T&T: adding the fuel drains

[Rich Gano]

A long time back, before I had access to all the wonderful information and
how-to-do stuff here and on the Grand Banks forum, I replaced the drain plug
(a simple 1/2" pipe plug) on one of my four diesel fuel tanks with a valve.
The tank contained a hundred-plus gallons of fuel.  I put a few rags around
under the pipe plug and put my thumb in the hole for a few seconds after I
removed the plug until I got the valve in my other hand and ready to thread
into the hole.  I probably got about four or five tablespoons of fuel on the
rags.

I repeated this procedure three times on the remaining tanks last winter.
Even though I had heard of the vacuum cleaner method and thought it most
clever, I just didn't feel the effort was worth the gain.  Again, minimal
fuel on the rags, which were quickly removed from the boat to avoid the
smell.

I don't necessarily recommend my method over the use of a vacuum, because if
you end up with a problem when the original valve/plug is removed, the
vacuum may save your butt.  Of course, the vacuum could fail or come loose
too when you are in the midst of depending on it.

Rich Gano
CALYPSO (GB-42 #295)
Southport, FL