Question about the fuel tank

[peterjaw]

Hi captains,
The owner's manual suggests to keep the fuel tank full for preventing condensation.
However, it is way to heavy if I only travel 20 ~ 30 nm each time.

As a holiday sailor, I would like to hear some advises from real-world captains.

Thanks for any inputs.

ps. My fuel tank's capacity is 400L. I use Mercury Verado 300 outboard engine.

 

[Assassin]

It is sound advice as the condensation from the air above the fuel forms into water droplets and they run down the tank and into the fuel, the fuel floats on the water and this causes the fuel pick up pipe to pick up both water and fuel when enough water forms, this can cause considerable damage and wear to closely machined fuel injection parts and create unnecessary engine failures when at sea, it can also cause other problems such as diesel bug which can also be an engine killer.

You do have possibilities and one is to replace the existing tank with a smaller one which is sufficient for your needs plus a little contingency, or fit a smaller tank in a convenient location and leave your larger one, and leave your larger one open and vented to prevent the inclusion of water.

 

[derekbland]

I have 2 x 900L tanks and am just getting terms with all the do's and dont's. I was told that it is good advice to keep them topped up but most important in winter when being used far less or not at all. This advice was from an engineer and an instructor. I don't think it is practical to fill up every time I go out for a punt into the Solent and back and use probably less that 1/20th of the tank.

 

[Momac]

With petrol engines you should leave the tank empty over the winter as if not used the fuel may go stale.
Diesel on the other hand does not go stale so should be full over winter if possible.

 

[tico]

Peter
Where you are based I would not worry too much about condensation. Although the humidity is high, so are the ambient temperatures.

 

[peterjaw]

Thank you very much for suggestions and advises.

It looks like I don't need to worry about the condensation here in Taiwan.

 

[QBhoy]

Only advised over winter or storage I think. I keep mine as empty as possible over winter and run 2 stroke through the last drops of it. Never had a problem.