Some very interesting discussions on the list as of late. My woodie GB 32 would spit back what seemed like several gallons when the tanks were far from full; checked the tank vents constantly. Funny thing my MT 34/DC (allegedly not built as well, hah!) doesn't have this problem at all with a virtually identical tank arrangement. On both trawlers when taking trips of any duration I've always run out of potable water long before fuel became an issue, but I like my morning shower and the first mate usually does too. Arild Jensen wrote: A fairly simple volume calculation will determine how many gallons are contained for each inch of tank space near the top. That might be a "simple calculation" for you, Mr. Jensen, but not for me. I measure before and after a long trip and figure inches per day, I'd be real curious to see your formula as I tried your method on Sea Moose and don't know if I got it right or not. I figured cubic inches as Length times Width times Height for the whole tank and then how much volume an inch of tank would be. Not knowing how many cubic inches are in a gallon I extrapolated using manufacturers claimed tank size. If you haven't seen Mark's web page, it's worth the time. Mark's M/V Reliable makes me feel like my little restoration (that took all summer and I ran out of season LONG before I ran out of boat) is nothing. Mark, the pictures on the web site are great, can we see below decks and engine spaces? Mark mentions in-water storage with bubblers -- in this part of the Great Lakes (Western Erie/St. Clair) no marina does bubblers anymore, everybody comes out of the water, period. This is a recent change in the last couple of years AFAIK. As long as I'm here... I have been unable to locate a local source for teak veneer paneling. I'm pretty sure that the Marine Trader interior is Narra (Pterocarpus indicus) veneer; I'd like to build a seat for the lower station, and redo a few walls now that the leaks are all stopped. Can anyone around the Great Lakes point me in the right direction? I've found places on the web that will sell me a whole bundle of the stuff but unless I decide to do the living room in the house with it... (somehow I think the first mate would rather have a new car, about the same cost <grin>) Alan Robbins 34' M/T 34 DC "Sea Moose" Boating Season for me ends October 31 @ 2:40pm :-(((

----- Original Message ----- From: "K. Alan Robbins" <lnmoose@chartermi.net> > > Arild Jensen wrote: A fairly simple volume calculation will determine how > many gallons are contained for each inch of tank space near the top. > > I'd be real curious to see your formula Hi Alan, L x W x H (in inches) x 0.0043290043 = US Gallons That formula works for tanks that are rectangular only. If your tank has tapered sections or cut-outs in order to conform to the space available you're out of luck. OTOH: If the space above the fuel is rectangular and all you really want to know is how much fuel you have room for then you're back in business. In most of the vessel tanks that I've seen (admittedly a limited number) the upper 2/3 of the tank at least is rectangular and the oddly shaped bits are at the bottom. Measure the airspace, apply the above formula, and you should know how much fuel your tank will take. Hope this helps. Geometrically yours, Alex

> ----- Original Message ----- > From: "K. Alan Robbins" <lnmoose@chartermi.net> > > > > Arild Jensen wrote: A fairly simple volume calculation will determine > how > > many gallons are contained for each inch of tank space near the top. > > > > I'd be real curious to see your formula For the mathematically impaired (like me!), a good website is: http://convertalot.com/convercalc.html It converts just about anything to anything! ___________________________ Doug Barnard rebuilding a 20' Skipjack "Fiesta Bimbo" trawler-crawler wannabe