Bob Haussler Archives - Good Old Boat

Once the tank was removed, we took advantage of the opportunity to give this otherwise inaccessible space a thorough cleaning, light sanding, and some new paint. The two removable lengthwise runners on the bottom at left are what the tank rests on. These are of painted hardwood and reduce chafe that would otherwise occur between the metal tank and fiberglass keel housing. Rust covered the lower half of the tank (see photo below left). Once the rust was removed by sandblasting, pits were revealed that apparently had been forming for several years. Fortunately, these pitted areas weren’t deep enough to affect the integrity of the tank. The tank could be reused, provided the rusting process could be halted. The only foolproof option available was to thoroughly sandblast the tank to remove all traces of oxidized iron down to bare metal. This was a perfect time to clean the tank interior. See photo below. We used rags to mop up the remaining diesel and the few teaspoons of sludge that had gathered in the corners at the tank’s lowest point.

Plumbing
Projects

Rescue that rusting tank

Issue 4 : Jan/Feb 1999 Tucked away under the cabin sole floorboards, the average fuel tank doesn’t get much attention from those of us who like to sail. In fact, it may be totally neglected until some...

Bob Haussler

October 28, 2026

Browsing Tag: Bob Haussler

Rescue that rusting tank

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Tanks a lot : The epoxy “cure”

Rescue that rusting tank

Tanks: Easy to forget, too important to dismiss

Need anodized parts? Make them yourself

Safe shorepower

Hooking . . . for a good night’s sleep