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Tanks, sewage & such...

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Capt J, Feb 3, 2019.

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  1. Capt J, Feb 3, 2019
    #1
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    With a lifespan of 20-30 years for aluminum tanks in yachts, sometimes far less. The fiberglass tanks in the Hatteras are well, going 50-60 years and so far hardly a single failure (with diesel anyways).
  2. ranger58sb, Feb 3, 2019
    #2
    ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    Sure; didn't mean aluminum is equal to/better than good 'glass tanks... just that across all production-line boat brands, aluminum is probably aluminum.

    -Chris
  3. Pascal, Feb 3, 2019
    #3
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Yes... most production boats use aluminum except Hatteras, Lazzara, and I believe Bertram and Viking.

    In the last few years, I ve seen three fuel spills at my marina coming from boats with leaking fuel tanks. Two of which were sea rays in the 10/15 year range
  4. PacBlue, Feb 3, 2019
    #4
    PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    Cabo used frp tanks as well.
    USCG specs aluminum fuels tanks for fire safety reasons on certified passenger vessels, minimum plate thickness is 1/4”.
    Properly installed aluminum tanks that are properly coated and have no water collecting near their bottom or a hatch/drip on top will last a lifetime. Vague comments about Silverton or Sea Rays withoutmake/model/year are not helpful. In that same breadth I have seen Hatteras with electrical fires and Bertram’s sink, and there is plenty of related Hurrican damage pictures of those brands to be found as well.

    For the OP, you will want something built after 2000. SR, Silverton, Riviera, Ocean and Viking may have a 3 SR version in 48’ or less. What is your budget?
  5. Capt Ralph, Feb 3, 2019
    #5
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Were on a 58' Bertram MY. Lived on her for a while now.
    Bomb proof with glass tanks. Heavy hull that has been thru hell where other boats did fail.

    We also berth at Huckins Yacht in Jax. The owners are kind and I'm tight with the yard kids.
    I get to see a lot.
    Currently on the hill is a Maxum Yacht getting all ripped out to replace an aluminum fuel (side) tank.
    Josie's Lil Boot is on the hill with a new aluminum tank going in.

    I could easy guess that 6 boats a year come thru here getting their aluminum tanks replaced.
    Near all of these failures were at the welds. However, not necessarily on the bottom or caused by water.
    Fatigue on a weld has been observed a few times.

    Oh, That Maxum, Estimate starts at $13K.

    I'm so glad were on this cheap ole Bertram.
  6. Capt J, Feb 5, 2019
    #6
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    These are my thoughts on the Chesapeke. plus the water is REALLY cold. Once you've done it a year or two, you've seen it all. The nooks and crannies and towns are nice, but getting to and from them is always ugly looking.

    In South Florida you have the east coast, west coast, keys, and Bahamas are a short hop and the weather and water is a lot warmer all year round.
  7. Pascal, Feb 5, 2019
    #7
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I ve been thru the Chesie a few times and there are many great anchorages and neat town to explore. I just would never swim in the brown stuff :)
  8. motoryachtlover, Feb 5, 2019
    #8
    motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    I would like to tell you the brown stuff was just silt. But back in the early 70’s my aunt lived 2 doors up from my Grandfather and her sewer pipe ran right to the river and yes we swam about a 100 yards away. My aunt lived in the house my grandfather grew up in and no one ever thought about the sewer going to the river. Definetly not saying it is right but if you look on charts today you will see reference to a sewer line going offshore from Miami. Does that mean it is still in operation and is it maybe treated sewer. I don’t know. I read a book about a monster sewer line going offshore that served Boston. Once again it maybe treated I don’t know. But interesting to think that municipalities can dump treated (??) sewer but boaters can’t discharge treated sewer. But i may lack a complete understanding of all of this
  9. captholli, Feb 5, 2019
    #9
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Ahhh, The Rose Bowl. Semi treated sewage that the drift fishing boats will stay up wind of and down current for lively fishing.
  10. motoryachtlover, Feb 5, 2019
    #10
    motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    I don’t want to mess up the OP’s topic. But are you saying that Miami is discharging semi treated sewage out that line that is shown on the charts? Did you mean to say Orange Bowl?
  11. Pascal, Feb 5, 2019
    #11
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    The sewage released just off Miami is (supposed to be) treated but Miami Dade county has major issues with its sewer system result in frequent discharges of raw sewage in the bay... the pipe discharging the treated stuff off shore has a number of cracks and a lot of stuff ends up closer to shore.
  12. captholli, Feb 5, 2019
    #12
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Rose Bowl as in smells like Roses per the commercial drift boat captains. Pretty much every county in FL. from Monroe up has a main offshore discharge pipe and the area around these pipes are a nutrient rich & diverse biomass. Ariel photos show a very distinct dark colored discharge and the smell emanating from the water tells the story hence the saying of drift boats staying upwind and down current. You see them every day jockeying for position around the outflows unbeknownst to the tourists fishing on them.
  13. Capt J, Feb 5, 2019
    #13
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Every city in South Florida has one. Hollywood does, Pompano Beach does, Fort Lauderdale etc. It's treated, and some cities like Pompano Beach have plumbed most neighborhoods with this treated sewage water that you use for your lawns at a much reduced rate (1/3 price) and most of it is being used up for irrigation. By 2022 no city can dump the treated sewage in the ocean anymore.

