Lining Our Fuel Tank With G/Flex 650 Epoxy | Sailboat Story 205

[@stinkybisquit]

Love the FumeCam. AND the face.

[@franktartan6808]

I think, had you cut the tank access a little bigger, Molly would have fit in there. Or you could have rigged up Ben to hang upside down to reach in the tank. That way Tambi could have poked him with the vacuum! Always fun with you!!! Hi to Molly!

[@csranch2000]

I know that was a tough job. I just changed out our fuel tanks due to the pitting and started to leak diesel. I am glad I changed them out. The epoxy coating is a tough job when you have several sections with baffles. Looks like ya'll did a great job!

[@kennethpaladino4948]

Great video & perfect timing! Was just looking at this same issue on brother’s Taswell 49! Finally found the leak! Tank is steel! Has sum very small pitting in 1 corner! Yard wants $12,000-$15,000 to replace it! We just had the bright idea to coat it! But wasn’t sure what the best product would be! Thanx 4 the vid! 👌👍

[@Sailboatstory]

Great to hear. We like hearing about how our videos help people out. Thanks for letting us know, and I hope it works well for you. If the putting is bad, perhaps consider adding in a bit of fiberglass cloth as well.

[@AllMyHobbies]

So glad your guys are back. Have been loving these videos as much as i did your original ones so many years ago. I hope you guys take that boat around the world. It would be a grand adventure

[@Sailboatstory]

Tambi is the one that needs convincing.

[@AllMyHobbies]

@@Sailboatstory just start with small steps like. Hey lets do the panama Canal. Then when you get to the other side just being up the fact that there really is no where to go over here so lets just go the South Pacific. Then the only way home is west from there just have to go around the world to make it. One small step at a time. Never commit to the hole thing. Haha good luck. And get here some good meds.

[@drjasper100]

Ya. Mad! There are fuel additives that will treat pitting. One I can suggest is “fuel right”.

[@Sailboatstory]

We use the stuff. 👍

[@rustycomer8502]

“You’re such a dork”. 😂 I busted a gut when I heard Tambi say that under her breath! I can’t count the times my beautiful wifey has said that about me. Unfortunately, I don’t think she fully appreciates my dorkiness quite as much as Tambi does yours 😭

[@charlescain7962]

Watching you two, I would ALMOST get married.

[@Sailboatstory]

The key is finding a woman like Tambi. They're they're only slightly less rare than a unicorn, but they're out there.

[@joenugent3994]

Delicious looking sandwiches

[@sailingsvgenevieve3970]

Good idea on the fuel tank epoxy coating ! Keep 'em coming...

[@kingrandal01]

In Armuchee Ga where I growed up my dad would make me a sandwich called a jam sandwich. In the South a jam sandwich is two pieces of bread jammed together lol. We were poor but dad made things fun.

[@paraweir]

Love this channel. A pretty woman, a funny cool guy and a young and very nice daughter ... with a cool boat. What more could you ask for? Keep it up guys ...

[@brucemacsr.6776]

Your a good dad.

[@roberthansen329]

Hi Ben I was down at my boat, the marina next to yours.I came over to check out your boat but you were not the . the boat is looking great. Hope to see you on the water soon.

[@james412m]

Another great video. Thanks for sharing! You three are funny!

[@fergywurst]

🎈🎈THICK & STICKY, ✨✨THICK & STICKY ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

[@billgiltner6884]

Great job you two ..

[@johnwishart7950]

great video thank you for making them it keeps me entertained on Saturday

[@jasongrinnell1986]

Lol! That was awesome. Great start to my morning.

[@cnc75adventures49]

Great video for a smaller task that of course I believe you it’s harder than it looks especially at 95 +👍👍

[@Scalihoo]

I love messing with epoxies, good job !

[@thomastaylor6991]

Saw that slap coming.

[@montanadan2524]

Good stuff team.

[@EmptyHammock]

That looked like a brutal job. I'm not sure if I'd rather do that or work in an attic. 🤔

[@sovereignsea.]

love this guys! your videos are great

[@RealChrisHubbs]

So how far is the nearest Lowes Depot to your marina? These projects just seem like the million trips to the hardware store kinda projects...

[@Sailboatstory]

Ace Hardware is the store we frequent. We have made as many as 3 trips a day. Usually though, we get by with only 1 or 2 trips to the hardware store per each trip to the boat.

