Full tanks in the med?

[Steruth1]

Ok so do you leave your tanks full or half full in the med, been told both since we have been over here.???
Anyone have the right answer

 

[kashurst]

I never bother, if anything I leave it over the winter as low as possible. Condensation not really an issue so I work on the premise the less diesel there is, the less can be infected.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Well I've been in the Med for 14 seasons and I've never left my tanks full for the winter. I've just left them as they were when the season finished. I've also never heard anyone talk about diesel bug either. In fact whenever I've mentioned it to a local they seem to think I am mad. Having said that I do occasionally lob a bottle of anti bug treatment into my tanks for old times sake. Also with a boat in the Med you're more likely to keep using it throughout the winter anyway. Nobody seems to lay up their boats like we do in the UK

 

[DavidJ]

Agree
I keep it low to make it lighter for it's spring lift and scrub.
No problems in 13 years

 

[Portofino]

I used to bother with a VP boat with a 650L tank untill an engineer told me its not cold enough , they never see any water / bug issues in La Napoule .Its a "Brit " thing !

This boat has 2000L + with racors + drains ,so it's poss to see I guess? Also we have WIF senors and alarms and the 3 tanks have drain cocks .
Tube heaters are placed in the cabins either side of the engine room in the spaces infront -the main cabin and the aft cabin (not in it ) so presume theres heat soak .
Canopy is fully up inc a rear cover ,so that adds an extra layer of insulation-over the E room space -it gets hot under the sun
So I don,t bother now , started to copy the locals

I ve Allways used "Startron " @every fill up past 11years

 

[Nick_H]

Like others, I don't fill the tanks, but I do put bug killer in at the last fill, or before leaving the boat for the winter. Is it right that there's less condensation though, as condensation forms due to temperature differences, not due to cold weather per se, and it's quite humid in SoF and the boat is usually soaked with dew each morning?

 

[Rgrwynne]

Very interesting responses, because I suppose out of habit I make sure the fuel tanks are always full. Probably been lucky because of the fall in sterling and increase in diesel price having 1100 litres means I have gained. I also always use fuelset, again out of advice, but like comments here I have never seen or heard anybody suffer from diesel bug.
It is true that boats can be used right through the winter and I am moving to another marina so the boat will be used. It will also be lifted out on the spring for maintenance, but never considered full tanks to be a problem

 

[simonfraser]

virtually all of the water is either from contaminated fuel or a leaky seal on the filler cap, plenty of rain in the UK ....

 

[Steruth1]

Thanks guys half full it will remain then.

 

[Hurricane]

I always leave the boat full.
And ALWAYS treat it with Marine 16 bug treatment.
That way we could move the boat immediatly if we wanted to.

Downside, my fuel depreciated almost as much as the boat last winter!!

 

[Whitelighter]

Downside, my fuel depreciated almost as much as the boat last winter!!

But recently it's gone back up!!

 

[Hurricane]

But recently it's gone back up!!

Unfortunately, that load (and subsequent loads) all burned away!

 

[Eren]

Diesel bug is not a problem that I would like to leave to chances. Unless there is a possibility of selling the boat, pre-financing the fuel that will be used next season is not a big issue. Losing the engines one after the other at the middle of the sea is a nightmare and this may happen with contaminated diesel. I always fill up my tank at the end of the season and use required quantity of Gratomar. All in all, we buy thicker chains, bigger anchors, etc for peace of mind, right? Protecting the fuel from diesel bug falls into the same category for me. Winterizing my boat properly gives me comfortable sleeps all throughout the winter.