Bart Senior wrote:

An extra 150 gallons is nice. That's 42% more range.

Very nice.

What material are your tanks?


Taiwanese "black" iron. This material is a low grade sheet iron, with a
bad reputation for rusting thru. They are also constucted contrary to
good principles... for example, the fuel suction connection is a pipe
nipple welded into the bottom corner, and there are no inspection ports
(and I suspect no baffles). However our tanks are in good shape because
the fill connectors are not over them, the way they are in most
trawlers, so the condensation & deck leaks don't pool on the top of the
tank (the usual spot for rust thru).

If we do have to replace them, I'm planning on sawing off sections of
the tops and putting in a foam rubber blanket to act as padding for
bladder type tanks. These are much better, no slosh, no air surface, no
condesation.

But first, I am definitely putting in a polishing system, with a pump &
manifold that will double as a transfer & stripping system.

DSK

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
jlrogers wrote:

In no particular order:

Good Judgement
Experience
Knowledge
Ability
Empathy
Courage


Does "Good Judgement" include foresight & the ability to keep several
moves ahead of the boat? IMHO that's one of the most important
characteristics of a skipper.

Empathy... yes, especially as some other pointed out, the empathy to put
crews to work at tasks appropriate to their skill.

Courage is I think over rated in a sailor. Usually any occasion calling
for bravery is due to a lack of foresight, judgement, knowledge, etc etc.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Courgage to do the right thing in spite of the slings and arrows of
passengers, crew, and authority ashore is the bravery to which I refer, not
bravery in battleing the element.

"Bart Senior" .@. wrote in message ...
Which areas do you think you need to improve?

"jlrogers" wrote

In no particular order:

Good Judgement
Experience
Knowledge
Ability
Empathy
Courage

"Bart Senior" .@. wrote
What are the attributes of an outstanding skipper?

Take a good hard look at yourself, and tell me which
attributes you feel need improvement in yourself.


2, 3, and 4. All of which would lend strength to 1 and 5.

What do you think it will weigh we completed?

"DSK" wrote

I was thinking of using a mix of Kevlar and carbon fiber on the dinghy,
but have decided to go with just CF.

Good idea. Do you have a design worked up?

"DSK" wrote

But first, I am definitely putting in a polishing system, with a pump &
manifold that will double as a transfer & stripping system.

Please pardon me for changing the title, but I think this has wandered
rather far from the original thread.

But first, I am definitely putting in a polishing system, with a pump &
manifold that will double as a transfer & stripping system.



Bart Senior wrote:
Good idea. Do you have a design worked up?


Not really, but I've got a good idea where it's going & how it's to be
laid out. I also have to do a little more research on components, but
the general plan is to use a 10 ~ 15gpm 12V pump & hose rather than hard
piping.

It's surprising that more boats aren't using fuel bladders. They're very
common in industry nowadays, they are very tough & have a number of
advantages IMHO.

DSK

Again, this has wandered far from the original subject, please excuse
the title switch.


I was thinking of using a mix of Kevlar and carbon fiber on the dinghy,
but have decided to go with just CF.


Bart Senior wrote:
What do you think it will weigh we completed?


The bare hull should (if my math is right) weight around 12 pounds.
That's without vacuum bagging, which I may experiment with but it looks
like too much of a PITA to save only 2 ~ 3 lbs max. Adding seats, gun'l,
etc etc will probably bring it up to 25 ~ 30 lbs.

This is for a 9' Whitehall style boat, so I'm won't be disappointed if
it comes out at the high end of this range, that's still less than half
what a Walker Bay 8 is (and IMHO they are tippy, ugly, junk... hey at
least they're inexpensive).

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

I agree on the Walker Bay boats. Something
about them makes be cringe.

So you don't think your's will be tippy? It is
light, even if wide and with a flat bottom I'd
think it would still be tippy.

"DSK" wrote in message
.. .
Again, this has wandered far from the original subject, please excuse
the title switch.


I was thinking of using a mix of Kevlar and carbon fiber on the dinghy,
but have decided to go with just CF.


Bart Senior wrote:
What do you think it will weigh we completed?


The bare hull should (if my math is right) weight around 12 pounds.
That's without vacuum bagging, which I may experiment with but it looks
like too much of a PITA to save only 2 ~ 3 lbs max. Adding seats, gun'l,
etc etc will probably bring it up to 25 ~ 30 lbs.

This is for a 9' Whitehall style boat, so I'm won't be disappointed if
it comes out at the high end of this range, that's still less than half
what a Walker Bay 8 is (and IMHO they are tippy, ugly, junk... hey at
least they're inexpensive).

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Bladders make me nervous. Unless they are
secured with a solid tank, in which case what
do you need a bladder for? Water can be
taken out at the filters, and I tend to keep my
tanks filled so condensation is not a big
concern for me.

"DSK" wrote

But first, I am definitely putting in a polishing system, with a pump &
manifold that will double as a transfer & stripping system.

Not really, but I've got a good idea where it's going & how it's to be
laid out. I also have to do a little more research on components, but
the general plan is to use a 10 ~ 15gpm 12V pump & hose rather than hard
piping.

It's surprising that more boats aren't using fuel bladders. They're very
common in industry nowadays, they are very tough & have a number of
advantages IMHO.

DSK

Bart Senior wrote:
Bladders make me nervous. Unless they are
secured with a solid tank, in which case what
do you need a bladder for? Water can be
taken out at the filters, and I tend to keep my
tanks filled so condensation is not a big
concern for me.


If you're away from the fuel dock for any long period, then you don't
have the option of keeping the tank full all the time. With our boat, if
we're going to actually use that great range to go anywhere, like out in
the eastern Bahamas, the plan will be to return with around 25% tankage.
And you're up north, where condensation is worse (more cold weather).

We tend to fill up at fishing boat docks, where the fuel is cheaper,
That means going past a lot of pleasure boat marinas and watching the
fuel gage sink for a few days.

The military drops fuel bladders out of airplanes for resupply. Now
*that* would make me nervous, but using one in a boat should be a piece
of cake. The biggest problem is getting the installation right so that
the tank is properly supported, protected against chafe, and the fill,
suction, & vent hoses don't get kinked or twisted.

Another up side is that a bladder tank can be put into an otherwise
unusable void. That's pretty much the situation with the space under our
aft cabin sole.

Regards
Doug King