Association Forum - Gas locker leakage ALERT

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Gas locker leakage ALERT

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

Canada
1314 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/17/2006 : 21:32:38

Although I had intended to publish the following alert, time slipped by until Russ.Johnson reminded me of fumes in the cabin in his response to a fuel line question on this forum

Last year while trailering the boat home for the winter we left the gas can cap unscrewed (forgot to tighten it) in the fuel locker.

Because of the rough road a substantial amount of gas spilled out into the fuel locker. Some escaped through the draining holes onto the road. BUT NOT ALL!!

When we arrived home and wanted to unload the boat stuff from the cabin we noticed very heavy gas fumes throughout the cabin and particularly in the aft section. Upon inspection we found, much to our consternation, several areas where, horror of horrors, actual gasoline was dripping/streaming down along the bulkhead and had already formed a puddle below the aft cushions while some had soaked in.

You can imagine that ONE STATIC SPARK and the whole thing, including myself, would have been blown sky-high. We immediately opened everything and force-vented the interior for hours

After we felt safe to do so the aft cushions were removed and the interior of both the aft cabin and the gas locker were ventilated for several more days. This was followed by a careful inspection of the bottom of the fuel locker for possible holes/cracks. It was hard to believe that we found several IMPERFECTIONS, CRACKS/HOLES if you wish, inside and around the very bottom of the fuel locker where the fuel locker wall meets the floor.

Because the fuel locker’s walls are contoured and somewhat recessed on the very bottom it is hard to inspect this without a mirror. Fixing and filling the holes and applying an extra bead of caulking was no problem.

Our hull number is #151... this could perhaps be an isolated problem but... hulls of the same vintage may have a similar and potential very DANGEROUS problem.

My recommendation would be to CAREFULLY CHECK THIS OUT!!
(AND DON’T WEAR ANY STATIC CLOTHING WHILE CHECKING)

Henk & Johanna
"Floating", a few off your "barnacles".
"Someday Lady" '95 C250WB #151 ('03 - 2016)
"Sea ya" 30ft Bayliner (04-2018 - 09-2018)
"Mariah" '96 C250WB #191 (05-2019 - 15-05-2023)
"Lady J" '00 C250WK #499 (05-2021 - 09-2022)

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2006 : 22:02:01

Henk, Ya got my attention!

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2006 : 01:05:51

As a note to the previous Gas locker leakage ALERT I remember at the time that the discovery of the leaks in the fuel locker was disturbing and could hardly believe that Catalina at the time of manufacture would have overlooked such a hazardous fault.

But... unless one sticks ones head right inside the tank, use a mirror or block the vent holes and fill the compartment with liquid nobody would ever notice. We just assumed that the tank was and looked sealed and... who would have thought otherwise?

If, in our case, the rough road and unsealed gasoline cap had not occurred we would never have been alerted either even though we did find several times small amounts of water in the aft area and once a bit water in the bilge but credited that to an left open companion way or some other unknown.

The problem observed has to do with the laying up of the fibreglass at the floor/fuel locker wall during construction and the white coating, whatever that is, painted over top of the glass and missing in 3 definite noticeable spots. One approx. 1/8 high by 1/2 inch long and 2 round holes and a couple what appeared to be small pin holes.

When looking for leaks, use the strongest light possible, use a mirror and look for faults in the paint type covering. (I used a knife and pried right into the the glass through the hole and easily enlarging it.

After drying the area for several weeks, I used chemical resistant caulking and layered several coatings at the bottom junction of floor and fuel locker walls.

Edited by - on

JohnMD
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
207 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2006 : 03:20:20

What did you use to fill the holes/cracks? Have you checked to see if it fixed the leaks? I have hull number 2 and found out while washing the boat that my fuel locker also leaks. You are quite correct that getting to the areas to fix them is extremely tough. I was going to try and fill the entire area where the horizontal and vertical glass surfaces come together. The problem is that there is 11 years of fuel/oil spills in that area. I wonder how well good 'ol white silicone will do?

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2006 : 10:33:18

Thanks for the Alert Henk. I'll have to remember to check the cap and the Vent before trailering. Also another reason not to fill your tank to the top. When filling your tank you should allow for expansion, the heat of the day will expand your gas and it could leak out the vent at the dock or anytime. You don't have to be bouncing down the road.

Edited by - Tom Potter on 04/18/2006 10:41:14

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2006 : 18:12:37

Tom: The tank, as I recall, may have been 3/4 full, however, bouncing over rough(er) roads lasted for some time and seemingly lots of fuel spilt out.

To quote John from a previous message on this forum: Quote... "I don't see any way that fuel or fumes could leak into the cabin without a serious break in the bottom of the fuel locker; the fiberglass seems very sturdy."

That's exactly what we (hull #151 WB) assumed as well BUT... having an unscrewed gas cap (forgot) while trailering over a rough road and spilling gas inside the fuel locker proved very much that the locker had serious, hard to detect, leaks through the wall/deck joint area to the INSIDE OF THE AFT CABIN.

This could have had serious and fatal consequences. Had it been just water (either fresh or salt) we would not have been instantly alerted ( the "oh well.. probably just from the cockpit coamings somehow and we'll look at it next season", syndrome)

please CHECK and DOUBLE CHECK the inside wall/floor edges with bright light and a SHARP OBJECT to feel, prod and scrape where the wall/floor is bonded for minute holes, cracks, flaking bonds etc.

Still can’t believe that our beloved 11 year old boat had such an undetected and hidden potential fatal flaw.

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2006 : 22:54:37

John: Regarding cleaning accumulations of grease/oil/fuel spills from the bottom of the locker we scrubbed until it was clean & grease free and spent hours & days force drying afterwards.

After removal of the battery the area behind the bulkhead was closely scrutinised and located several (some obvious and a couple probably) where the gas had/could have entered. We used a silicone type of chemical resistant white caulking but don’t remember the brand.

Yes... we layered it thick and heavy all around the perimeter of the fuel locker.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3441 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2006 : 11:19:04

Thanks for the alert ! Where else would we find info like this ! I'll take a look next time I'm on the boat.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2006 : 11:59:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by OLarryR
 Thanks for the alert ! Where else would we find info like this ! I'll take a look next time I'm on the boat.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Larry,

Realize that Henk has a C250 so this doesn't apply to your C25.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3441 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2006 : 16:41:12

Don, I realized that as soon as I went back to the main menu and realized where I was. Still....250 or 25, I am going to take a look in there. Maybe it will give me incentive to clean the area under the gas tank.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.