Diesel from tank vent

[adey]

Filled up with diesel but I'd forgotton to open one of the tank valves. After a few minutes of running, diesel was pouring out of the vent. The guys on the fuel berth suggested water in the tank and I should get them both cleaned immediately. Later, when I spotted the closed valve on one tank the flow from the vent stopped, albeit with the occasional dribble. The racor filters don't have water in them. Suggestions?
Is it possible that there's water in a tank or the fuel return was just going to the closed tank and filled it to overflowing?

 

[sailorman]

Filled up with diesel but I'd forgotton to open one of the tank valves. After a few minutes of running, diesel was pouring out of the vent. The guys on the fuel berth suggested water in the tank and I should get them both cleaned immediately. Later, when I spotted the closed valve on one tank the flow from the vent stopped, albeit with the occasional dribble. The racor filters don't have water in them. Suggestions?
Is it possible that there's water in a tank or the fuel return was just going to the closed tank and filled it to overflowing?

The latter would make sense

 

[jfm]

You don't describe the plumbing at all so I'm guessing at "tank valve", but if you have an engine returning fuel to a recently filled tank while not drawing from that tank then it will quickly pour out of the vent. Remember the return fuel flow rate can be 20x the engine burn rate.
No harm done. This has nothing to do with water in fuel. That's a crazy suggestion.

 

[KevB]

Water in the tanks!! Rubbish. Either over filled or somehow filling up pressurised the tank a bit till you opened the valve.

 

[adey]

Confirms what I thought but swmbo wanted an expert to give it a look so 84 euros and 12 minutes later the chap says 'every-sings ok' and we set off from Antibes this morning. Sadly it cost us another day though because "I'll be there in 15 minutes means sometime the following day.
Had lunch in Baie des Canebiers off Saint Tropez. Currently in the fabled Red Dot Bay for the first time so the world's a nice place again!
Plan in being here overnight.