gas clean up

[hydrick]

anybody ever had problem with overfull tank leaking in hull? the boat was filled with sixty gallons of premium then hauled 20 miles through bumpy twisting roads.sat overnight and bilge area was dry upon inspection even though i smelled fumes.launched,driven for couple hours at high rate of speed on rough lake,then left at steep angle overnight and most of the next day.once i pulled the plug i surmise i lost a gallon of fuel.i'm hoping this is a bloated fuel tank lack of venting issue

my question is how to clean fuel out of foam surrounding tank.I've soaked visible fuel,and seemingly have no more coming into tank area and draining to bilge area. I then filled tank area with waterhose and flushed,and flushed drain hole in cabin area.
I have been soaking the remnants of the remaining fuel that's mixed with water and hope to now clean with cleaner.

 

[smokeonthewater]

You have a leak.... Cleanup is the least of your problems... That boat needs to be OUT OF SERVICE until the leak is found and repaired and then any trace of gas and gas fumes removed.

 

[gm280]

WOW, I honestly don't know how you are ever going to get the gas soaked foam cleaned up again. I can't think of anything to remove the gas from foam other then removing the foam itself... JMHO!

 

[hydrick]

You have a leak.... Cleanup is the least of your problems... That boat needs to be OUT OF SERVICE until the leak is found and repaired and then any trace of gas and gas fumes removed.

yes, no doubt a dangerous situation that has to be eradicated.and it will be. I wrote the post as I did because I am in the soaking up stage and the remnants are water laced with fuel from the foam.untill I pressure test it I'm assuming it isn't a hole in the tank cause it still has a full tank, and on level ground now.i'm hoping to find it was coming from the float gasket.it's the only area that remotely felt damp on top.

 

[smokeonthewater]

My bet is a hose leak...
You CAN'T safely pressure test an installed tank... They are pressure tested when new in a jig that supports the tank and holds it's shape... Even just a couple psi can do substantial damage to the tank and the boat and can be very dangerous.

I'm sad to say that you likely need to remove the tank at minimum and might need to remove the foam.... Of corse on most hulls that takes the project to a whole new tragic level.

IF the gas has simply coated the foam you may be able to wash it off with degreaser and copious amounts of water but if it has penetrated you likely have a major project on your hands.

 

[hydrick]

interestingly enough, what was foam as squishy as a bath sponge when the fuel was present, now after sopping out the fuel and flooding with the garden hose for twenty minutes has now, dried and rehardened as If it had been just installed.i would have never believed it had I not witnessed it.no traces now of wet fuel.large shop fan blowing over three days has minimized fuel smell.i will be soaping her down with dawn soon.the tank when I first noticed the problem was swollen like a dead gar on a lake in the sun for a couple days, but has now returned to it's original state.it appears that with the sixty gallons the filler neck full, would have rendered the vent useless cause it too would have been full of fuel.seepge appears to have come from the sending unit gasket.thanks for your comments.

 

[smokeonthewater]

I would be VERY concerned about gas fumes seeping out over time... Maybe a gas fume detector would be worthwhile.

 

[Bondo]

.no traces now of wet fuel.large shop fan blowing over three days has minimized fuel smell.

Ayuh,.... Gasoline is very volatile, so the big fan is probably the Best way to clear it outa the hull,.....

 

[ovrrdrive]

I'd be looking at the hoses myself as well... The hoses on my 2008 Seapro fell apart after the first season when I bought the boat. That e10 is nothing to play with.

If you don't find a weak spot in any of the hoses then you have quite a job ahead of you.