Getting water on top of fuel tank.

[healey8390]

Please move if in wrong section... I just bought a 1995 Key West 1900 DC. It has a 60 gallon poly tank and the fuel gauge goes out intermittently. I noticed that there was a small puddle of water on the tank when inspecting. I soaked it up with a towel and the gauge started working again. One assumption is that the water is throwing off the reading because the sender and ground wires are being "connected" by the water?

My main concern is where could the water be coming from? It's probably a silly question but this is the first boat I've owned with a functional internal tank. I've taken it out twice and it's failed twice/got water twice. The first trip was a very dry ride but the 2nd was a little wet/choppy.

It has a screw access in the floor so I'm assuming it's susceptible to water trickling in but it hasn't rained since I've gotten it and both trips almost no water drained out of the hull. Thanks in advance!

 

[dingbat]

The top of the tank should be dry. Guessing the oring on the deck plate is bad or missing.

If the boat is self bailing there should be no water below deck, period Leaking hoses, cracked thru hulls and compromised deck joints are usually to blame.

 

[Scott Danforth]

weigh your boat. you may have water-logged foam from a hull breach.