Fuel tank leak

Bouba said:
About a quarter of the tank...but because of the shape probably closer to a third from the bottom and either at the sides or opposite face
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Ok I was thinking of it was at the bottom , u could put very runny resin mix down the filler tube.
 
seastoke said:
How far up the tank do u think it is
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I think Bouba said it was an 800 litre tank with around 300 litres initially and possibly 200-250 litres left after leakage. Tank will probably have a V shaped bottom and the leak had stopped until 10-20 litres added again. It would seem that the leak is around 40-50% from base to top of tank. Unlikely to be at the bottom.
 
Mistroma said:
I think Bouba said it was an 800 litre tank with around 300 litres initially and possibly 200-250 litres left after leakage. Tank will probably have a V shaped bottom and the leak had stopped until 10-20 litres added again. It would seem that the leak is around 40-50% from base to top of tank. Unlikely to be at the bottom.
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Exactly right
 
Bouba said:
Exactly right
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Just a stab in the dark about the leak. I would expect the builder to avoid welding panels together and also avoid odd tapers if possible (i.e. where a tank fits into a bow area). It seems reasonable that they would simply bend a single sheet to form V and then upright sides. Welds would only be at front and rear sections and I think you can access one end of the tank. Most likely spot is therefore at the stern in the vicinity of the bend where the V section turns to give vertical sides.

Pity you couldn't have pushed a tissue on a stick into that area when it started leaking. :D I suppose there's always the possibility of a screw sticking into a flat panel at the side of the tank.

Pretty much of academic interest now as you will find the source after removing the tank.
 
Bouba said:
Just for everyone’s information (and not because I like you) we are visiting Beneteau on Friday to begin arranging things
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Genuine Q and wont accept any fine from you Bouba :-p

WFT does Beneteau have to do with a 4-5yo boat out of warranty?
What exactly is the point to meeting them (other than buying a new tank)?
I see the point of annoying them but unless you plan to camp outside the CEO office for a month, I doubt it's going to be enough to make them rethink the tank material for new builds, so why waste your time?
 
vas said:
Genuine Q and wont accept any fine from you Bouba :p

WFT does Beneteau have to do with a 4-5yo boat out of warranty?
What exactly is the point to meeting them (other than buying a new tank)?
I see the point of annoying them but unless you plan to camp outside the CEO office for a month, I doubt it's going to be enough to make them rethink the tank material for new builds, so why waste your time?
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It’s the Beneteau dealership where we bought the boat from...they are a big operation with a fully equipped boatyard. They are more likely to know if there are any tricks or shortcuts or the most economical way of getting the tank out and they should be able to get a replacement tank.
At the end of the day all boatyards are the same...but these people will have the most experience with my boat.
If they say they cannot do the job we will look for someone else
 
Bouba said:
It’s the Beneteau dealership where we bought the boat from...they are a big operation with a fully equipped boatyard. They are more likely to know if there are any tricks or shortcuts or the most economical way of getting the tank out and they should be able to get a replacement tank.
At the end of the day all boatyards are the same...but these people will have the most experience with my boat.
If they say they cannot do the job we will look for someone else
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They will upsell you at every twist and turn .
Be fully booked well into the year .
Just drop the identical parts in in a parts thrower kinda way that a 17 y old apprentice at a car main dealer does with “ loyal “ customers.
A re weld is a bodge waiting for the next hole .
The whole thing needs re working .Mounting with air / inspection gaps on a sub frame remote from hull flexing .

Ps some one tell me Beneteau do not rely on the tight / integral mount of the central tank ( as seem on pics thus far ) as some sort of additional hull strengthening?? . In a cost cutting, rapid build pov .

Bit like your transom …..until some one innocently attaches a Passerelle because in the med everyone else seems to have a Passerelle that does not flex out the transoms.
 
Bouba said:
It’s the Beneteau dealership where we bought the boat from...they are a big operation with a fully equipped boatyard. They are more likely to know if there are any tricks or shortcuts or the most economical way of getting the tank out and they should be able to get a replacement tank.
At the end of the day all boatyards are the same...but these people will have the most experience with my boat.
If they say they cannot do the job we will look for someone else
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v.interesting approach that's way beyond me!
To my eyes, it's like going to the main dealer for an out of warranty bodywork repair.
imho, "main dealer" and "economical" should not be put in the same sentence.

I agree with Porto above.
anyway, good luck!
 
vas said:
v.interesting approach that's way beyond me!
To my eyes, it's like going to the main dealer for an out of warranty bodywork repair.
imho, "main dealer" and "economical" should not be put in the same sentence.

I agree with Porto above.
anyway, good luck!
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My impression is that here in the South of France there is no ‘cheap’ especially with boats.
Everyone here charges full rate plus English tax.
There are no savings to be made
 
So we got the ball rolling with Beneteau and had fish & chips on the beach

Unfortunately the short term forecast is strong wind so it will be a little while before I can get the boat to the yard (about 20 nautical miles or less)
 
Quick update....the boat is ready to be lowered into the water..the crane scheduled for tomorrow morning .the Beneteau people will then come and take her to their yard...then they will diagnose the problem and you will be the first to know
 
Well good luck with maiden voyage


Of course , as an ardent ‘ improver’ of perfectly good boats , I - I!- might think about having the old tank chopped out in pieces in situ by the yards smallest apprentice and then replaced with either a bladder in a tray or a series of small tanks , which would ‘ go through the access available’ without recourse to major dismantling surgeries…
 
Blueboatman said:
Well good luck with maiden voyage


Of course , as an ardent ‘ improver’ of perfectly good boats , I - I!- might think about having the old tank chopped out in pieces in situ by the yards smallest apprentice and then replaced with either a bladder in a tray or a series of small tanks , which would ‘ go through the access available’ without recourse to major dismantling surgeries…
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I will discuss that with them...probably after I come to when they present the estimate ?
 
The only comfort that you may derive is that you won't know or see what horrors they committed in removing and replacing the tank, whether they cut holes in the boat or moved the engine, unlesss of course they misalign it when repositioning it.

As a matter of interest what is on the other side of the bulkhead at the back of the tank?
 
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