    However, Pompano just had a sewer main get severed that pumped 50,000 gallons per minute, yes minute into the canals for 8 days that is all draining into the ICW. They didn't tell anyone about it for 3 entire days. Isn't that lovely. They did a temporary fix on it last week. AND, in other news Pompano banned plastic drinking straws in restaurants in businesses in the entire city because it hurts the waterways...…...
  14. Oscarvan, Feb 5, 2019
    #14
    Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    Don't know about FL but on the Chesapeake there is no release of untreated sewer in the Bay.... unless it rains, hard. Problem is that a lot of the surface runoff (street drains) go into the system and when it rains like that they have to spill or flood. That said, most of the murkiness in the Ches comes out of the rivers feeding it. It's runoff from the watershed. If you're interested to learn about all that this is the place to start..... http://www.cbf.org/

    As far as cruising it..... I'm not a big fisher, and I only go overboard to do maintenance below the water line. Unless it's 110 degrees and I'm on a sailboat trying not to burn gas. (This tendency is decreasing steadily as I get older). As far as the beauty of the ever changing scenery, and all the nooks and crannies the Ches is in my list of top 10 areas in the world.... and I've seen a few. It never bores. Add to that the little towns on the East shore, a few spectacular maritime museums, the best crab eating, and a few other delights and I will not get bored cruising it for 20 years. In summer. Look for me South in winter.

    To the OP, yeah.... sorry about your thread but I think we agreed you should get the Hatt about 20 posts ago..... :D
  15. Pascal, Feb 6, 2019
    #15
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    The boat I used to run (Johnson 70) had Alum fuel tanks. One on each side of the ER, outboard of the engines, sitting right under the large ER vents. Salty air, occasional spray... the boat was 15 years old when it was sold and it was a great relief not to have to worry about them anymore... when they need to be replaced the 3412s will have to come out

    The Lazzara 84 I run now has a single 2000 gal fiberglass keel fuel tank. No worries
  16. Oscarvan, Feb 6, 2019
    #16
    Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    As an aviator a "single source fuel supply" is a little unnerving....
  17. Pascal, Feb 7, 2019
    #17
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    True but then you d have to refuel tanks at different marinas which is not practical. So doesnt make much of a difference
  18. captholli, Feb 7, 2019
    #18
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    I believe that he was referring to having redundancy in multiple tanks in case of fouling one. Love to see yachts owned by hands on pilots. Engine room & pilot house packed to the gills with two or three of each system whether its needed as a critical system or not. Pilots LOVE their redundancy! ;)
  19. Pascal, Feb 7, 2019
    #19
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    That’s what I meant. Bad fuel almost always come from the dock (or truck) so unless you never refuel all tanks at the same place, chances are all tanks will be contaminated
  20. captholli, Feb 7, 2019
    #20
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Ahhh, Sorry about that. Guess that makes sense for a foul buried tank @ a marina.
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