. All of this was behind the watermaker (I was the small member of the crew so I got to be the mechanic).

This also gave Lowe Key 120 more gallons of water since the two additionally tanks were used as "spacers." The new fuel tanks go through the saloon hatches (with the engine out)

Where it started.... The 2x2's are teak and glassed to the tanks. The seachest is the 4 inch U pile with a strainer in front of the hot water heater.	This is the view after the 2x2's were removed and the tank exposed.	This is a close up of the leaking seam at the bottom of the tank. The white part is the fiberglass over the iron tank.
So that we were sure the tank would fit the space, templets were built. This is the port templet.	The new port tank is going in the boat.	Yes, the tanks go through the saloon hatches. You have to have the engine out but that is a small price. Two "spacer" tanks were added to give us an additional 120 gallons of water behind the fuel tanks.
This is the completed installation of the port fuel tank looking forward.	This is the completed installation of the port fuel tank looking aft.