[@jehuhand8176]

West Systems does not recommend the use of their epoxy for fuel tanks. They apparently tested fuel with 10% ethanol which dissolves epoxy resin and some diesel fuels have ethanol. Vinylester is probably better or polyester 474

[@Sailboatstory]

OK, let's clarify some things as what you are saying is only partially correct and also partially quite incorrect. Yes, the majority of their epoxy products are not well suited for aluminum fuel tanks filled with diesel. Broadly claiming that West Systems does not recommend the use of their epoxy with fuel tanks, is simply incorrect. They don't say that, however there are some important caveats. Let's be specific as not all fuel tanks are made of the same material. Mine are aluminum and are built to store diesel fuel. Prior to embarking on this project, I consulted directly with West Systems to confirm that I was on the right track. It was West Systems themselves who directly confirmed that not only will G-Flex 650 work on aluminum, but it would also work with diesel. They went as far to say that G-Flex 650 has been used to line airplane fuel tanks as well. Not only are airplane fuel tanks generally made of aluminum, but they are also filled with aviation fuel, which is a FAR more challenging substance for epoxy to stand up to compared to simple ethanol. Not all epoxies are equal. The correct epoxy use in the proper application makes all the difference. Hopefully that helps clarify some things.

[@12FlyVA]

Excellent job. What was your process to clean the tank, before the steps you took in this video?

[@Sailboatstory]

Empty, degrease, sand, solvent, sand, epoxy.

[@12FlyVA]

What product did you use to do the degreasing?

[@Sailboatstory]

@@12FlyVA I don't recall exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was just Joy Soap. Nothing fancy.

[@animapulcra9205]

A mari usque ad mare. A question. Why not make each tank section accessible in future with a removable lid?

[@Sailboatstory]

We did exactly that.

[@jeanmariebernard6730]

👍👍👍Bien cordialement

[@richardslosar4074]

Hi, How many coats of G-Flex did you apply ?

[@Sailboatstory]

3

[@johnhewett2525]

Hasn't West System stated that they can no longer recommend their products for fuel tanks due to the fact that they have no control as to the additives fuel companies are using? These additives may (or may not) break down the epoxy.

[@Sailboatstory]

I personally know airplane mechanics who use it to line fuel tanks containing nav gas. That's good enough for me.

[@Garryck-1]

I'm sure that job was a lot harder and worse than you made it look.. well done, team!

[@Sailboatstory]

It was a doozy for sure. An all day affair and another day off camera for prep. We’ll probably do the other 2 tanks like this eventually as well, but they require cutting access holes in the wood sole.

[@lennybarentine6425]

Did you line YOUR tank with fettuccine alfredo?

[@DowneastThunderCreations]

👍👍👍

[@danieloliver20]

Never, never, ever do that again! Lol, except for the other two 50 gallon tanks!! 🙄🤪🥴

[@svlolalouise9763]

Ha first South Australia

[@frankchristensen5778]

Hey Ben, is that a record? 2 slaps in the first 3 minutes? Loved the vid guys, especially the "Fumes" at the end... Greetings to the three of you [Ben, Tambi & Molly] from Perth, West Australia. Cheers, Frank.

[@anthonyaviles8665]

Is that epoxy safe to use in a fuel tank

[@Sailboatstory]

Let me answer your question with a question. Do you think I’d go through the trouble, pain, and expense of coating our fuel tank with this epoxy if it were not applicable for this particular use?

[@anthonyaviles8665]

@@Sailboatstory I was just asking was all but I was reading into it and it says that that’s one of the best epoxies to use and it’s usually gas and pervious

[@Sailboatstory]

@@anthonyaviles8665 GFlex 650 is an extremely tough, flexible, and tenacious epoxy. Yes, it's quite applicable for this use, assuming of course that proper preparation steps are followed. Thus far it's held up exceptionally well with the stresses of 130 gallons of diesel fuel sloshing about.

[@kb1esx]

How did I know you'd get slapped for playing with the vac.

[@JonMadsen70]

:)

[@graeme-sailingskeptic]

Ben is a sucker for punishment? (first 10 seconds). Thanks for especially selecting me to become a Patron... unfortunately I am already a Patron of several other channels and I will be in all sorts of strife with my wife if I subscribe to one more sailing channel... sorry!